Embracing Change: Honoring the Past, Welcoming the Future at Honor the Earth

As the current Honor the Earth Board of Directors transitions out of positions that they held for many years, the current Honor staff and incoming new board members wish to acknowledge and express gratitude to the outgoing board for their years, if not decades, of service.

In this same breath, we welcome our new Board of Directors with open arms and excitement as we move into the next phase of Honor the Earth's evolution. The incoming board will build on the past and embrace the future by focusing  on present day issues like the growing Land Back movement; by challenging the pervasive militarism that exists throughout culture and commerce; and by pushing back on “green colonialism” – the greenwashing by extractive industries, from mining to oil. In reality, it’s simply a new version of settler colonialism that targets and exploits Indigenous lands and Peoples. 

The retiring board’s commitment to establishing an Indigenous-based environmental justice organization, led predominantly by Native women over 30 years -- and through many battles -- has had a historical and socio-political  impact not just in Minnesota but throughout Turtle Island and around the world.

Now that Honor’s roots are deeply established, it can move confidently ahead. In that spirit, acknowledgement of the previous board’s achievements is in order. Under the past board’s inspired leadership and tireless guidance the organization has improved the lives of Indigenous Peoples, while also creating greater visibility and understanding of Native issues, history and culture among non-Native populations. 

Honor the Earth is truly an organization that has served to safeguard Indigenous lands, treaties and ways of life. And as we all now grapple with the impact of the increasing climate crisis, the organization has helped raise our collective consciousness about the perilous threats to Mother Earth and provided pathways to help mitigate against these harms.

Now is a time of transition and further growth for the organization. As our past board members head onto other endeavors and the new board takes its place, Honor the Earth stands ready to create the next 30 years.