The 7th week of CLI concluded last Tuesday, October 24th. Students shared their personal narratives and split into groups to create a campaign plan for local issues such as Targhee Expansion and Karns Meadows. Throughout this year’s class, students have learned skills designed to help them take their passion for conservation and use it to create change in the community. This free class included subjects over storytelling, campaign planning, local government, issues in conservation, strategies and tactics, getting on a board, communication skills, grassroots organizing and information on how to stay civically engaged. The class is designed to help students become leaders in the community. In the past, we have had CLI graduates become executive directors, politicians, board members and influential members of the community who have impacted issues such as overdevelopment, energy, wildlife coexistence, affordable housing and more. Students will present their campaign projects and have a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, October 31st.
A huge thank you to all the amazing speakers we have had for CLI. Your voice and your message greatly impacted and inspired the class. Our speakers for this year’s CLI included:
Luther Propst, Clare Stumpf, Len Necefer, Hailey Morton Levinson, Vanessa Chavarriaga Posada, Joe Smith, Boots Allen, and Kaya Patten-Fusselman.
Also, a huge thank you to the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole who awarded us a microgrant that will be used to pay future speakers who represent marginalized voices in conservation.
Our goal for future CLI’s is to make this information more available to a wider diversity of people and to include the opportunity for more speakers to be compensated for their time. We are so thankful for this grant and are excited to grow the Conservation Leadership Institute into a more diverse and inclusive space.
