HARNESSING BLACK LEADERSHIP AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM A DECADE OF WORKING WITHIN BLACK COMMUNITIES

It is well understood that having underrepresented minorities as leaders is an effective way to ensure the cultural competency of geoscience curriculum or outreach efforts, while also providing mentors and role models. But I propose there is a lesser-explored advantage that might have more power than cultural competency, and that would be the simple act of acknowledgement and celebration of black leadership itself. Too often geoscience education and outreach jumps straight to the science of our planet and forgets to provide the relevant context. Having equal collaborations with black leaders provides credibility to the science because it then becomes community-driven. While it is well documented that there are few black geoscientists, black leaders are content experts in many other areas that compliment geology such as local environmental issues, historical accounts of places, and pedagogical strategies. Creating ways students and the general public can connect with the leaders within their own communities is a vital first step. Relationships to community, place, and nature must be established before a relationship to geology can be made. Once the proper foundation has been set, geology can be appreciated and explored for the contributions to society we all enjoy yet very few people understand.