Black, brown, and green : racial diversity and leadership in Southern environmental nonprofits

In the growing field of diversity, equity, and inclusion, ceilings abound. From glass to bamboo, these ceilings have important consequences for management - specifically, keeping gender and racial minorities in low-level positions or away from professional advancement in their respective fields. The environmental movement has its own such barrier: the green ceiling. This study explores how board leadership for environmental nonprofit organizations does, or does not, reflect racial diversity. The lack of representation in the environmental movement has been examined largely as a managerial issue but not one with geographical roots. The purpose of this study, then, is to gauge if the green ceiling has had a differential effect on the Southern United States compared with the nation as a whole. To better understand the geography of the green ceiling, this report focuses on regionality versus nationality, state-level differences across the south, and the metadata of board racial diversity.