In response to nationwide concerns about social and racial justice and equity, Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation has formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Even on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, these concerns touch many of us deeply. The goal of this committee is to examine and improve the relationship of people on the island to the land we care for.
As former board chair Brien O’Brien wrote in March, SMF recognizes “the unique restorative powers of these exquisite, natural environments; they have something of a supernatural healing element that allows us to regroup, regenerate, and grow.” Amid the current pandemic and economic disruption, Sheriff’s Meadow has found more and more people are turning to our trail network to experience the healing powers of nature.
There has been widespread interest in the Board’s new DEI committee, which is co-chaired by Bill Plapinger and Lisa Foster, and includes eight other members of the board, including Executive Director Adam Moore. Our plan is to spend some time gathering data on how we interface with the community at every level, from the trails and staff to vendors and donors. We will also research what other land trusts have done to increase community engagement and develop recommendations from our peers’ experiences and best practices. Perhaps most importantly, we will reach out to different Island communities to find out how we can make our lands more accessible and welcoming to all.
As an organization, our goal is to serve everyone on the Island. Anything we can do to make people feel more welcome on our lands and enhance access will be mutually beneficial to both SMF and the Island
residents and visitors we serve.