So many urban young people of color today are unengaged with nature. They need that first experience, the spark that builds their awareness of and connection to nature. We have to build a bridge between those who have the knowledge and resources and those who are disconnected.

I co-founded Eagle Eye Institute in 1991, developing learning, stewardship, and career bridging programs. These programs have connected 5,000 low income urban youth with the power of nature by providing them access to natural rural places while learning from diverse natural resource professionals. These adults often say they get more out of the experience than they are giving. We must connect the disconnected.

Eagle Eye’s role, making the connections between diverse people, building bridges, and deepening cross-cultural understanding, is a small and powerful piece of the larger picture, providing access to first time experiences that get youth to want more, building their awareness, developing their responsibility while edging them further towards being leaders and partners in conservation.