Rooted in Power: Reflections from GLT’s 12th Annual Retreat
The Green Leadership Trust gathered its network in Washington, DC for its 12th Annual Retreat — three days of connection, learning, and collective strategy at a pivotal moment for democracy and the environment.
May 29–31, 2026 | Washington, DC
The Green Leadership Trust gathered its network of environmental board members and Global Majority advocates in Washington, DC for our 12th Annual Retreat, three days of connection, learning, and collective strategy at a pivotal moment for democracy and the environment.
Friday Evening: Gathering the Network
The retreat opened Friday evening at the Sierra Club offices, where GLT members, board allies, and prospective members came together for a reception that set the tone for the weekend: warm, purposeful, and community-centered. Pioneer architects of Environmental Justice Professor Charles Lee and Vernice Miller-Travis shared pure inspiration as they spotlighted the tenacity of frontline communities impacted by environmental racism.
Saturday: Learning, Strategy, and Solidarity
Saturday’s full-day program began with grounding remarks from Executive Director Emira Woods, land acknowledgment, and an authentic relating icebreaker that wove new and familiar faces into genuine connection.
The morning featured two powerful panels. Democracy Deferred: The Urgency of Now brought together GLT members to analyze the current political moment and explore how boards can drive positive change. Voices included Leslie G. Fields of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Justin Kwasa of the League of Conservation Voters, Mark Magaña of GreenLatinos, and civil rights lawyer and author/filmmaker Arjun S. Sethi, moderated by GLT Managing Director Dany Sigwalt.
The afternoon panel, Protecting Communities from the Impact of Data Centers, examined one of the fastest-growing and least-discussed environmental frontiers: the energy demands, land use implications, and community impacts of data center infrastructure. Speakers included Abre’ Conner of the NAACP’s Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, Charles Hua of Powerlines, and Robin Lewis of Interfaith Power and Light, moderated by Chitra Kumar of CK Advisory.
The afternoon opened into a rich menu of peer learning tracks, including financial literacy, legal defense for nonprofits, and a session on strengthening board-ED relationships led by Ebony Twilley Martin of The Regenerative Leadership Lab. A facilitated roundtable, Meeting the Moment, invited members to collectively generate solutions to the board-level challenges of this political era. Members who needed to step away to recharge were equally welcomed — rest, as the agenda reminded us, is revolutionary.
The day closed with laughter yoga led by Chitra Kumar, before members gathered for dinner at Tiffany’s Bar & Bistro in Northeast DC.
Sunday: Grounding the Digital in the Physical
Sunday took the full group into Northern Virginia for a tour of Data Center Alley, led by GLT member Lydia Lawrence, Conservation Director at Nature Forward. Northern Virginia is the global epicenter of data center infrastructure, and the tour offered members a visceral understanding of the physical and environmental footprint of the digital economy, knowledge we can now bring back to strategic conversations in our own organizations.
The retreat closed over lunch in Tysons before members departed, re-energized, reconnected, and ready to meet the moment.
2026 Green Leadership Trust DC Reception
Join GLT in Washington, DC for an evening of connection with environmental board leaders and advocates committed to justice-centered governance.
On the evening of Friday, May 29th, Green Leadership Trust (GLT) will open its 2026 Annual Member Retreat weekend with a reception on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. GLT — a powerful network of environmental board members and advocates of the Global Majority — is gathering environmentalists from across the country who share a commitment to equity, justice, and transformative leadership in the climate and environmental sector.
This reception is more than an opening night — it’s a reminder of why this work matters. At a moment when environmental organizations are being called to stand up for justice, inclusion, and accountability, GLT members and allies come together not just to celebrate, but to recommit. The evening will feature light fare, music, and remarks from GLT leadership and allies, offering a space for the kind of honest, energizing conversation that fuels the movement.
What to Expect:
An evening of connection with environmental board leaders and advocates from across the country. Remarks from GLT leadership and movement allies. Community care and celebration as we open the 2026 Annual Member Retreat weekend. Light fare and music in the heart of Capitol Hill.
This event is open to retreat participants and invited guests only. Please RSVP to reserve your spot — the exact venue address will be provided via confirmation email.
The Environmental Movement Was Built on Assumptions of Racism — Telling the Truth is the Way Forward
GLT explores how the environmental movement has been shaped by racial assumptions — and why telling the truth is the way forward.
For over a decade, Green Leadership Trust has been doing the work of naming what others in the environmental sector have been reluctant to say: that the movement was built on assumptions rooted in racism, and that confronting that truth directly is the only path forward. GLT’s latest writing on Medium makes that case with clarity and urgency.
What the Piece Argues
The environmental movement has long operated as though its values and structures were neutral — when in fact they have been shaped by racial assumptions that have systematically excluded People of the Global Majority from leadership, decision-making, and the benefits of environmental protection. GLT argues that the way forward is not to soften this reality but to tell the truth about it.
Why This Matters Now
The current political moment is putting pressure on organizations to retreat from equity and inclusion commitments. Environmental organizations that fail to reckon honestly with their own history cannot build the accountable, justice-centered governance the movement needs. Truth-telling is not a liability — it is the foundation of trust, credibility, and lasting change.
Read the Full Piece
This article reflects GLT’s ongoing commitment to honest reckoning and justice-centered leadership. It is essential reading for board members, organizational leaders, and anyone committed to building a more equitable environmental movement.
2025 Atlanta GLT Member Retreat
On the weekend of May 31st, 50+ environmental leaders of color gathered in Atlanta for Green Leadership Trust’s 11th Annual Membership Retreat.
On the weekend of May 31st, 50+ environmental leaders of color gathered in Atlanta for Green Leadership Trust’s (GLT) 11th Annual Membership Retreat. GLT is a powerful network of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) serving as fiduciaries on the boards of more than 220 environmental organizations and foundations. This year’s theme — “We Thrive in the Power of the Collective” — reflects the urgency of our current moment. It is more important than ever for environmental organizations to honor their commitments to community and renew their dedication to equity and diversity, amid the attacks on the environment and the nonprofit sector.
The GLT members and partners who gathered for this retreat embody the urgency of responding to this challenge, as well as the talent, capacity, and passion to do so. During the retreat, members heard from leaders engaged in critical conversations around the responsibility of environmental nonprofit organizations to stand up for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) — in the face of political pressure to halt or reverse these efforts. Leaders from Georgia discussed how the struggle against the legacy of slavery continues to manifest in the state’s energy sector and elections. The retreat concluded with a tour of Atlanta and Cop City, led by a local activist and organizer who raised up the connections between racist policy, infrastructure, and the militarization of the police state.
“Being in the room with GLT is all about growing leadership today!” said Tykee James, co-founder and Board member of Amplify the Future. “This inspirational weekend demonstrated that it’s more important than ever to grow and activate changemakers and courageous dreamers to take on today’s challenges to the movement.”
In addition to learning from partners in the field, this retreat leaned into the collective power of the GLT network with several training and deep discussion sessions on how to best leverage members’ roles as Board fiduciaries — including trainings on fundraising and philanthropy, legal obligations and liabilities, and effective crisis communication in the context of this moment.
“GLT never disappoints,” said Sharmon Lebby, a nonprofit consultant and Board member at Intersectional Environmentalist. “This was such an incredible weekend of learning. I was greatly encouraged, not just by their knowledge and experience, but also by the passion, drive, and intentionality behind every action they take.”
— From GLT Communications & Advocacy Committee