Introducing WVE’s New Plan for a Thriving Future

YOU’RE INVITED to a virtual event with WVE! Come and celebrate our broadened mission and vision to power us into the future. Learn about new organizational goals, important gains, and the crucial role you play in helping sustain the work to ensure a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals. RSVP TODAY!

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Amber Garcia Executive Director

Introducing WVE’s new strategic plan and our broadened mission and vision to power us into the future!

When I started as the Executive Director at Women’s Voices for the Earth in 2019, it was important to me to create a multi-faceted approach to building on a legacy, and honoring that legacy, while still leading the organization into the next evolution of its mission and purpose. I came to WVE through organizational partnership, but also as an individual whose family is directly impacted by exposure to toxic chemicals in so many of the issue areas that WVE works to address. This work hits home in a deeply personal way, and I was excited to learn and grow alongside the organization as we embarked on a new chapter together.

Over the last three decades WVE has redefined what is possible. Over the last three years we have seen the impact of our work on ingredient transparency policies and practices in the beauty and home care industries. Together we’ve developed strong partnerships, built out our mobilization power, and released hard hitting reports to hold corporations accountable. As the executive director at WVE, I work with fierce organizers, researchers, and advocates to co-create this vision alongside communities most impacted by environmental harm; now more than ever, we see the need to expand on our legacy of disrupting the status quo and redefining what is possible.

As the world changes, and the threats to our planet and our communities intensify, we knew our strategy needed to change to meet both the current moment and a pro-active vision for a future where we can all thrive. As a justice-based organization, we knew we needed a new direction to lean into our role as weavers – building a tapestry of voices, advocates, and issues — and expand our table to support collective action towards a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals, one where our planet and communities are thriving, and one where each one of us can use our power to build a sustainable and collective future.

We underwent a strategic planning process with the goal of sustainably broadening our vision and mission to hold more intersectional issues and campaigns, while maintaining the joy, hope, and rebellious spirit that is a common thread between so many members of our community. Our renewed theory of change will get us closer to turning this vision into reality by focusing on leadership development within communities most impacted by toxics exposure, advocating for preventative measures rather than stop gaps, employing an intersectional approach to cross movement coalition building, and developing further internal culture changes that reflect our renewed values and allow for a sustainable work-life balance.

We’ve learned so much as an organization over the years, and one thing that remains abundantly clear is that the will of the people can and does create change. I’m proud to lead this team that centers both joy and justice. Moving forward, WVE will continue to amplify the voices of those most disproportionately impacted by toxics exposure. That includes women, nonbinary and trans people, immigrants, lower-income workers, and people of the global majority. I’m immensely grateful to all who contributed to co-creating this plan. Without our community, we would not be able to do this work. This plan is a testament to how our collective influence is far greater than our individual impact.

I continue to reflect on my learnings and my purpose as a leader and as an organizer at heart. WVE’s renewed mission, vision, and values resonates so deeply with me, and as a queer, two spirit, person of color, it calls me to continue action towards a future where my kiddos and future generations are less impacted by exposure to toxics because of the work we are doing now. Everyone has a role to play in building a world where our communities can thrive; I invite you to join us and find your home in the tapestry of legacies past and future we are weaving together for healthy, safe communities for generations to come.

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Want to learn more? Please JOIN US for a virtual celebration to learn more about new organizational goals, important gains, and the crucial role you play in helping sustain the work to ensure a future free from the impacts of toxic chemicals. RSVP NOW!