30 Years of Weaving Justice: A Letter from Our Co-Executive Directors

Dear Friends,  

This year, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE, which we pronounce “weave”) is excited to celebrate 30 years of weaving voices for health and justice! What started as a conference, “Finding Common Ground: Gender, Justice and the Environment,” spearheaded by our founder, Bryony Schwan, soon sparked a movement of women lending their collective voices, scholarship, and expertise to the environmental health space. On June 13, 1995, WVE officially opened its doors in Missoula, Montana, with a bold mission: to build bridges, strengthen collective voice, and work toward an ecologically sustainable and socially just world.  

Bryony and her allies envisioned a different kind of environmental movement—one free of prejudice and bias that recognized and amplified the voices of those most impacted by environmental harm, particularly women and historically ignored communities.  

Since then, we’ve grown into a national force and moved our home base to Denver, Colorado. We’ve made meaningful strides in our fight for a future free from toxic chemical exposures, and we’ve also evolved—incorporating a gender, racial, and reproductive justice lens into every aspect of our work.   

Reflecting on the last three decades, we celebrate the powerful tapestry woven by WVE in close collaboration with partner organizations, funders, advocates, and researchers. Together, we’ve driven innovative research, won hard-fought policy victories— such as California’s AB 2775, the first law in the nation to require ingredient disclosure on professional salon products, setting a precedent for transparency and safety in the beauty industry—and held corporations accountable through bold campaigns like #DetoxtheBox.   

For 30 years, WVE has been unapologetic in our fight for environmental health and justice— never afraid to disrupt the status quo or demand accountability from policymakers, corporations, environmental health leaders, and the federal government. With an intersectional approach that puts gender, race, and reproductive justice front and center, we’ve pushed boundaries and sparked conversations. We’ve led the charge in breaking down the stigma around menstruation and vaginal health, insisting that these issues are not taboo but essential. As part of a broader movement, we continue to advocate for toxic-free environments, bodily autonomy, and healthy communities – and to reimagine what a society that upholds these values can achieve. 

As we look to the future, you can expect significant changes during this milestone year—including bolder initiatives and deeper engagement with the communities we empower and inform. We’re excited about what’s to come and invite you to be a part of this next chapter, as your support and involvement will be instrumental in shaping the future of our work.   

We invite you to stay tuned for exciting announcements and ways you can celebrate our 30th anniversary with us. Thank you for standing with us as we continue to weave together a healthy, just, and toxic-free world.   

In solidarity, 

Debra Erenberg (she/they), Co-Executive Director 

Amber Garcia (they/them), Co-Executive Director 

Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE)