As an organization working in the culturally-diverse, multinational borderlands, we invite and support strong voices from diverse groups of people to join us as board members, staff members, and volunteers. 

Further, we commit to:
  • deepening our understanding of the impacts of systemic racial, social, and economic inequality within our organization and in the communities where we work
  • owning the role that BRN, as a predominantly white-led organization, has played in perpetuating inequality and systemic racism 
  • honoring the knowledge, experiences, traditions, skills, and creativity that the diverse people of the borderlands bring to our common endeavors
  • aligning our policies, our communications, and our actions to address inequality, exclusion, and injustice - both within BRN and in our collaborations
  • creating a more inclusive hiring process and workplace culture with the goal of a staff and board that is justly reflective of the borderlands
  • holding ourselves accountable for monitoring and learning from both successes and failures, while encouraging feedback from our communities and partners, with the intention of growing into an organization that is safe and welcoming to all borderlands residents
Why Equity, Inclusion, and Justice?
We believe that we can accomplish far more together than alone. We strive for inclusion, transparency, and fairness in all that we do. We support and appreciate the work of our allies throughout the borderlands. 

Equity means striving to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent the full participation of all individuals and groups. Improving equity involves increasing justice within the procedures and processes of institutions or systems, as well as in their distribution of resources. The principle of equity acknowledges that there are underserved and underrepresented populations, and that fairness is required in the pursuit of equal opportunities for all groups. 

Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which any individual or group is respected, supported, valued, and encouraged to fully participate and be their authentic selves. An inclusive and welcoming climate embraces differences and offers respect in the words /actions/ thoughts of all people. 

Justice is the concept of fair and transparent relations between individuals and society, where every individual is treated with equal levels of respect, fairness, and kindness. Justice is measured by explicit and tacit terms for the distribution of power, wealth, education, healthcare, and social privileges.
BRN Principles
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​Border Allies:
​We are allied with US-Mexico-Indigenous border communities. 
  • We partner with rural communities throughout the borderlands region to build restorative self reliant local economies. We collaborate with our local partners through: conservation, restoration, education, and activism.
 
We support conservation and migration policies that protect human and nonhuman life in the borderlands, while encouraging cross-cultural connection and learning.
  • We work to protect and enhance wildlife corridors.
  • We strengthen relationships and share knowledge to build bridges not barriers.
 
Place-based, Science-centered, and Experiential: 
We are a learning laboratory for regenerative ecologies and economies, working to simultaneously restore resilient watersheds and support vibrant communities.
  • We prioritize training and hiring locally.
  • We empower people to earn a living wage while caring for the places we live, creating regenerative economies. 
 
Our scientifically rigorous fieldwork and research employ both time-tested practices and novel interdisciplinary approaches.  
  • We apply ancient low-tech techniques, coupled with cutting-edge proof of concept science.
  • We are directly addressing the threats to native plants and pollinators.
  • We incorporate educational and research opportunities into every restoration project. 
 
We foster an environment of hands-on learning focused on restoration skill building, leadership development, and community networking to support resilient, creative, more self-sufficient communities.
  • We collaborate with communities and support community leaders to design projects. with local immediate impacts to inspire the next generation of decision-makers in the borderlands.
 
Our educational programming honors the diversity of knowledge and history of cultural exchange in US/Mexico/Indigenous borderlands.
  • We work to address and uproot settler colonialism by honoring and applying the unique forms of knowledge found in our culturally-diverse landscape.
 
Integrity, Respect, and Accountability: 
We offer and promote opportunities for engagement, career advancement, and cross-training to create rewarding livelihoods with just compensation. 
  • We prioritize paid educational opportunities whenever possible.
  • We commit to providing  scholarships and financial support for participants who have limited resources whenever we offer tuition-based programming.
  • We center inclusive multilingual communication.
 
We are committed to building a culture of accountability and respect by working to integrate equity, inclusivity, and justice in all of our work. 
  • We update annual work plans with regular and transparent accounting for actions. 
  • We design opportunities for learners with both formal and non-formal educational backgrounds.