Fair Future Movement is on a mission to build a diverse and inclusive community of people who are passionate about environmental justice, per reports by the Shepherd Express. With co-executive directors Mandi McAlister and Jasmine Roberson at the helm, the nonprofit is building momentum and taking action.
The organization was originally founded by McAlister. After George Floyd was murdered by the police, she wanted to evaluate current organizing spaces and see where there was a need.
She decided a group like Fair Future Movement was necessary. The nonprofit works through an anti-racist, decolonial, and intersectional lens to reach out to those who have been excluded from the sustainability conversation or have faced systemic oppression.
"I recognized that the traditional environmental community I was involved in was focused more on the planet than people while also separating social and environmental issues," McAlister told the Shepherd Express. "I had seen Leah Thomas, who wrote The Intersectional Environmentalist, call out that social justice was an optional add-on for so many, and I wanted to do what I could to change that."
After McAlister attended an anti-racist training series, she decided to look for ways to keep the conversation going. She connected with environmentalist Brenda Coley, who approved of McAlister's idea but emphasized the need to incorporate action.
McAlister then founded the group in 2021. Within the first year alone, she brought in 90 community members and 13 organizations. In 2023, Roberson joined and helped rebrand the group as Fair Future Movement.
"I have a background in organizing, racial justice and education equity, and I felt that this would be a good way to expand my experience and be more involved in my community," Roberson told the Shepherd Express.
Fair Future Movement aims to unite like-minded organizations and community members in Milwaukee in an effort to inspire collective action and support for environmental justice. The organization is currently looking to expand its board of directors and existing programming to reach more people.
By sending out biweekly collective action reports, Fair Future Movement informs people about local events, campaigns, and volunteering opportunities that community members can join. It also runs an annual community learning series where it chooses a book to read and hosts follow-up meetings to discuss the literature and how it inspires action.
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"There are a lot of organizations taking on specific initiatives and doing incredible work," McAlister told the Shepherd Express. "What we're filling is connecting all of them so that we can collaborate – while also being approachable as we engage those who haven't been traditionally involved or have felt left out."
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