It is a privilege and honor to announce and welcome the addition of three newmembers to our Board of Directors. I am humbled and thrilled to serve with them.All of our board members, current and new, have a few things in common. We caredeeply about the intersection of social justice and the environment. We agreethat Indigenous Peoples’ rights to their lands are key to protecting criticalenvironmentally sensitive lands, such as many regions of the Amazon Rainforest.
We believe nonprofits should be run with transparency and in a way that partnerswith communities we support, and allows their needs drive our approach. And, wesupport open source technology, used for good.
Our new board members round out the knowledge and perspectives of our collectiveboard. Each of our new board members brings incredible personal and professionalexperience advocating for indigenous communities in protecting their lands fromthreats, such as, mining and drilling.
Ron James, Guyana
Ron works as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and mapping expert for theAmerindian People's Association. He has a long historyof working to protect the land of his own people, in the Rupununi, a part of theWapichan territory in Guyana. And, he has personally used technology thatDigital Democracy has developed.
Pooven Moodley, South Africa
Pooven is an incredibly accomplished and committed social justice leader,currently running a non-profit called Natural Justice, which focuses on human rightsand environmental law. He also holds a leadership role in the in the ICCA Consortium,a global movement for indigenous peoples. He brings a lifetime of experience insocial justice and human rights work.
Maria Lya Ramos, Washington, DC - USA
Maria leads the Extractive Industries Global Program for Oxfam International.She brings more than a decade of experience working on environmental andsocial justice issues for well-known organizations.Our new board members will help us make sound decisions for the organization,and help hold us true to our mission and our commitments as an organization.Please join me in welcoming these three esteemed members to our board.