FoKAG & Anacostia Community Museum: Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit Recap

By Shannah Cumberbatch

Our very own Shannah Cumberbatch was invited to speak on a panel at the Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit alongside other professionals in the field! This is the first time the summit was held in person since 2019. The Anacostia Community Museum’s Center for Environmental Justice organizes this summit to “engage a multigenerational network of women whose environmental efforts at local, national, and international levels are shaped by a justice and humanities-based framework.” The summit took place at the Anacostia Community Museum and the Renaissance Hotel, both located in Washington, D.C.

On September 15, Shannah spoke on a panel titled “Environmentalists in our Neighborhood” alongside Lora Nunn of the Friends of Kingman and Heritage Islands, Erica Lonesome of Martha’s Table, and narrated by Akima Price of The Friends of Anacostia Park. During the panel discussion, the women shared how they landed in their roles, what they actively do to address environmental justice issues in their community, and addressed common barriers and challenges experienced within their respective organizations. Panel attendees were encouraged to share feedback and/or stories of success from their hometown.

The summit concluded on September 17 with various field trips to the following: Anacostia Community Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, National Zoo, or the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. A small group of summit attendees opted to visit the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens where Shannah and Ranger Remi led attendees in a pond-dipping activity. This demonstrates how biologists survey aquatic biodiversity to identify macroinvertebrates and microinvertebrates.

Thank you to the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum and their Center for Environmental Justice for developing this summit which continues to expand each year. Be sure to visit the Anacostia Community Museum and explore the exhibits that highlight people in the local community!