Diversity and the Environment: Myth-Making and the Status of Minorities in the Field

This article traces the evolution of diversity research in the environmental field. It then analyzes the status of minority students in academic environmental programs as well as minority environmental professionals in the environmental workforce. It examines the questions: are minorities concerned about the environment? Are they interested in jobs in environmental organizations? Are their salary expectations too high? And, are they qualified for jobs in the environmental field? Findings show that minority students are interested in embarking on careers in the environmental fields and they want jobs in the environmental sector. The study also shows that minority environmental professionals have been successful at building long-term careers in the environmental sector.