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Natural Leaders: Strategies and Barriers for Environmental Leadership Development in Diverse Young Adults

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Title: Natural Leaders: Strategies and Barriers for Environmental Leadership Development in Diverse Young Adults
Language: English
Authors: L. F. Davis (ORCID 0000-0002-1198-0783), M. Tainatongo, L. Ayala Meza, B. Y. T. Breen, K. K. Martinez, M. Goforth, K. Sacoman, M. Kaufmann
Source: Journal of Environmental Education. 2025 56(2):144-165.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Young Adults, Undergraduate Students, Environmental Education, Sustainability, Phenomenology, Leadership, Participatory Research, Youth Leaders, Barriers, Student Volunteers, Social Systems
Geographic Terms: Arizona
DOI: 10.1080/00958964.2024.2427069
ISSN: 0095-8964
1940-1892
Abstract: Young adults with marginalized identities are practicing innovative environmental leadership strategies which can inform the evolution of environmental education. This study employs interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and participatory template analysis to describe environmental leadership development experiences of 10 undergraduates with marginalized identities in Arizona, USA. Participants described social and economic exclusion, perceived lack of agency, and over-engagement as significant barriers to practicing environmental leadership. However, these experiences inform and deepen participants' critical understanding of environmental issues in context of social, political, and economic systems. Participants additionally described how they address these barriers through prioritizing care and connection in their leadership practices and using relationship building to expand inclusivity and intersectional understanding in environmental conversations. This research invites educators to imagine how environmental education could learn from and engage with diverse young adults by emphasizing alternatives to capitalism, environmental action, care and connection-building practices.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496899
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0184763586;jee01mar.25;2025Apr29.05:42;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0184763586-1">Natural leaders: Strategies and barriers for environmental leadership development in diverse young adults </title> <p>Young adults with marginalized identities are practicing innovative environmental leadership strategies which can inform the evolution of environmental education. This study employs interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and participatory template analysis to describe environmental leadership development experiences of 10 undergraduates with marginalized identities in Arizona, USA. Participants described social and economic exclusion, perceived lack of agency, and over-engagement as significant barriers to practicing environmental leadership. However, these experiences inform and deepen participants' critical understanding of environmental issues in context of social, political, and economic systems. Participants additionally described how they address these barriers through prioritizing care and connection in their leadership practices and using relationship building to expand inclusivity and intersectional understanding in environmental conversations. This research invites educators to imagine how environmental education could learn from and engage with diverse young adults by emphasizing alternatives to capitalism, environmental action, care and connection-building practices.</p> <p>Keywords: environmental leadership; sustainability leadership; youth leadership; phenomenology; participatory research; undergraduate students</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-2">Introduction</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0184763586-3">The limitations of environmental leadership</hd> <p>Anthropogenic climate change and environmental destruction are causing increasing harm to human and ecological communities (Black et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref1">16</reflink>]; Boehm et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref2">18</reflink>]; Cowie et al., [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref3">32</reflink>]; IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref4">62</reflink>]; Jay et al., [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref5">64</reflink>]; Romanello et al., [<reflink idref="bib121" id="ref6">121</reflink>]). Despite rising public concern (Narawad, [<reflink idref="bib93" id="ref7">93</reflink>]), leaders with the power to change the systems perpetuating this harm are largely failing to do so. Given the role of environmental education (EE) in developing the next generation of environmental leaders, it is imperative to examine the limitations of current leadership and explore potential strategies for EE to directly address these. Increasing racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity in environmental leadership is a strategy for achieving more equitable and less harmful decision making, by advancing representative justice, enhancing decision-making effectiveness, and appropriately challenging dominant value systems.</p> <p>Applying an environmental justice lens, those most affected by an environmental decision should be involved in the decision making (Cole & Farrell, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref8">30</reflink>]; Marion Suiseeya, [<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref9">77</reflink>]; People of Color Environmental Justice Summit, [<reflink idref="bib111" id="ref10">111</reflink>]). However, individuals in formal leadership roles are rarely representative of the communities most impacted by their decisions (Marion Suiseeya & Caplow, [<reflink idref="bib78" id="ref11">78</reflink>]; Schlozman et al., [<reflink idref="bib126" id="ref12">126</reflink>]; Sze et al., [<reflink idref="bib142" id="ref13">142</reflink>]). While communities of color are disproportionately harmed by environmental destruction, pollution, and climate change (Morello-Frosch et al., [<reflink idref="bib90" id="ref14">90</reflink>]; Smith et al., [<reflink idref="bib135" id="ref15">135</reflink>]), professionals of color are vastly underrepresented in employment at environmental organizations (Green 2.0, [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref16">52</reflink>]) and government agencies (U.S. Department of the Interior, [<reflink idref="bib149" id="ref17">149</reflink>]; U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, [<reflink idref="bib150" id="ref18">150</reflink>]; Westphal et al., [<reflink idref="bib156" id="ref19">156</reflink>]).</p> <p>Organizational studies research suggests that more diverse teams and organizations make better decisions (Richard et al., [<reflink idref="bib117" id="ref20">117</reflink>]; Richard & Miller, [<reflink idref="bib118" id="ref21">118</reflink>]; Rock et al., [<reflink idref="bib120" id="ref22">120</reflink>]). In sustainability leadership, differing perspectives are recognized as natural and beneficial (Ferdig, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref23">44</reflink>]; Visser & Courtice, [<reflink idref="bib154" id="ref24">154</reflink>]). For equity and effectiveness reasons, numerous government agencies and professional societies in the natural sciences have initiated efforts to increase diversity in their fields (American Geophysics Union, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref25">7</reflink>]; Desikan et al., [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref26">34</reflink>]; Ecological Society of America, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref27">35</reflink>]; Environmental and Energy Study Institute, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref28">37</reflink>]; National Resources Defense Council, [<reflink idref="bib95" id="ref29">95</reflink>]; National Science Foundation, [<reflink idref="bib96" id="ref30">96</reflink>]).</p> <p>Environmental decisions are influenced by underlying values (O'Neill & Spash, [<reflink idref="bib105" id="ref31">105</reflink>]). As health and safety are often sacrificed for economic growth in environmental decisions, the role of neoliberal and capitalist values may be critically questioned (Faber, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref32">43</reflink>]; Huckle & Wals, [<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref33">60</reflink>]; Moore, [<reflink idref="bib88" id="ref34">88</reflink>]; Stephens, [<reflink idref="bib139" id="ref35">139</reflink>]). Leadership scholars have recognized the importance of ethics (Eustachio et al., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref36">39</reflink>]; Evans et al., [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref37">41</reflink>]; Nicholson & Kurucz, [<reflink idref="bib99" id="ref38">99</reflink>]) and understanding political, social, and power dynamics (Case et al., [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref39">25</reflink>]) for effective environmental leadership. As personal worldviews are shaped by identities and experiences, leaders with marginalized identities may bring underrepresented worldviews and value systems that invite more appropriate strategies (Kezar, [<reflink idref="bib67" id="ref40">67</reflink>]; Kezar & Lester, [<reflink idref="bib68" id="ref41">68</reflink>]; Schelhas, [<reflink idref="bib125" id="ref42">125</reflink>]; Searle & Muller, [<reflink idref="bib129" id="ref43">129</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-4">Environmental leadership barriers for diverse young adults</hd> <p>Generation Z (Gen Z; those born between 1997 and 2012) is the most racially diverse American generation on record (48% non-White), and includes the highest number of children born in the U.S. to immigrant parents (Mitchell, [<reflink idref="bib87" id="ref44">87</reflink>]). Due to the latent nature of climate impacts (Solomon et al., [<reflink idref="bib136" id="ref45">136</reflink>]), young people face disproportionate risks as a consequence of environmental decisions made before they were born (United Nations, [<reflink idref="bib148" id="ref46">148</reflink>]). Feeling betrayed by previous generations (Jones & Davison, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref47">66</reflink>]), Gen Z has defined itself by leading school strikes and climate litigation (Bowman et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref48">19</reflink>]; #ChildrenVsClimateCrisis, 2024; Fisher, [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref49">45</reflink>]; Parker & Igielnik, [<reflink idref="bib107" id="ref50">107</reflink>]; Parker et al., [<reflink idref="bib108" id="ref51">108</reflink>]; Tyson et al., [<reflink idref="bib147" id="ref52">147</reflink>]). Young activists of color and Indigenous activists have been central in many of these efforts, although often excluded in media representation (Barnes, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref53">11</reflink>]; Grosse & Mark, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref54">53</reflink>]; McEvoy-Levy et al., [<reflink idref="bib80" id="ref55">80</reflink>]; Ritchie, [<reflink idref="bib119" id="ref56">119</reflink>]).</p> <p>Environmental and science education has been critiqued for privileging White people and Western perspectives (Bettez et al., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref57">15</reflink>]; Gough, [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref58">51</reflink>]; Haymes, [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref59">54</reflink>]; Nxumalo & ross, [<reflink idref="bib103" id="ref60">103</reflink>]; Tuck et al., [<reflink idref="bib146" id="ref61">146</reflink>]; Vakil & Ayers, [<reflink idref="bib151" id="ref62">151</reflink>]) and for promoting neoliberal ideas, such as market-based solutions (Bertazi & Colacios, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref63">14</reflink>]; Hursh et al., [<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref64">61</reflink>]). For these reasons, students may not be recognized in the classroom for their environmental knowledges embedded in non-Western cultural traditions—for example, related to food and medicine, language, spirituality, or social activities (Bernstein, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref65">13</reflink>]; Mullins et al., [<reflink idref="bib91" id="ref66">91</reflink>]; Sengupta-Irving & Vossoughi, [<reflink idref="bib131" id="ref67">131</reflink>]; Servant-Miklos & Dewar, [<reflink idref="bib132" id="ref68">132</reflink>]; Walls et al., [<reflink idref="bib155" id="ref69">155</reflink>]).</p> <p>In college, pervasive deficit narratives, racial hostility, and financial inequities continue to create barriers for young adults of color to develop as environmental leaders (Espinosa, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref70">38</reflink>]; Leggon, [<reflink idref="bib72" id="ref71">72</reflink>]; Marín-Spiotta et al., [<reflink idref="bib76" id="ref72">76</reflink>]; McGee, [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref73">81</reflink>]; Morales & Jacobson, [<reflink idref="bib89" id="ref74">89</reflink>]). Despite having similar levels of interest and preparation, students of color are less likely to choose environmental majors in college (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), [<reflink idref="bib94" id="ref75">94</reflink>]; Taylor, [<reflink idref="bib144" id="ref76">144</reflink>]). Those who do choose environmental majors are less likely to feel a sense of belonging and more likely to anticipate discrimination in their careers (Haynes & Jacobson, [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref77">55</reflink>]; O'Brien et al., [<reflink idref="bib104" id="ref78">104</reflink>]). Given the myriad barriers, it is unsurprising that young adults with marginalized identities are choosing informal leadership (activist) roles or other career fields entirely, rather than navigate the "leaky pipeline" (Johnson, [<reflink idref="bib65" id="ref79">65</reflink>]) or "hostile obstacle course" (Berhe et al., [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref80">12</reflink>]) of formal environmental career paths.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-5">The opportunity for environmental leadership education</hd> <p>Environmental leadership is defined as applying interpersonal influence and engaging in collective action to protect the planet's natural resources and its inhabitants from further harm (Gallagher, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref81">47</reflink>]). Environmental leadership and sustainability leadership education programs have proliferated at higher education institutions in response to growing interest in recent decades (Allen et al., [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref82">5</reflink>]; Gallagher, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref83">47</reflink>]; Mino & Hanaki, [<reflink idref="bib85" id="ref84">85</reflink>]; Shriberg & MacDonald, [<reflink idref="bib133" id="ref85">133</reflink>]). Curriculum and pedagogy in these programs vary, however emphases on systems thinking, collaborative leadership, and an interdisciplinary approach are common (Allen, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref86">4</reflink>]; MacDonald & Shriberg, [<reflink idref="bib74" id="ref87">74</reflink>]; Missimer et al., [<reflink idref="bib86" id="ref88">86</reflink>]; Novy et al., [<reflink idref="bib102" id="ref89">102</reflink>]; Savage et al., [<reflink idref="bib124" id="ref90">124</reflink>]).</p> <p>Gen Z leaders of color are also designing and facilitating their own environmental leadership education programs. For example, in 2016, recent University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate Varshini Prakash cofounded the youth-led environmental advocacy organization Sunrise Movement, where she now serves as executive director. Sunrise Movement operates as a national organization with a network of decentralized hubs in all 50 states. Local hub initiatives include educational partnerships with universities and K-12 schools to train students on climate issues and civic engagement (Alzamora, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref91">6</reflink>]; Arrieta-Kenna, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref92">9</reflink>]; Schwartz, [<reflink idref="bib128" id="ref93">128</reflink>]; Sunrise Movement, [<reflink idref="bib140" id="ref94">140</reflink>]). In a related example, in 2018 undergraduate student Sage Lenier designed and taught Sustainable and Just Futures, a "solutions-based sustainability course," to counter the "alarmist" environmental education she had previously experienced (Kutz, [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref95">70</reflink>]). This course explores intersectional solutions from circular economy to the Land Back movement, and became UC Berkeley's most popular student-led course when over 300 students enrolled in Spring 2020 (Sustainable & Just Future, [<reflink idref="bib141" id="ref96">141</reflink>]).</p> <p>Recognizing the immense value of increasing diversity in environmental decision-making and the effectiveness of diverse Gen Z environmental leaders, there is an important opportunity for environmental leadership education to better engage this population and align with their values and strategies. This research contributes to a growing body of research which aims to listen and learn directly from young diverse environmental leaders (Liou & Literat, [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref97">73</reflink>]; Ritchie, [<reflink idref="bib119" id="ref98">119</reflink>]; Trott, [<reflink idref="bib145" id="ref99">145</reflink>]), and provides an important opportunity to inform the field of environmental leadership education.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-6">Research context and questions</hd> <p>University of Arizona's Earth Grant program supports and prepares diverse undergraduates pursuing careers in environmental and community resilience. During the program year, each student completes a paid internship at an environmental organization, and students meet weekly as a group for leadership development workshops. The Earth Grant program curriculum employs a "funds of knowledge" approach (Gonzalez et al., [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref100">49</reflink>]) by inviting students to contribute environmental knowledge from cultural, family, or personal experiences in class discussions and activities. Additionally, students are encouraged to connect their cultural identities to their environmental career interests, toward the goals of developing personal "counter stories" (Solórzano & Yosso, [<reflink idref="bib137" id="ref101">137</reflink>]) and building authentic professional identities as environmental leaders. All members of the 2021–22 cohort identified as students of color, LGBTQ, and/or students with disabilities. The perspectives and discussions in this cohort initially inspired the research questions of this study: "What barriers do diverse young adults experience in their environmental leadership development?" and "What strategies for environmental leadership are diverse young adults practicing?"</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-7">Researcher positionalities</hd> <p>The first author and primary investigator served as the coordinator for the 2021–22 Earth Grant program, which allowed for developing relationships and trust prior to this study. This author holds a fluctuating insider-outsider position (Mercer, [<reflink idref="bib84" id="ref102">84</reflink>]), as an advocate who shares some experiences of the participants, while also openly acknowledging a position of greater institutional and social power (Vakil et al., [<reflink idref="bib152" id="ref103">152</reflink>]), as University staff and a White cis-gendered woman almost 20 years older than the mean participant age.</p> <p>The second author began involvement in this research during her final semester as an undergraduate senior, and while participating in the 2022–23 Earth Grant cohort. As a young adult Latina female who has since graduated and entered the environmental workforce at the time of this writing, she is an insider in many ways to the participant group, though not a participant herself.</p> <p>The remaining authors participated as undergraduate students in the 2021–22 Earth Grant program. Each of these authors served in a dual role of both researcher and research participant, and are not described further here to maintain participant privacy.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-8">Methods</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0184763586-9">Interpretive phenomenological analysis</hd> <p>Phenomenology aims to uncover meaning through a person's multimodal expressions of their perspectives, emotions, and experiences (Creswell & Poth, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref104">33</reflink>]; Langdridge, [<reflink idref="bib71" id="ref105">71</reflink>]). Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) uniquely allows for relationship between researchers and participants and assumes the researchers' interpretations in making meaning of described phenomena, contextualized within understanding of participants' life experiences, interactions, and relationships (Alase, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref106">3</reflink>]; Emery & Anderman, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref107">36</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-10">Participatory template analysis</hd> <p>Participatory research design methods complemented the IPA approach by involving participants directly in interpreting their own experiences and experiences described by their peers (Bush et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref108">20</reflink>]; Heselton et al., [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref109">57</reflink>]; MacLeod, [<reflink idref="bib75" id="ref110">75</reflink>]). In effort to center the perspectives of young environmental leaders throughout the research process (Mayes & Arya, [<reflink idref="bib79" id="ref111">79</reflink>]), this study incorporated elements of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR; Israel et al., [<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref112">63</reflink>]) and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR; Cammarota & Fine, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref113">23</reflink>]) by involving participants in data analysis, synthesis of findings, and writing and editing of the manuscript. An evolving thematic template (codebook) was used as a central artifact and revised iteratively in three phases of data collection, analysis, and participatory interpretation (see Figure 1).</p> <p>PHOTO (COLOR): Figure 1. Research process flow chart.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-11">Research process</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0184763586-12">Participant selection</hd> <p>Each of the 17 students who participated in the 2021–22 Earth Grant program were invited <emph>via</emph> email to participate, 10 of whom consented to participate under the University of Arizona IRB as an approved project. Table 1 provides a reference to self-described demographics, characteristics, and research contributions of each participant.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-13">Phase one</hd> <p>The primary investigator began with review and qualitative analysis of participant perspectives shared during their participation in the 2021–22 Earth Grant program, including responses to weekly discussion prompts, notes from one-on-one meetings, and text transcripts of stories shared at a public event. Guided by the research questions, student data was selected that described environmental leadership practices or barriers to environmental leadership development. Themes within these two categories were organized into an initial thematic template (Appendix A, supplementary material) using Atlas.ti Web (Version v4.15.1).</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-14">Phase two</hd> <p>Participants received the initial template and all contributing data <emph>via</emph> email and were invited to schedule an in-person or virtual interview, either individually or in pairs (Appendix B, supplementary material). The initial template provided a catalyst for rich conversations, while a responsive interviewing approach (Rubin & Rubin, [<reflink idref="bib122" id="ref114">122</reflink>]) allowed for flexibility as participants added to, challenged, and shifted meanings of initial themes. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. The first and second authors reviewed and coded each transcript independently and met weekly to discuss the emergence of new themes and interpretations. Revised themes were grouped and organized collaboratively, and the thematic template was revised to reflect new understandings.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-15">Phase three</hd> <p>The revised template was shared back to participants, with definitions and all quotes contributing to each theme and subtheme. Participants were invited to provide feedback <emph>via</emph> a digital whiteboard, virtual focus groups, and personal communication. Four participants also presented this emergent research at two respective academic conferences, which allowed for continuing negotiation and refinement of themes. All feedback was recorded and organized with existing project data, and themes and subthemes were modified based on participant negotiations to create the final thematic template.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-16">Results</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0184763586-17">Final thematic template</hd> <p>Within each of the broader categories, "Barriers to environmental leadership" and "Strategies for environmental leadership," significant themes and subthemes emerged, discussed with examples in the following sections. Table 2 provides participant frequency, definitions, and additional examples for each theme and subtheme. Notably, strategies were informed by barriers experienced, and developed in resistance to them.</p> <p>Table 1. Participant characteristics (self-described) and research contributions.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Pseudo-nym</td><td>Defining characteristics</td><td>Age</td><td>Race and/or ethnicity</td><td>Gender</td><td>Class discussions, written and video posts</td><td>Phase 2 Interviews</td><td>Phase 3 Final Data Interpretation</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Anissa</td><td>Outgoing, passionate, friendly</td><td char=".">22</td><td>Hispanic/ Latina</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Corinn</td><td>Professional, critical, confident</td><td char=".">23</td><td>Hispanic/ Latina and White/ Caucasian</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Diego</td><td>Respectful, helpful, stoic</td><td char=".">23</td><td>Hispanic/ Latino</td><td>Male</td><td>x</td><td /><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Emery</td><td>Thoughtful, creative, caring</td><td char=".">23</td><td>White/ European American</td><td>Non-binary</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Eva</td><td>Passionate, poised, wise</td><td char=".">18</td><td>Mexican American</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Jena</td><td>Open-minded, exploring, guarded</td><td char=".">21</td><td>Black/ African-American</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Kai</td><td>Values-driven, engaged, critical</td><td char=".">23</td><td>Asian and White</td><td>Male</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Lane</td><td>Dedicated, capable, friendly</td><td char=".">22</td><td>Central American, Native American, & European American</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Paige</td><td>Practical, hard-working, mature</td><td char=".">23</td><td>Hispanic and Caucasian</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr><tr><td>Zoe</td><td>Confident, positive, driven</td><td char=".">23</td><td>Asian and Caucasian</td><td>Female</td><td>x</td><td>x</td><td>x</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Table 2. Final revised thematic template.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Barriers to Environmental Leadership</td></tr><tr><td>Theme</td><td>Definition</td><td>Examples</td><td># Participants referencing</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Parent theme: Social, cultural, and economic exclusion</td><td>Socially constructed or economic barriers for marginalized groups of people to have access to land, nature experiences, or environmental education/careers</td><td>"Limited access to education is also creating a barrier for people wanting to get into this. Oftentimes, access to education goes hand in hand with economic disparities as well. And also understanding that a lot of people who don't grow up or have this background of learning about environmental issues, they don't feel like they have the ability to get into these spaces. Even just understanding a lot of terminology that is used can be difficult. And it can feel hard to not only grasp these concepts as someone new to an environmental space without having a background in it, but also to then be able to speak on it." -Corinn</td><td char=".">10</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Social exclusion</td><td>A person or group being excluded or feeling excluded from environmental activities because of their social identity</td><td>"I haven't made a ton of friends within my [environmental science] major. Most of the friends, like where I've found community, have been through my queer identity. I've made most of my friends at the LGBT center... It's also just hard to navigate like environmental groups because, for me, so many different aspects of identity and just how I go about work and stuff are so interconnected. With some people, even if they're environmentally minded... like, OK, they care about trees but would they care about, like, other people?" -Emery</td><td char=".">9</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Forced disconnection from land and culture</td><td>Events such as political conflict or economic disinvestment that forced ancestors from their homelands and land-based traditions</td><td>"I think that [immigration] did affect [my relationship with the environment] a lot. My mom's family when they first immigrated, like, her parents spoke Spanish. And so she was like, OK, guess I'll learn English and I'll go to school and I'll figure all this stuff out and I feel like she just had a lot of, like, stress of like, trying to go to school and do all the important family documents and stuff. And they grew up in the city in L.A. so that like, really disconnected her from nature... But like, I even remember, because my mom was from LA, like, she always talked down about the desert. She was like, oh, it's so boring. And so I was like, oh, OK, I guess it's boring. And then I got here and I was like, wait, no, it's so cool! But just like, so even just me hearing her perception of it, like affected me a lot." -Lane</td><td char=".">6</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Economic exclusion</td><td>A person or group being excluded or feeling excluded from environmental action because of their economic status</td><td>"I believe that's essentially because of capitalism, that we even have that economic layer of barriers because, now there's these ideas that are created, these themes that environmentalism is something for the rich. If you don't have a lot of money, usually the cheapest things are the things that are most harmful for the environment. It's like single use things, things that are a one-time cost that you can buy again." -Jena</td><td char=".">5</td></tr><tr><td>Parent theme: Over-engagement</td><td>Excessive commitments for financial, academic, and/or career advancement reasons that result in degraded health and relationships</td><td>"Since academia is just so competitive, you just gotta be the best... I get so many emails about how to just make myself shinier, like, take this networking lunch with these industry professionals, or like, take this like resume building workshop. And I try to, but it's also like, how do I have time for that? When I have work, when I have a test to study for, when I have a lab meeting, yeah. I'm definitely becoming more aware of it. I haven't found a solution though." -Zoe</td><td char=".">7</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Over-engagement for school/job</td><td>Being overly busy due to commitments related to school or paid work</td><td>"Right before [the pandemic] hit, right before we had to go online and everything, I was struggling with the classes I was taking and the jobs that I was being held accountable for. That's when I started on a tutoring job and like working in a lab setting and taking- that was the most number of units I've ever taken- was 27. There's a lot of downsides to the pandemic. The positive side was I didn't have to go everywhere. I could just stay in one place, focus on getting my work done and then maybe trying to focus on my mental health a little bit more, which actually did help. When we started transitioning back to in person and doing hybrids and all that, that's where it kind of like... I kind of just took a nosedive because I was going back to the amount of units I was taking and adding in a third job." -Paige</td><td char=".">6</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Over-engagement from environmental/ social/ volunteer action</td><td>Being overly busy due to volunteer environmental action</td><td>"I think getting into the hard science of environmentalism is so difficult because, there's just so many problems that I wish that I could solve. Like my research right now is focusing on how dryland ecosystems are expanding around the world. By the end of this century, they're going to cover half of the entire earth surface, and these ecosystems are actually, because of climate change, they're becoming more dry, which means that they're going to emit more greenhouse gases. So I'm looking at this huge like global problem that like, there's no one quick solution to it... So, it's difficult because I know that I can see myself like creeping into taking on way more than I can chew. But there there are just, there's a lot of different, like levels of urgency to it. And I think like when I have so much in front of me, it's kind of difficult to kind of distinguish those levels of urgencies." -Zoe</td><td char=".">3</td></tr><tr><td>Parent theme: Perceived lack of agency</td><td>Feelings of disempowerment related to environmental action or problem-solving</td><td>"I try to remind myself like I know that the bigger companies are like the issues and stuff, but like, like it just feels like either way feels powerless. Like when you know that there are bigger companies contributing a lot more, like negatively, and it's like, "Oh well then what can I do?" But then when you think of what you can do, it feels like there's so many things you can do, you're never going to do enough. And either way it makes you feel very powerless." -Lane</td><td char=".">8</td></tr><tr><td>(no subthemes)</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>Strategies for Environmental Leadership</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Theme</td><td>Definition</td><td>Examples</td><td># Participants referencing</td></tr><tr><td>Parent theme: Systemic understanding</td><td>Interpreting environmental issues in relationship with economic, political, and cultural influences</td><td>"I know conversations have opened up about like bartering and stuff like that, which I think is interesting. I think it's really hard because I feel like the current conversation that I've seen academically around like capitalism, even from the sustainability aspect is like, well, it's unfortunate, but you know, now that it's in place, it's like a necessary evil. Which, I don't know. I feel like also like having that be the narrative I've primarily received has kind of clouded my judgment. Because when I hear about these conversations of exploring bartering and stuff like that, I'm intrigued. But it's also very hard for me to visualize it being in place. So I think it would be important for us to open up the space to talk about, you know, alternative options. Like, alternative options aren't gonna seem plausible unless we talk about them more and you know, point out what we would need to change, what that would look like... I think that there would have to be like a major change to the system and like what values it's centered around. But you know, I think if you focus fully on sustainability, then capitalism can't, you know, it starts to fall apart. So yeah, I think opening up that space is the first step that would need to be taken. And we're only gonna figure it out by constantly having those conversations." -Jena</td><td char=".">10</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Rejecting the individual burden</td><td>Perceiving environmental messaging related to individual actions as distracting from larger systems of harm</td><td>"It is good to do your part, however, when that focus is shifting blame from big companies to consumers, that's when it makes me think (raises eyebrow), hmm, that's an interesting tactic." -Corinn</td><td char=".">8</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Critique of capitalism</td><td>Specifically naming capitalism as a root cause of environmental and climate problems</td><td>"To be honest, I do think capitalism is like the root of all evil. Like, we think of anything bad that's happening, it's probably due to capitalism...Yeah, I think it's really important to like kind of see how capitalism ties into the environment and like... Capitalism caused this company to have this monopoly, and this company is the biggest polluter in the world. And yet this company is also funding the COP, like the [United Nations] Conference of Sustainability? And that's also the reason why we're not getting the policies that we want passed in our democratic system, which is like... Capitalism is definitely a barrier in a lot of ways to the actions or like the actions that we want to see taken." -Zoe</td><td char=".">7</td></tr><tr><td>Parent theme: Relational Leadership</td><td>Prioritizing relationship building (over sharing facts, proving expertise, or "being right") to grow influence and collective action</td><td>"I don't comment on people's choices as they relate to the environment. I always look at relationships before I look at actions, if that makes sense. Because the entire reason I care about education is because I want people to build relationships to nature through learning. For me, it's more about like building the connection to nature, like that's what I care about more than individual action, because like even though they're both connected, I see it as like this is going to benefit you. But I also don't want to force the benefit on you. Like, it's ultimately your choice and I recognize that." -Eva</td><td char=".">10</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Approachability</td><td>Using strategies such as friendly demeanor and plain language to build relationships</td><td>"Not all, but lots of people who just go in to investing are coming from frat world realm, obviously not everyone, but there's a different culture there. Now being actually in industry and working more with, I can see people we work with in investment firms are like very much coming from that kind of background. We are in green investing now, but more on merit that's just like it makes sense because policy mechanisms have set out to make it profitable. So in their world, it makes sense, but we're both there for very different reasons. So now see some of those characters that I had known through greek life and that realm in college now in professional environments being on the investment side that we're like interfacing with and we're you know working on projects, we're proposing projects. I mean this is kind of silly but I'll wear my Bass Pro hat or like fratty clothes to meet them because it's more approachable than if I was to roll up to a job site wearing, you know, like Chacos and a Save The Earth shirt because there's no common ground there, really. So, I think just being able to interact with each other well and cooperate well on projects even if we're there for different reasons. Just being able to find that common ground. Yeah, it's helpful to get there." -Kai</td><td char=".">9</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Personal stories</td><td>Using personal stories to communicate ideas about themselves, certain groups of people and/or about the natural world</td><td>"I found my way into [the Earth Grant] program through my passion for conservation, not just of nature but also my cultural heritage, which comes from the mountains of Jalisco and Michoacan in Mexico, as you can see in the maps above me. There my grandparents and my great grandparents would farm the land moving from town to town wherever the opportunity came along, and one of these towns that they lived in was called La Alazana. La Alazana was only made up of 10 houses. It was barely even a settlement. The residents there would farm whatever they could and they lived off of that mostly because they made a very small income from the companies that would hire them to cut down trees and collect tree sap in the mountains. But this income wasn't enough and they struggled on a daily basis, which meant that they had to survive off of each other and their land. But one day there weren't any trees left because they had cut them all down and so everyone, including my grandparents' family, had to move to the United States to pick crops in order to hopefully live better lives. If you're like me, if you wanted to learn more about La Alazana after hearing his story. You would go to Google or Firefox or whatever search engine you prefer and you would find out that it no longer exists. This town lies only with the families that once lived there, like me, and now everyone in this room here today... Stories like these are very important. They are. They came from the lands. They were sustained by it. And they're parts of who we all are. They're part of who I am... Those stories exist only with families now, and that's why a lot of my work today hinges on making sure that these stories get to live on." -Eva</td><td char=".">6</td></tr><tr><td>Parent theme: Care, connection, and healing</td><td>Recognizing healing, joy, and connection as valuable and equally important to "the work"</td><td>"Connection and healing- I like that one a lot. It's something that I don't prioritize enough, but whenever I do like take time, especially with people that I love that share the same value system. Like, I got to go camping a couple times with [friends] over the summer. Whenever I get to share being outdoors, that's the most connected and belonging I can feel, I think. When I'm with other people that sort of validate my ideas and we're comfortable just being outside and I'm like oh, I'm allowed to do this! ...Like here's why it's so worth it, to do what you're doing and care about it. Because like, you get to be in beautiful places like this and just relax and smell good air and you can see the stars." -Kai</td><td char=".">10</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Self-care</td><td>Practicing care of mental health, physical health, and self-acceptance</td><td>"Yesterday I got myself to wake up early enough to make myself some pancakes and eat them on my balcony. I often have a hard time making time to cook and eat but making it into an enjoyable activity helped me make the time. My balcony faces east so I can see the sunrise over the mountains. There are a lot of buildings near me so I cannot really see the mountains, but I can see a lot of sky and had a great time looking at the clouds." -Lane</td><td char=".">10</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Connection/healing through nature</td><td>Connecting with the natural world to experience healing and feel more connected to nature</td><td>"The sense of healing I think is also super important. I think that that's going to be really important and I hope that we see more and more of that. And I think that also our generation that's trying to develop this greater sense of healing. I think that also us passing this on to younger generations is gonna be what also helps possibly make change. I think that growing up and kind of fixing the value system almost and as we see generations start to steer away from capitalism, I think we're gonna start to see more change and more healing in the environment. So I think that that sense of healing is, I think, that that is key to fixing the disconnectedness from nature and the environment... I think that when you see nature as a safe space or like when you, I think anyone, once they're given an opportunity to actually truly connect with nature, starts to see the value that we've lost... I think that now creating this conversation of like nature is like, we need to have this symbiotic relationship and it's also good for you and can bring people a sense of peace." -Jena</td><td char=".">7</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Connection/healing through culture</td><td>Connecting with ancestral culture (language, music, clothing, food, etc) to experience healing and feel more connected to nature</td><td>"Like one thing I've realized since I started, like visiting the reservation and my Indigenous family more, is that I had a lot of the same values as them, but I didn't realize that that's where it came from. Like in the like you know, it's a circle and like we're all equal and like we're not better than the plants and animals, which is a very Western view. But you know I think that like really connects both of them, like because as I spent more time outside I was like feeling those values like strengthen and then, when I like went home and had those conversations, I was like, oh, like, maybe that's why I had them. But I didn't realize that, like maybe my interaction with my family when I was a kid is why I had them." -Lane</td><td char=".">4</td></tr><tr><td>Subtheme: Connection/healing through action</td><td>Taking collective environmental action with others as a form of connection and healing</td><td>"Connection and healing are very important for telling environmental counter-stories. Like, when you're connecting with people and you're conveying everything you want to convey accurately. I think healing is an important part of building that confidence and that knowledge that you need in order to tell your story in the way that is appropriate to whoever your audience is... And this effort, doesn't just benefit the planet, it benefits the individual. Throughout my own journey working with others, I've become more connected to my cultural identity, gained new perspectives, and developed as a person." -Eva</td><td char=".">4</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0184763586-18">Barrier – Social, cultural, and economic exclusion</hd> <p>Participants described family experiences with exposure to pollution or displacement from land, personal experiences of exclusion from environmental spaces and activities, and fear of judgment from environmental groups. Eight of the 10 participants had at least one parent or grandparent who had immigrated, primarily from Mexico or Central America to the United States, which informed some participants' understanding of migration as a mechanism for loss of environmental knowledge and connection.</p> <p>Eva: My grandparents grew up in rural areas and they were farmers and they did work the land. But eventually overarching socioeconomic factors led to there being no more employment in those areas and they had to move to a city, which is where my mom was raised... And then when [my parents] moved to the US, it was worse. And so there were lots of layers of growing disconnection from nature and land with each move that my family had to make, whether that was in Mexico or in the United States. I technically grew up close to nature in that I grew up in a rural area in the desert. But nature was not respected. It was not valued at all.</p> <p>As mentioned at the end of Eva's statement, many participants expressed developing an interest in the natural world despite the fact it was not encouraged in their families. Related to this proximity to economic migration, several participants like Corinn, below, described being discouraged from environmental careers, which their families perceived as low paying.</p> <p>Corinn: You know, my family at one point or another has come from a place of poverty. So when they think of environmental science, they're like, well, that might not make you money... they just didn't want me to be in poverty, which makes sense. And it's the priority, you know, you need to make sure that you can survive before you help other things and people survive... At least when I was growing up, people were saying, 'go into engineering, go into tech, going to something that you know is going to make you money right off the bat.'</p> <p>The deficiency of K-12 environmental education and recreational green spaces in marginalized communities was also described by several participants as barriers to their confidence in claiming -environment-related expertise as young adults. As Jena described, this lack of prior exposure compounded with the predominance of White, middle-class people in environmental groups created an intimidating space to enter.</p> <p>Jena: Within environmental spaces, there's not been a lot of diversity. So people that are looking to get into it don't really have a space where they see themselves. And that can be very deterring when you want to enter a new space, you don't see that it's meant for you. And that contributes to this feeling of exclusivity, whether it's being internally or externally created. Lack of access to green spaces can also be a deterrent... It's hard to speak on why the environment is so important when you don't feel that you have a connection to nature, when that has been taken away from you... It can be very, very daunting.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-19">Barrier: Over-engagement</hd> <p>Undergraduates are often over-burdened with the demands of coursework, extracurricular activities, and learning to live away from family (Couch, [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref115">31</reflink>]; Koehler, [<reflink idref="bib69" id="ref116">69</reflink>]; Murray, [<reflink idref="bib92" id="ref117">92</reflink>]). In this study, participants described how being someone with a marginalized identity requires extra effort in order to "earn" a right to belong in environmental, professional, or academic spaces. The following quotes described these experiences.</p> <p>Lane: I think that it relates back to being like two generations from immigration because like, that's what my mom's parents told her. You have to go to school. You have to get a good job. Like that's the only way. And I think that she continued pushing those values, obviously with good intention, making it seem like the more you do now, the more you'll benefit later. And, like, not so much explaining that there's like a limit.</p> <p>Eva: I volunteered a lot of my time during my first couple years in college, not because I had the capacity for it or I wanted to make more friends, but because I was volunteering my time in predominantly white, traditional environmentalist spaces. It didn't feel like enough to just care about the place where I live; I felt like I needed to prove my passion or societal value by engaging in spaces known for that work, even when I didn't feel fulfilled there.</p> <p>Eva described committing to volunteer work in effort to prove herself as a legitimate environmental leader to those with more conventional leadership identities, even when the work did not feel meaningful. Other participants, like Kai below, described volunteer work which did have meaning for them, but ultimately degraded their quality of life in tandem with work and academic commitments.</p> <p>Kai: [During college], my life philosophy was very much focused on maximizing how much impact I could have on the climate movement... So as a result, I was starting a lot of my days before 5am. I would go to work either hauling compost [as part of an internship at a composting facility] or in the [engineering industry internship] chemical yard, and then drive back to campus for lectures and labs in the day, then go to [student environmental club] meetings, help with research after class, and then get my coursework and applying to jobs and to the night, every night. It doesn't sound like a very sustainable schedule, it was not, I was really unhappy.</p> <p>Like Kai, participants largely acknowledged over-engagement as compromising healthy relationships with others, nature, and themselves, which was a barrier to being the type of leader they wanted to be.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-20">Barrier: Perceived lack of agency</hd> <p>A majority of participants described experiencing negative emotions in response to environmental problems, echoing commonly reported sentiments in other Gen Z studies. This theme was ultimately named to reflect a sense of frustration and powerlessness felt when massive environmental problems are presented without possible strategies or solutions, most commonly experienced in response to environmental coursework or from news stories. However, this theme was the most heavily negotiated in every phase of the research process. Originally labeled "eco-anxiety" and "eco-guilt," drawing from prior literature (Ágoston et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref118">2</reflink>]; Pihkala, [<reflink idref="bib112" id="ref119">112</reflink>]; Ray, [<reflink idref="bib115" id="ref120">115</reflink>]) most participants rejected or re-negotiated these terms as not accurately describing their experience, as evidenced in the following exchange during Phase 2 discussions:</p> <p>Jena: "Yeah. I also feel [guilt] when you talk about individual environmentalism. I think that that can be difficult because like there's a sense of, yes, I can do this, but at the same time, when the people who have the power to be making large impacts consistently choose not to do so or choose things that actively harm the environment, it could be kind of like, ahhhhhhh, like you're screaming into a void in a sense. Like the people who really need to be listening aren't listening. So I think, yeah, it can be hard feeling this impact, but knowing that these substantial amounts of change really have to come from some key players that are not going to do so, it kind of, you know, makes you feel a little stuck.</p> <p>Anissa [responding to Jena via digital whiteboard]: While I do feel [guilt] occasionally, it is not a lasting or prevalent feeling. This is due to my perspective that corporate responsibility is much greater than individual responsibility... I get frustrated with the system that enables corporate negligence. However, I do not resonate much with feelings of 'screaming into the void'. If I did feel powerless, I wouldn't be in the environmental field. The solutions are very clear to me. It's just a matter of getting creative with implementation and doing the best you can.</p> <p>In this discussion and others, participants discussed how they did sometimes experience guilt from participating in environmental harm, or anxiety about the future, but recognized these feelings as ultimately distracting their focus from larger systems where the responsibility should be placed. Overwhelmingly, participants like Anissa described their focus on political and economic systems, building relationships, and practicing care for themselves and others, discussed in the following sections, as ways to counteract negative climate emotions, systemic barriers, and perceived lack of agency.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-21">Strategy: Systemic understanding</hd> <p>Participants demonstrated nuanced understanding of the economic and political systems which cause environmental harm, have disconnected their families from land and nature-based practices, and create barriers to their participation in formal environmental leadership roles. These exclusionary experiences have informed a systemic understanding of environmental issues which integrates societal, political, and economic structures.</p> <p>All participants notably described environmental issues in relationship with political and economic systems, and the majority of participants specifically critiqued the role of capitalism, such as Emery and Lane in the following exchange:</p> <p>Lane: I think [environmental education] should be more anti capitalist! (laughs) Yeah, I have this conversation all the time, like anything that upsets me, things like trash, the end of every conversation is like, but why does that happen? And it's always, oh - capitalism. That happens so often. Like, why would they do that? And then, once you pick it apart, it's like, oh, capitalism, that's why. And capitalism is made-up. We made it so that people can make more money. So it's not real because it's made up by people, but we live in it. So it is real because we are living in it.</p> <p>Emery: Yeah, it's really hard to take it apart from where we are within it. Most of the major environmental issues that we face, like fossil fuel depletion and global warming, it's all traced back to capitalist motivations the era where there were far less regulations... It's just that, because we have to work and survive in this capitalist society, but capitalism is inherently anti-environmental. Like, volunteer work that's super necessary- is it paid? All these non-profit grant writers have to beg for money to do all the important work that needs to be done... It's annoying. It's very annoying.</p> <p>Participants often called out environmental appeals to individual actions, such as bringing reusable bags, as perpetuating the idea among their peers that consumer actions should be the focus of environmental change efforts. For some participants, their journey had started with a focus on their individual actions, then shifted to a focus on corporate and government actions as their systemic understanding developed. As Paige expressed below, this contributed to a distrust and rejection of environmental messaging aimed at individual actions.</p> <p>Paige: I used to think it was like an individual problem that we could fix where it's like OK, as my personal self, I'm going to buy reusable utensils, reusable water bottle, reusable straw, all that stuff. And with utensils, though, too, they really try selling that. That's another thing. That's capitalism. They really try selling it. That's green washing. And I just think that's really funny because it's like people have forks and spoons at home that are still like silverware. Yeah, just use those... I think this problem exists because large corporations and the government, those who are doing the most damage, aren't taking the responsibility and the action they need, and can also make us feel like it's our fault for not bringing a reusable bag or for choosing plastic instead of paper etc.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-22">Strategy: relational leadership</hd> <p>Within their spheres of influence, participants described prioritizing approachability and relationship building as direct counter-responses to exclusionary or judgemental environmental messaging. Connecting to the previous theme, Diego discussed how systemic understanding shapes his relational leadership style:</p> <p>Diego: Systemic understanding has always been kind of my thing ever since I started learning about sustainability, about agriculture... like the water and energy nexus, how politics and government worked, all these other social and cultural influences. In my head, I would go about creating these webs of interconnections of how these things worked... And so that kind of guided me as far as engaging in conversations, because other people might not have the same understanding that you have. So instead of immediately trying to clash with them as far as - 'Hey, you're actually wrong. This is how this works, not the way that you're describing it,' - understanding them and being able to communicate the way you understand things is very important. When I got into college, we'd get into discussions a lot, and being such diverse groups of people in college, there's bound to be differences. And I felt like my systemic understanding of all these different environmental issues allowed me to share what I was comfortable with and what I felt would advance the conversation.</p> <p>Diego describes using his intersectional knowledge and considering others' differing perspectives to talk about environmental issues in ways that are relatable, approachable, and broaden the view of the problem. Using similar tactics, Zoe described a specific situation where she used a relational approach to discuss climate change with someone culturally and demographically different from her:</p> <p>Zoe: One of [my partner's co-workers] has very similar energy to my uncle who doesn't believe in climate change. One of the first things that he says to me -like I had just met this guy- he says, 'What do you think of this article?' And then hands me an article on his phone that says something like, global warming is just the natural cycle of earth and not an actual thing. And I was like, I could tell you what I think about this, but I feel like we're gonna start like shouting at each other and I don't wanna do that. But he was open to discussion. He was like, as long as you don't shout, then I won't shout. And I was like, OK. I had a class called Global Change so I was pretty well prepared for this, but since I'm from a completely different generation than him, like I'm obviously much younger, he might not take me seriously. So I tried to keep a conversational energy while being like, I'm also still learning about this. So he didn't feel as if I was trying to preach at him. And my voice was definitely shaking, but I was telling myself, you know these things! You know the science behind it! So I just have more confidence in myself... In the spaces where I don't view myself as a leader, I have confidence in the knowledge that I have, while still being open to hearing other perspectives.</p> <p>In this example, Zoe demonstrates respect for her conversation partner's perspective, and uses approachable, conversational tone in sharing information. Ultimately, this approach allowed her to share environmental knowledge effectively.</p> <p>Anissa shared a related example of relational leadership within her own family. For Anissa, learning about her grandfather's chemical exposure experiences as a migrant farmworker was formative to her orientation toward justice and environmental issues. However, she describes respecting her grandfather's difference of perspective on his experience, and how it informs her approach in working with others affected by environmental injustice.</p> <p>Anissa: It can be difficult to get insight from my grandpa from like, an environmental justice perspective. Through knowing him, I feel like that's because there's a stigma around immigrants coming to America and feeling entitled to things. So he's kind of just grateful for the opportunity to have come here to work at all... He'll say like, 'They sprayed us with DDT directly, no protection at all...' So, being outraged about it and asking, 'Did you feel that impacted you?' He says, 'No.' Yeah... When I position myself as a leader, like what I try to do in the environmental field, my goal is to relate to the audience I'm speaking to, in a way that doesn't have to be a debate. Like, I'm sure we can all find something that we agree on when it comes to the environment and our lives. So using that background and just human interaction to establish that connection definitely can help when discussing with other people that are outside of the environmental field or potentially opposed to some environmental project... I think people focus on the buzzwords sometimes. So I don't use them.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-23">Strategy: Connection, care, and healing</hd> <p>All participants emphasized the importance of connection, joy, and healing in their environmental leadership, citing examples of how they prioritize care of themselves and others, and find healing in relationships with nature and other people. Although these experiences may seem outside the definition of "leadership," they were often described in connection with leadership strategies, and directly countered barriers of exclusion, over-engagement, and perceived lack of agency, as Kai described below.</p> <p>Kai: Personal resilience and environmental resilience are two sides of the same coin... I was able to see that extracting every ounce of productivity for myself was not a sustainable or healthy way to measure self-worth. That it's not only okay, but it's necessary and mature and a really hard skill to learn how to set boundaries with school and work and activism and everything else. To make room for that self-restoration and healing. I was able to start thinking about my own cultural identity in a way that I haven't before, and how colonialism and capitalism have changed what my family looks like. Now, I was able to see that I could not make a sustainable future for others until I could envision one for myself. And think what I found after realizing all of this is that I was not alone.</p> <p>Kai described that by taking time to reflect on himself and his family, he was able to better understand the larger systems that have shaped his family, his identity, and the natural world. In the acknowledgement that he was "not alone," Kai described realizing that others struggled with the same burdens he felt, and that he was not individually responsible for solving environmental problems. Similarly, multiple participants described involvement in collective action as healing. Paige described an internship experience at a community organization that supported her emotionally during the year following her father's death:</p> <p>Paige: It really helped my mental state to be a part of a community-wide organization that's practicing traditions of seed saving, giving back to farmers, and giving back to tribes. It's really cool to see all these volunteers and community members work towards that. I felt like I could be part of that and share a good outlook on things. So I think I compartmentalized my trauma to an extent, but then having it in there, I pulled back some of the layers... Being outside and being with other people who know what I've gone through, who've also gone through it maybe. As well as just being able to, I don't know, just us talking through daily life and seeing how much it can change, even without that person in your life.</p> <p>Most participants, like Emery below, also described their relationship with nature as important to their wellbeing, their sense of self within the larger world, and their leadership practices.</p> <p>Emery: I have found a lot of peace and safety in nature, and having as deep of a respect and value for the Earth as myself has helped me grow as a person and give me direction in life. I believe that working with flora and fauna can truly be a healing action, and it is why I am so passionate about community outreach and volunteerism, and promoting a love for nature. Disconnect and greed have snowballed into so many issues that we have today, and I believe engaging with the environment and community can help someone reconnect to their Earth-bound roots and heal at least a little bit from that generational trauma.</p> <p>Like Emery, many participants integrated their connection and learning from the natural world to cultural or ancestral knowledge, which supported their personal and leadership identity development.</p> <p>In a final assignment for the Earth Grant leadership development course, students were tasked with giving advice to a hypothetical younger peer who wanted to solve environmental problems. Many of the responses emphasized the importance of self-care and connection as foundations of effective leadership. Diego summarized this in his response below, and emphasized the intrinsic motivation to seek connection and joy as a path toward environmental solutions.</p> <p>Diego: I would advise [a younger peer] to start by taking care of themselves and deepening their own connection to the natural world, outside of immediately trying to solve destruction and injustice. When this connection is strengthened you will learn ways you can contribute that make you happy and are not too taxing. Most importantly, this connection will show in your day-to-day life and likely lead to more contributions that you may not even be aware of.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-24">Discussion</hd> <p>Generation Z leaders have developed intersectional, effective strategies to mitigate the barriers they experience in environmental leadership, which EE practitioners can learn from. Important implications for the EE field include acknowledging and exploring alternatives to capitalism, involving students in intersectional strategies and solutions, and employing care and connection-building practices. Each of these strategies is complementary, in that it supports and is supported by the others.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-25">Acknowledging and exploring alternatives to capitalism</hd> <p>Scholars and practitioners across disciplines have called for reprioritization of well-being over profit as a necessary environmental strategy (Chapin et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref121">27</reflink>]; Hickel et al., [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref122">58</reflink>]; Hoekstra, [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref123">59</reflink>]; McPhearson et al., [<reflink idref="bib82" id="ref124">82</reflink>]; Pacto EcoSocial del Sur, [<reflink idref="bib106" id="ref125">106</reflink>]). As evidenced in this research and others (Arya, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref126">10</reflink>]; Blasi & Kruse, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref127">17</reflink>]; McPherson, [<reflink idref="bib83" id="ref128">83</reflink>]; Niemietz, [<reflink idref="bib100" id="ref129">100</reflink>]), emphasizing real alternatives to extractive systems may allow environmental leadership education to more effectively engage diverse Gen Z students. Subfields within EE such as critical environmental education (Stapleton, [<reflink idref="bib138" id="ref130">138</reflink>]), environmental justice education (Foran et al., [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref131">46</reflink>]; Pulido & De Lara, [<reflink idref="bib113" id="ref132">113</reflink>]) and ecosocialist education (Arenas, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref133">8</reflink>]; Chattopadhyay et al., [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref134">28</reflink>]; Skordoulis, [<reflink idref="bib134" id="ref135">134</reflink>]) offer pedagogical frameworks for exploring alternatives to capitalism as environmental strategies. Additionally, the integrations of environmental education with Indigenous ways of knowing and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (Nesterova, [<reflink idref="bib98" id="ref136">98</reflink>]; Tuck et al., [<reflink idref="bib146" id="ref137">146</reflink>]) provide models for teaching Indigenous environmental strategies as counterexamples to neoliberal strategies.</p> <p>Integrating sociopolitical and economic systems learning under the EE umbrella facilitates deeper understanding of current environmental issues (e.g. Cachelin & Nicolosi, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref138">21</reflink>]) and also of students' own family histories and personal experiences (e.g. Calabrese Barton & Tan, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref139">22</reflink>]). This intersectional lens allows for students to contextualize and rewrite family histories of loss and displacement within the context of larger systems-level storylines (Nishime & Williams, [<reflink idref="bib101" id="ref140">101</reflink>]; Patterson, [<reflink idref="bib109" id="ref141">109</reflink>]; Pellow, [<reflink idref="bib110" id="ref142">110</reflink>]). For example, a student's perception may meaningfully shift from "my family doesn't value the environment," to "my family has been forced to move multiple times over several generations due to economic displacement, which disconnected us from my ancestors' land-based traditions." This allows young adults with marginalized identities to create powerful counter stories, which may be used to overcome social and cultural barriers and authenticate themselves as leaders.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-26">Focus on strategies, solutions, and career paths</hd> <p>This study and others suggest environmental education may contribute to students' perceptions of powerlessness by presenting overwhelming environmental problems without solutions (Jones & Davison, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref143">66</reflink>]; Neas, [<reflink idref="bib97" id="ref144">97</reflink>]). This study also aligns with other research suggesting environmentally-concerned young adults of color are less consumed by climate anxiety than their White peers, and more focused on action (Ray, [<reflink idref="bib116" id="ref145">116</reflink>]; Sasser & Merchant, [<reflink idref="bib123" id="ref146">123</reflink>]).</p> <p>Participants of this study participated in environmental action, but also struggled to pursue these efforts in their limited free time. EE can better engage diverse Gen Z students and support their leadership development in partnership with organizations and practitioners working toward environmental solutions, to provide opportunities for action and connection through community-engaged projects (e.g. Cano & Arya, [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref147">24</reflink>]; Ceaser, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref148">26</reflink>]; Schneller et al., [<reflink idref="bib127" id="ref149">127</reflink>]). In one survey of 343 environmental/sustainability degree programs, programs that emphasized environmental justice content, advocacy and outreach, and community engagement were significantly more likely to enroll students of color (Garibay & Vincent, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref150">48</reflink>]).</p> <p>This and other research illustrate the additional layers of academic and economic pressure for students of color and students from immigrant families (Eveland, [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref151">42</reflink>]; Quiles, [<reflink idref="bib114" id="ref152">114</reflink>]; Tate et al., [<reflink idref="bib143" id="ref153">143</reflink>]), who may be discouraged from pursuing "low-paying" environmental jobs. Acknowledging this barrier, EE can invite professionals in the environmental sector who are advancing environmental solutions to share about their work as well as their career path and compensation (e.g. Allen et al., [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref154">5</reflink>]; Selby et al., [<reflink idref="bib130" id="ref155">130</reflink>]). This supports students not only in connecting with local actions and organizations, but also successfully advocating for their career choices and navigating a financially viable environmental career.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-27">Integrating care and connection practices</hd> <p>In modern society, being overly busy has become the new normal (Agger, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref156">1</reflink>]). Evans ([<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref157">40</reflink>]) uses the term "enforced dependency" to describe the phenomenon of decreasing agency to resist involvement in individualistic and capitalist culture, due to the scarcity, created by capitalism, of resources like time and money. The reality of undergraduates with marginalized identities reflects an extreme state of enforced dependency as students work an unpaid job (academic coursework) while navigating myriad social, cultural, political and economic barriers. This research suggests diverse young adults are mitigating the high-stress conditions of their lives by prioritizing care, healing, and healthy relationships in their life and work. Environmental educators can model and support these through course activities and policies (Goralnik et al., [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref158">50</reflink>]; Vázquez Verdera, [<reflink idref="bib153" id="ref159">153</reflink>]).</p> <p>The individual "hero" stereotype unfortunately pervades environmental leadership narratives, although real environmental leadership necessitates authentic and equitable collaboration (Case et al., [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref160">25</reflink>]; Heizmann & Liu, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref161">56</reflink>]). Facilitating activities for students to connect with and support each other helps break down social barriers for marginalized students, increases agency for collective action, and provides opportunities for practicing relational leadership. Participants in this study also emphasized reflective practices which supported their personal healing and connections with nature, others, and themselves, which may be incorporated as leadership development activities. By sharing and normalizing practices that support student well-being and relationships over individualist competition, EE practitioners can refuse capitalist logics and ally with Gen Z students in co-creating the caring, interconnected society in which we wish to live.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-28">Limitations of this research</hd> <p>Though 5–25 participants is recommended for phenomenological research (Creswell & Poth, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref162">33</reflink>]), the small sample of 10 participants limits the generalizability of these findings. Participants in this study had prior relationships with each other and the primary investigator, which may have contributed to bias in the form of co-constructed ideas. However, participant-led analysis lends trustworthiness and validity to the study (Israel et al., [<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref163">63</reflink>]), as participants were able to clarify, challenge, and refine interpretations of their experiences.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-29">Acknowledgements</hd> <p>We would like to acknowledge Arizona Institute for Resilience, particularly Betsy Woodhouse and Kevin Bonine, for their support of the Earth Grant program, which connected the individuals involved in this study and prompted the research questions. We would also like to acknowledge faculty in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies at the University of Arizona who provided advice and guidance on this research and early versions of the manuscript; Drs. Alberto Arenas, Carol Brochin, and Desiree Cueto.</p> <hd id="AN0184763586-30">Disclosure statement</hd> <p>No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).</p> <ref id="AN0184763586-31"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref156" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2024.2427069.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0184763586-32"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibtext> Agger, B. (2015). Speeding up fast capitalism: Cultures, jobs, families, schools, bodies. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315631967</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref118" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Ágoston, C., Urbán, R., Nagy, B., Csaba, B., Kőváry, Z., Kovács, K., Varga, A., Dúll, A., Mónus, F., Shaw, C. A., & Demetrovics, Z. (2022). 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Header DbId: eric
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An: EJ1496899
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Natural Leaders: Strategies and Barriers for Environmental Leadership Development in Diverse Young Adults
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22L%2E+F%2E+Davis%22">L. F. Davis</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1198-0783">0000-0002-1198-0783</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22M%2E+Tainatongo%22">M. Tainatongo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22L%2E+Ayala+Meza%22">L. Ayala Meza</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22B%2E+Y%2E+T%2E+Breen%22">B. Y. T. Breen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22K%2E+K%2E+Martinez%22">K. K. Martinez</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22M%2E+Goforth%22">M. Goforth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22K%2E+Sacoman%22">K. Sacoman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22M%2E+Kaufmann%22">M. Kaufmann</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Environmental+Education%22"><i>Journal of Environmental Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 56(2):144-165.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 22
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Adults%22">Young Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+Education%22">Environmental Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phenomenology%22">Phenomenology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership%22">Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participatory+Research%22">Participatory Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Youth+Leaders%22">Youth Leaders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Volunteers%22">Student Volunteers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Systems%22">Social Systems</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arizona%22">Arizona</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/00958964.2024.2427069
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0095-8964<br />1940-1892
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Young adults with marginalized identities are practicing innovative environmental leadership strategies which can inform the evolution of environmental education. This study employs interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and participatory template analysis to describe environmental leadership development experiences of 10 undergraduates with marginalized identities in Arizona, USA. Participants described social and economic exclusion, perceived lack of agency, and over-engagement as significant barriers to practicing environmental leadership. However, these experiences inform and deepen participants' critical understanding of environmental issues in context of social, political, and economic systems. Participants additionally described how they address these barriers through prioritizing care and connection in their leadership practices and using relationship building to expand inclusivity and intersectional understanding in environmental conversations. This research invites educators to imagine how environmental education could learn from and engage with diverse young adults by emphasizing alternatives to capitalism, environmental action, care and connection-building practices.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1496899
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1496899
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00958964.2024.2427069
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 144
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Young Adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phenomenology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leadership
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Participatory Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Youth Leaders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Volunteers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Systems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Arizona
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Natural Leaders: Strategies and Barriers for Environmental Leadership Development in Diverse Young Adults
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: L. F. Davis
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: M. Tainatongo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: L. Ayala Meza
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: B. Y. T. Breen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: K. K. Martinez
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: M. Goforth
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: K. Sacoman
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: M. Kaufmann
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0095-8964
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1940-1892
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 56
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Environmental Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1