February 7, 2023 LGLC NextGen Committee and YMCA Camp Chingachgook to Host Talk on Equity and Inclusion in and Around the Adirondack Park

Bolton Landing, NY — The Lake George Land Conservancy’s (LGLC) NextGen Committee has partnered with YMCA Camp Chingachgook to offer a unique look at issues of equity and inclusivity in and around the Adirondack Park.

On Friday, March 10th, Camp Chingachgook will open its grounds to the public for an important discussion with the community. The talk, “Equity in Land Conservation and Recreation,” begins at 5:30 PM, with guests encouraged to arrive early for drinks and an opportunity to walk to camp grounds. The panel is composed of Rocci Aguirre of the Adirondack Council, Pete Nelson and Tiffany Rea-Fisher of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, and Martha Swan of John Brown Lives!.

The LGLC NextGen Committee believes sharing the benefits of land conservation with every individual is necessary to ensure equity in the landscape of outdoor recreation and land protection.
The Adirondack Diversity Initiative has undergone recent changes and this will be one of the first opportunities to meet its new executive director, Tiffany Rea-Fisher. Community members are encouraged to bring forth questions for this conversation-style event, as we begin to understand what can be done to continue to work towards a safe and welcoming park.

The event is free, however there is a suggested donation of $10 at the door. Registration is required to guarantee seating. Please visit lglc.org/event/nextgen-discussion-equity-in-land-conservation-and-recreation/ for more information on the speakers and event details.

The LGLC’s NextGen Committee is a group of young professional volunteers who are passionate and committed to promoting land conservation through community events. Please visit lglc.org or email gcasella@lglc.org for more information or ways to get involved.

Panelists:
Pete Nelson is a proud Adirondack resident and co-founder of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI). Having formerly worked with law enforcement agencies, Pete is excited to lead ADI’s community policing program. Pete has been involved in diversity issues as an activist and teacher since the 1970’s, including social justice programs in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, tenants’ rights and inner-city housing in Chicago and equity in education in Madison, Wisconsin. Pete is a mathematics teacher and member of the Diversity Task Force at North Country Community College. Pete has taught for the college’s Second Chance program in Federal and State correctional institutions. Pete is an avid writer, lecturer and Adirondack history buff whose articles appear regularly in regional publications. He also co-founded Adirondack Wilderness Advocates, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the Adirondack Park.

Tiffany Rea-Fisher is the Director of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI). Tiffany has extensive leadership experience in the arts, activism and community organizing. She is Executive Artistic Director of EMERGE125, a professional dance company that offers performance and education programs in New York City and Lake Placid. She is a Creatives Rebuild New York awardee with John Brown Lives! and has earned recognition for her role as a principal dancer, community organizer and direct-action activist. She is the first woman of color to serve as Director of the Lake Placid School of Dance, where she has helped increase class participation and faculty diversity since 2017. Tiffany resides in both Harlem and Saranac Lake.

Martha Swan is the founder and Executive Director of John Brown Lives!, a freedom and human rights education organization dedicated to the legacy of abolitionist John Brown. Martha founded JBL! in 1999, and her passion and vision continues to drive the organization today. Since its inception, JBL! has tapped into and cultivated an appetite for humanities-oriented lectures, exhibits, commemorative milestones, author events and performances, community conversations and teacher-student programs that help people understand the intersection between history and human rights. Martha retired in 2021 from a long-time career as a teacher. She lives in Westport.

Rocci Aguirre is the Deputy Executive Director of The Adirondack Council. He brings over 28 years of conservation experience to his current position, including working as a National Park Service ranger across the country, field staff for Trout Unlimited, and as the former Land Protection Director at the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Rocci has a M.S. in Natural Resources and Conservation, serves on the boards of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development and the NY Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and is a Regional Commissioner for the NY OPRHP Saratoga-Capital District.

###

Correction: Tiffany Rea-Fisher was incorrectly titled Executive Director of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative. Her correct title is Director of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative.