Environmental Justice and Spiritual Exemplars
Exploring Faith-Based Humanitarianism
Introduction
Over five years, the USC Center For Religion and Civic Culture's Spiritual Exemplars Project collected profiles of 104 spiritually engaged leaders across the globe to better understand the pro-social role of faith in inspiring and sustaining humanitarian work. Leaders profiled in the project represented 13 faith traditions, and worked in 42 countries across nine major sectors such as religious tolerance and peacebuilding, human rights and gender equity. A significant portion of the sample is comprised of faith-inspired humanitarians working to resolve the climate change crisis. Environmental justice represents the third largest area of work in the spiritual exemplar sample making it a significant area of focus for leaders motivated by their religion to make positive change in the world.
Saving the Earth, Changing our World
CRCC has collected the stories of 104 “spiritual exemplars,” people inspired by their faith to work on some of the world’s most intractable issues since 2019. What we did not expect at the start of the project was how central the issue of climate change would be for spiritually engaged humanitarians and how varied and nuanced their work would be on the issue.
This map shows the 19 leaders profiled in the project who focus their work on some aspect of environmental justice.
Demographics of Exemplars who focus on some aspect of environmental justice.
Click on the interactive dashboard to the right to learn more.
Environmental Justice Work
While CRCC’s work is still ongoing, it is clear that faith-motivated actors are playing critical and multi-faceted roles in climate-related action. Not only do they provide long-standing examples of ecologically-minded spirituality, but they are also on the front lines of climate-related disaster response. Spiritually inspired actors are helping populations learn how to live through climate change. Moreover, they are responding to generations dealing with cultural preservation and environmental resilience in novel and innovative ways.
Earth-based Spirituality
Many champions of environmental justice focus their work on providing interpretations of their faith traditions that support earth-friendly actions, behaviors and conservation-oriented perspectives.
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Fazlun Khalid
Known as the father of eco-Islam, Fazlun Khalid is one of the world’s foremost experts on Islam from an ecological perspective. A scholar and activist, Khalid has for decades worked to both raise environmental consciousness among Muslims as well as demonstrate the inherently ecological ethos of Islam to world leaders and the broader public. In 1994, he founded the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, an organization that gathers and interprets Islamic texts that pertain to the environment and formulates educational and conservation projects based on such principles. He has overseen transformational initiatives in Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Madagascar, Indonesia and elsewhere, and has lectured on Islamic environmentalism at places like the United Nations, Davos and the Vatican.
Read a Profile of Fazlun Khalid: https://crcc.usc.edu/fazlun-khalid-environmentalism-is-intrinsic-to-islam/
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Andreas Kornevall
Andreas Kornevall is a Swedish environmentalist, writer, scholar, storyteller, educator and facilitator. He founded the Life Cairn movement, which generates memorials for extinct species and focuses on excavating and disseminating knowledge about ancient Norse spirituality, a pre-Christian, polytheistic tradition. In Old Norse customs he uncovers a profound ethic of environmentalism and potent language for contemporary environmental crises.
Read a Profile of Andreas Kornevall: https://crcc.usc.edu/swedish-ecologist-revives-old-norse-myths-and-rituals-to-tackle-environmental-crises/
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Brother Chân Pháp and Sister True Dedication
Plum Village monastics, such as Brother Chân Pháp and Sister True Dedication, continue the legacy of their teacher Thich Nhat Hanh in sharing how mindfulness can create a revolutionary path for living simply, in alignment with nature and each other.
Both have represented their teacher and community at COP talks, first at the invitation of Christina Figueres, lead diplomat for COP21 in Paris. She credits Plum Village's approach to deep listening with helping create the first global agreement on climate change.
Watch a Ted Talk from Sister True Dedication on building resilience to change the world.
Read about Plum Village's simple lifestyle: https://crcc.usc.edu/brother-chan-phap-dung-where-the-search-for-simplicity-leads/
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Gopal Patel
Gopal Patel is a leading Hindu environmental activist and the creator of a movement called Bhumi Global that seeks to activate Hindu youth in support of the Earth and to work across faith traditions worldwide. Born in England, shaped by years of traveling the world teaching the formative Hindu text the Bhagavad Gita, he and his allies have identified biodiversity — the variety of life on Earth — as a strategic priority that is both overlooked in the larger climate conversation and closely aligned with Hindu values.
Watch Gopal's Ted Talk on the unexpected ways spirituality connects with climate change.
Read a Profile of Gopal Patel: https://crcc.usc.edu/gopal-patel-an-old-school-hindu-takes-on-the-future-of-climate/
Climate Action and Disaster Response
Many exemplars also combine an earth-based ecological perspective on faith with action to advance ecologic goals and respond to climate change-fueled disasters. Below are examples of people working globally and locally to mitigate the effect of climate change, with a focus of actors working on deforestation.
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Azza Karam
Secretary General of Religion of Peace Azza Karam kicked off a discussion called “Making Peace with Nature Heeding the Call of Indigenous Peoples,” available on the UN COP26 YouTube channel. She described how the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative had succeeded in getting 900 senior religious leaders from 125 countries to endorse the Faiths for Forests declaration and action agenda, which seeks to end deforestation and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples.
“When indigenous people seek to protect their land, they are not doing it just for themselves…they are doing it for the world,” Karam said.
Therefore, she added, we owe it to them to ensure our religious institutions are collaborating for the good of all.
Read a Profile of Azza Karam: https://crcc.usc.edu/azza-karam-the-role-of-women-in-faith-and-diplomacy/
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Tuenjai Deetes
Tuenjai Deetes , a Buddhist in Thailand, has been working with Indigenous communities for decades to protect their rights and the forests. Raised in Bangkok, first came to the Thailand's northern hill country as a volunteer as a university student. She was inspired by the hill tribe people's simple lifestyles and connection with nature, and decided to stay. Her efforts to teach Thai language, a prerequisite for Thai citizenship, broadened into work to end statelessness in Thailand. "I want every human being to have dignity, to have equal rights by the law and to participate in social development," Deetes says. "And I also wish for all human beings to live with nature peacefully and mutually.”
Read a Profile of Tuenjai Deetes: https://crcc.usc.edu/tuenjai-deetes-eliminating-statelessness-in-thailand/
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Fachruddin Mangunjaya
Fachruddin Mangunjaya , is trying to protect Indonesia’s forests working with Muslim clerics and schools. Indonesia has been criticized during COP26 for pulling out of a pledge to end deforestation by 2030. A conservation biologist and pioneer of Islamic environmentalism, Mangunjaya has trained clerics at more than 30 schools in Indonesia to promote wildlife conservation, forestry, climate change awareness and more. He has also written “Friday sermons” for clerics who live near areas of conservation interest. He consulted on the National Clerics’ Council’s 2014 decision to issue a fatwa on climate change and has consulted extensively for the UN. He helped draft the Islamic Declaration for Global Climate Change that was announced in Istanbul in 2015.
Read a Profile of Fachruddin Mangunjaya: https://crcc.usc.edu/fachruddin-mangunjaya-fusing-faith-education-and-environmentalism/
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Ida Puliwa
Ida Puliwa, a humanitarian from Malawi, include reforestation in everyone of her agricultural initiatives to feed poor communities. Inspired by a woman who gave her a scholarship to college with the instruction to “pass on the kindness,” she founded the Othakarhaka (“Passing on the Kindness”) Charity Foundation in 2012 to transform poor struggling villages into self-reliant, sustainable communities. The Foundation’s 6,000+ volunteers support programs in sustainable agriculture and agroforestry, in addition to education, health and social welfare programs. Thanks to her work, new agricultural approaches have more than quadrupled the production of maize for many elderly people.
Read a Profile of Ida Puliwa: https://crcc.usc.edu/ida-puliwa-how-a-strangers-kindness-transformed-a-village-in-malawi/
Cultural Preservation and Environmental Resilience
Spiritual exemplars are on the front lines of providing faith-based inspiration and motivation to climate change activists. They lead ecological projects on the ground and they also work to preserve and shift cultural understandings around our relationship to nature. Below are a few examples of numerous people from Indigenous communities who are working to protect their land from exploitation while also preserving their culture.
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Cirilo "Sapi" Bawer
In the Philippines, Circilo Sapi Bawer helped prevent the Kalinga’s mountainous surroundings from being dammed. As an educator his work protecting the land is closely linked with his efforts to preserve the Kalinga culture through teaching ritual dance and folkways. His nonprofit organization also sponsors projects like a water-pumping station and sanitation to improve the welfare of Kalinga communities.
Read a profile of Sapi Bawer: https://crcc.usc.edu/sapis-struggle-indigenous-resistance-to-cultural-assimilation-in-the-philippines/
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Sarah James
The Gwich’in nation in Alaska isn’t letting up their fight to prevent oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Neets’aii Gwich’in Elder Sarah James says it’s about survival: “And that’s not only for me or my history, that goes for everybody.” James helped found a non-profit organization called the Gwich’in Steering Committee in 1988. The committee’s goal is to educate the world about protecting the refuge. James became the organization’s first spokesperson, taking its message before the US Congress and traveling the world to build a coalition of supporters.
Listen to a profile of Sarah James: https://crcc.usc.edu/sarah-james-fighting-for-whats-sacred-in-the-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge/
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Carmen Santiago Alonso
Before her passing in 2022, Carmen Santiago Alonso, a Zapotec woman, was a social and environmental activist, establishing the organization Flor y Canto, A.C. (Centro de Derecho Indígenas “Flor y Canto”) in Oaxaca, Mexico. The organization has been defending the rights of Indigenous peoples for more than 25 years. Some of the most important work that the organization has done is related to clean water, but also in articulating a shift in how populations view their relationship to resources and communities.
Read an obituary for Carmen Santiago Alonso: https://crcc.usc.edu/carmen-santiago-alonso-in-oaxaca-indigenous-farmers-mourn-catholic-activist/
Explore More Environmental Justice Spiritual Exemplars
These additional examples also reflect how spiritual exemplars support earth-based spiritualities, climate action and cultural preservation.
Bernadette Demientieff
Bernadette Demientieff. Click to expand.
Bernadette Demientieff, an Indigenous environmental advocate, is the executive director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee. Her role embodies a commitment to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain, an area sacred to her people and crucial to the caribou that give birth there.
Jenifer Colpas Fernández
Jenifer Colpas Fernández. Click to expand.
Jennifer Colpas Fernández, exemplifies the impact an individual can have through dedicated activism and social entrepreneurship. As the founder of Tierra Grata, her work focuses on delivering essential services like ecological toilets, solar lamps, and water filters to remote communities in northern Colombia, directly contributing to the region's climate resilience and environmental justice.
Konda Mason
Konda Mason . Click to expand.
Konda Mason's career and commitment to environmental justice, sustainable development and spiritual growth demonstrate her dedication to both the earth and its inhabitants. Mason has a wealth of experience from various sectors — from the entertainment industry to the organic food movement, and from meditation and spiritual teaching to entrepreneurship and activism.
Mai Nguyen
Mai Nguyen. Click to expand.
Mai Nguyen is an influential figure in the realm of sustainable agriculture and environmental activism in Northern California. Nguyen is driving significant change not only through their personal farming practices but also by fostering collective action in the agricultural sector. As a founder of the California Grain Campaign, they have been pivotal in creating a supportive network for small-scale farmers to cultivate and market a variety of grains, strengthening the local food system and promoting biodiversity.
Tom Goldtooth
Tom Goldtooth. Click to expand.
Tom Goldtooth, a respected environmental activist of Diné and Dakota heritage, stands as a significant figure in the realm of Indigenous and ecological advocacy. At 68 years old, his life’s work is rooted in a profound spiritual relationship with the Earth and a relentless pursuit of environmental and economic justice for Indigenous communities.
Walter Ritte Jr.
Walter Ritte Jr.. Click to expand.
Walter Ritte, Jr., a venerable figure of Native Hawaiian activism and education, has been a steadfast guardian of his culture and lands from Ho‘olehua, Moloka‘i, in Hawai‘i. His life narrative is marked by bold acts of resistance and a deep-rooted commitment to ecological and cultural stewardship.
Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke. Click to expand.
Winona LaDuke stands as a pillar of environmental advocacy and Indigenous rights. A member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and based in Callaway, Minnesota, her life's work is a tapestry of resilience, cultural reverence, and forward-thinking leadership. As the director of Honor the Earth, she has channeled her efforts into creating a resonant voice for Native environmental concerns, driving the development of financial and political backing for these pivotal issues.
Bernadette Demientieff
Bernadette Demientieff , an Indigenous environmental advocate, is the executive director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee. Her role embodies a commitment to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain, an area sacred to her people and crucial to the caribou that give birth there.
Demientieff’s strategy is modern and collaborative, enlisting social media influencers and conservation organizations to amplify her community’s voice and the urgency of their cause. Her advocacy stretches into the spiritual realm, as her daily prayers for the coastal plain illustrate a profound connection with the land that transcends activism, rooting her work in the Indigenous spiritual tradition of reverence for Earth.
By encouraging oil executives and leaders of financial institutions to divest from development projects in the refuge, she strives to prevent further ecological disruption and uphold the sanctity of her ancestral lands.
Demientieff bridges traditional Indigenous wisdom with contemporary activism techniques. She exemplifies how focused, faith-infused advocacy can influence policy and financial spheres, underlining the critical role Indigenous perspectives play in crafting sustainable solutions to climate challenges.
Read about Gwich’in fight against big oil: https://crcc.usc.edu/how-covid-19-and-the-fight-against-big-oil-is-reviving-one-alaskan-peoples-spiritual-traditions/
Jenifer Colpas Fernández
J ennifer Colpas Fernández , exemplifies the impact an individual can have through dedicated activism and social entrepreneurship. As the founder of Tierra Grata, her work focuses on delivering essential services like ecological toilets, solar lamps, and water filters to remote communities in northern Colombia, directly contributing to the region's climate resilience and environmental justice.
Her teenage years spent traveling to and volunteering in India and Brazil ignited a keen awareness of poverty and the urgent need for sustainable development in her home country. Her international experience also transformed her spirituality, leading her from her Catholic roots towards Buddhist meditation—a practice that allows her to bring mindfulness to her work. The core value for Tierra Grata and Colpas is gratitude.
She has earned her recognition as a CNN Hero, and Tierra Grata received the Goalkeepers Global Goals Award by the Gates Foundation and The Green Awards of Latin America. These honors acknowledge her successful integration of environmental sustainability with social equity, advancing global goals while serving local needs.
Colpas models humane and ecological consciousness grounded in practical action. Her transition towards humanism and Buddhist practices aligns with her work's ethos, emphasizing compassion, interconnectivity, and gratitude, and showcasing how individual transformation can catalyze collective progress towards a more just and resilient society in the face of climate challenges.
Read a Profile of Jenifer Colpas Fernández: https://crcc.usc.edu/jenifer-colpas-fernandez-young-colombian-activist-brings-light-to-the-displaced-communities/
Konda Mason
Konda Mason's career and commitment to environmental justice, sustainable development and spiritual growth demonstrate her dedication to both the earth and its inhabitants. Mason has a wealth of experience from various sectors — from the entertainment industry to the organic food movement, and from meditation and spiritual teaching to entrepreneurship and activism.
She pioneered organic food delivery and introduced organic sections in supermarkets in Los Angeles, in collaboration with actor Woody Harrelson. Mason's work has been intertwined with her spiritual practice, influencing her approach to creating systemic change and fostering community resilience. At the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, she added a diversity component for classes, showcasing her dedication to inclusivity within spiritual practices.
In supporting Black entrepreneurs, Mason's focus has been on leveling the economic playing field and ensuring that Black farmers can retain their land — a critical aspect of environmental justice and climate resilience. She has started nonprofits and a loan fund for Black farmers, working to correct historical inequities in land ownership and access to resources.
She transplanted her life from Oakland to Alexandria, Louisiana. Mason's daily practice of hands-on agricultural work coupled with meditation embodies her mantra--uplift race, land, and spirit and challenge money’s cultural primacy.
Mason's current endeavors in Louisiana are a direct application of her lifelong values — promoting sustainable agriculture as a means to nurture the environment, support local communities and provide a space for spiritual reflection and growth. Her emphasis on the interconnectedness of race, land and spirit in her fight against climate change positions her as a powerful voice within the climate resilience movement. Through her multifaceted approach, Mason inspires a holistic vision of what it means to live sustainably and equitably, with a mindfulness that challenges and redefines conventional priorities in society.
Mai Nguyen
Mai Nguyen is an influential figure in the realm of sustainable agriculture and environmental activism in Northern California. Nguyen is driving significant change not only through their personal farming practices but also by fostering collective action in the agricultural sector. As a founder of the California Grain Campaign, they have been pivotal in creating a supportive network for small-scale farmers to cultivate and market a variety of grains, strengthening the local food system and promoting biodiversity.
Beyond the campaigns, Nguyen is deeply engaged in hands-on farming, managing a notable heirloom grain farm that stands as a beacon of organic and regenerative farming practices. Their approach is steeped in principles that prioritize the health of the ecosystem—using drought-tolerant varieties and enriching the soil without relying on synthetic inputs. This preference for the synergy of human and animal labor over mechanized farming is a testament to Nguyen's commitment to low-impact agriculture.
As the co-director at Minnow, Nguyen is also at the forefront of ensuring that farmers of color in California have secure land tenure. This work aligns with their dedication to advancing Indigenous sovereignty, acknowledging and supporting the rights of Indigenous peoples as fundamental stewards of the land. Nguyen’s approach to farming and activism is deeply influenced by Buddhist teachings, especially the concept of interconnectedness. They see their relationship with the land as intrinsically linked to the broader community of living beings and the environment.
Mai Nguyen exemplifies a holistic model of climate resilience, championing environmental justice through methods that underscore the role of agriculture in addressing climate change. By advocating for sustainable land management and integrating ethical considerations into farming, they are not only contributing to the environmental movement but also instilling values of equity and respect for the earth that can resonate across communities and inform larger conversations about climate action and justice.
Read a Profile of Mai Nguyen: https://crcc.usc.edu/mai-nguyen-a-grain-farmer-applies-buddhist-principles-to-preserve-the-land-and-maximize-taste/
Tom Goldtooth
Tom Goldtooth , a respected environmental activist of Diné and Dakota heritage, stands as a significant figure in the realm of Indigenous and ecological advocacy. At 68 years old, his life’s work is rooted in a profound spiritual relationship with the Earth and a relentless pursuit of environmental and economic justice for Indigenous communities.
As the founding figure of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) in 1990, Goldtooth initiated a movement alongside fellow grassroots Indigenous activists to confront ecological degradation and uphold economic justice. The mission of IEN is expansive, yet focused—seeking to empower Indigenous communities and tribal governments to protect and manage sacred sites and vital natural resources. This entails a strategic confluence of activism, education, and policy intervention.
Goldtooth’s leadership is informed by a deep-seated belief in the interconnectedness of all life, drawing on traditional Indigenous wisdom that emphasizes a sacred kinship with the land. This principle is the cornerstone of his engagements with diverse environmentalists and key international platforms, such as the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP). His voice at such gatherings is a reminder that humanity is an integral part of the biosphere, and this realization must be reflected in our collective approach to land management and resource extraction.
In a world grappling with climate change and environmental imbalances, Goldtooth champions the need for resilience that is harmonious with the planet's rhythms and respectful of its limits. He advances the message that sustainable development and conservation are not merely technical challenges but moral imperatives that arise from a sacred bond with our environment. Goldtooth embodies the spirit of environmental justice and climate resilience, advocating for a future where human activities are aligned with the planet's ecological balance and the well-being of all its inhabitants.
Read a Profile of Tom Goldtooth: https://crcc.usc.edu/from-indian-bar-bouncer-to-humanitarian/
Walter Ritte Jr.
Walter Ritte, Jr ., a venerable figure of Native Hawaiian activism and education, has been a steadfast guardian of his culture and lands from Ho‘olehua, Moloka‘i, in Hawai‘i. His life narrative is marked by bold acts of resistance and a deep-rooted commitment to ecological and cultural stewardship.
Ritte's journey into activism is etched into history with his pivotal role as part of the “Kaho‘olawe Nine.” This group courageously landed on Kaho‘olawe in January 1976, defying the military's bombing practices. The perseverance of Ritte and his compatriot, Richard Sawyer—evident in their 35-day hidden occupation of the island—eventually led to their arrest. However, the impact of their demonstration was profound, catalyzing a movement that would see the island ultimately returned to the State of Hawai‘i.
Ritte's legacy continues as he persistently challenges forces that threaten Native Hawaiian rights and environmental sanctity. His voice is particularly influential in opposing overdevelopment and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), advocating for the preservation of Native folkways, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
At the forefront of cultural empowerment, Ritte's efforts extend beyond protest to education, emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation, sensitivity, and the fostering of diversity and inclusion through intercultural communication. His commitment to climate resilience is intertwined with his dedication to cultural empowerment, recognizing the inseparable bond between environmental integrity and the continuity of Indigenous culture.
Walter Ritte, Jr.'s life exemplifies a relentless drive to protect and rejuvenate the natural and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i, making him a model of resilience for future generations.
Read a Profile of Walter Ritte: https://crcc.usc.edu/kumu-hina-and-walter-ritte-a-very-hawaiian-place/
Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke stands as a pillar of environmental advocacy and Indigenous rights. A member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and based in Callaway, Minnesota, her life's work is a tapestry of resilience, cultural reverence, and forward-thinking leadership. As the director of Honor the Earth, she has channeled her efforts into creating a resonant voice for Native environmental concerns, driving the development of financial and political backing for these pivotal issues.
LaDuke envisions a world where sustainability isn't just a buzzword but the foundation of economic, social, and political systems. Her advocacy transcends environmentalism, advocating for a just transition towards sustainable development—a shift from extraction to conservation, from exploitation to balance.
Her staunch opposition to the construction of an oil pipeline through the Ojibwe's cherished rice lands epitomizes her commitment to protecting sacred spaces from extractive industries. Despite the pipeline's completion, LaDuke's resolve remains undeterred as she persists in demanding Indigenous representation and decision-making power in any projects that traverse their territories.
Rooted deeply in the Ojibwe spiritual ethos of interconnectedness, LaDuke's message isn't just for her community but for the globe. She teaches that our duties to the Earth and to each other are inseparable and that this understanding is crucial for environmental justice and the survival of diverse communities in the face of climate change. Her voice, both powerful and wise, continues to echo across the United States and beyond, calling for a harmonious relationship with our planet.
In Summary
*Earth-based Spirituality: Embracing Faith to Empower Eco-Activism
- Many champions of environmental justice are dedicating their efforts to interpreting their faith traditions in ways that promote earth-friendly actions, behaviors, and conservation-oriented perspectives.
*Disaster Response: Mitigation with Faith and Action
- Many exemplars also combine an earth-based ecological perspective on faith with action to advance ecologic goals and respond to climate change-fueled disasters.
*Cultural Preservation and Environmental Resilience
- Spiritual exemplars are not only on the front lines of providing faith-based inspiration to climate change activists while leading ecological projects, they also work to preserve and shift cultural understandings around our relationship to nature.
*Global Awareness
- As CRCC journalist fellow Mary Annette Pember, a member of the Red Cliff Band of Wisconsin Ojibwe tribe, has reminded us, following the lead of Indigenous peoples in responding to climate change will require all of us - and especially our global leaders - to think and act communally rather than individually. This approach involves focusing on responsibility rather than rights and consumption.
Conclusion
Work by the Spiritual Exemplars Project team has shown an opportunity for moving past the marginalization of Indigenous perspectives. A more hopeful strategy would align Indigenous voices with the chorus of faith- and spirit-based activists. All of the spiritual exemplars focused on environmental justice articulate ecological values within their own traditions and put their perspectives to work on the ground.