Patagonia

In celebration of Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month, we were honored to have civil rights activist Dolores Huerta and her daughter Juanita Chávez join us to speak to Patagonia employees. They had a powerful conversation with over 250 team members and toured our Reno distribution center, with stops at our bilingual child-care center and to meet some of our repairs crew. During her talk, Huerta spoke on justice, belonging, and intergenerational leadership: “We can’t talk about justice without talking about love—love for people, for community, and for the Earth.”  Learn more about Huerta’s work and her foundation at https://lnkd.in/gudHbgVa Photos: Jonathan Carmona

Eighteen-year-old Ruby Williams (pictured) and dozens of other Indigenous youth spent years training to become the first people in over a century to descend the undammed Klamath River. “I was hesitant to join at first,” said Ruby, who is Karuk and has lived on the river her entire life. “But I started paddling and I immediately developed this family.” Ruby was one of 12 youth in the inaugural class of Paddle Tribal Waters—an initiative led by Klamath Tribes and Modoc kayakers and developed in partnership with Ríos to Rivers, one of our nonprofit grantees. The program quickly expanded, enrolling dozens of Indigenous youth in an accredited kayak high school academy across Chile and the Pacific Northwest. Their days began at 6 a.m. with workouts, followed by classes and paddling, and then, they’d do it all again. All of their training was in preparation for one goal: Completing the 30-day descent down the 310-mile free-flowing Klamath River, from the headwaters to the sea. Fogburn, exhaustion and Class IV+ whitewater rapids later, 120 Indigenous youth from six local tribes completed the journey in July. “We ran and jumped into the ocean—screaming, crying, hugging, celebrating. We had just finished something we’d trained so long for. Something our people had been fighting for generations.” With the descent complete, Ruby says the same youth who made the historic journey are now inspired to start paddle clubs in their own communities. “Our youth are really fighting to get more Native paddlers on the water to reclaim a sport that Indigenous people really invented.” Photo 1: Ruby Williams (Karuk) in Tully Creek on day 27 of the historic descent, preparing for the final push to the ocean. Erik Boomer Photo 2: Two Indigenous youth paddlers pass through challenging whitewater. Paul Robert Wolf Wilson Photo 3: A young girl shows support for the youth Indigenous paddlers on the banks of the river. Erik Boomer Photo 4: During a well-deserved break, Indigenous youth from the Upper Klamath teach others how their tribes harvest and use tule. Ruby Williams Photo 5: Scarlett Schroeder (Klamath Tribes) cools down after a hot day on the river. Erik Boomer

About one in five homes in Navajo Nation and the Hopi reservation have no electricity. Our partners at Native Renewables Inc are doing something about that. The Indigenous-led group installs off-grid solar power for Native families that don't have electricity—building community resiliency and transforming the lives of both recipients and the workforce they train in the process. Since 2015, the nonprofit has provided solar to 123 homes and counting. Learn more about Native Renewables and other environmental groups we support at https://lnkd.in/gcUhtQ3X Video: Nice Groceries, Joseph DeRose

The climate and nature crisis is an existential threat—no matter who says otherwise.  “If you step out of a window from the third floor talking about how gravity doesn’t exist, you’re still going to hit the ground,” Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert told Fortune’s Leadership Next podcast, hosted by Diane Brady and Kristin Stoller.  Listen to Ryan’s full interview below.  https://lnkd.in/gNKPiHF7

“Human beings are a part of nature, not apart from it. Some have always thought this was true, but Dr. Jane Goodall proved it. While best known for her work with chimpanzees, she championed causes both global and local, including working to save grizzly bears in Yellowstone. Jane mobilized the global conservation movement. All of us who call this planet home owe her our gratitude. She was also my friend. I'll miss her.” —Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia Founder Photo courtesy of Todd Wilkinson 

Coming soon: Our first Work in Progress Report. #EarthIsNoEasyBoss

It’s National Public Lands Day and to celebrate we're sharing a few stories from some wonderful National Park and Forest Service employees who have dedicated their careers to stewarding our public lands and waters. When we first interviewed these folks, they'd been fired, and were contemplating how to continue the work they love. They have since been reinstated by court order, though some have since agreed to resign. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gDKM8izR and see if they don't inspire you as they have us.   Photos: Guillermo Diaz, Colin Arisman, Tim Davis, Kenan Chan, Emma Steigerwald, Chelsea Andreozzi

“Trees are the solution for pollution. But when you start cutting those trees up, turning them into pellets and then burning them for energy, it creates a major human problem.”     More than a million acres of US forests have already been cut for biomass, directly exposing frontline communities to heavy pollution. Leaders like Dr. Treva Gear at Dogwood Alliance are part of a growing movement to stop even more destruction.     Learn more about Dogwood Alliance and other environmental groups we support at https://pat.ag/LI/Dogwood

From a humble tin shed to a global leader in sustainability and outdoor innovation, Patagonia's story continues to inspire the adventures it equips. We recently visited Patagonia’s Ventura headquarters to see where it all began. From the blacksmith shop that forged the first climbing gear to the archives of iconic products and the Worn Wear repair program, we’re sharing how Patagonia built its legacy of purpose and performance. But it doesn’t end there—this episode takes you to the trails, surf, and bike paths that embody Patagonia’s culture, where work and play come together in the name of protecting the planet. Watch the full episode for yourself: https://lnkd.in/gEaV-UMd