A Cautionary Tale: Outdated Culture and Leadership Dysfunction
Pros
The organization claims to care about environmental protection and takes on some meaningful issues Small teams can sometimes allow for close collaboration—when egos and silos don’t interfere There’s flexibility and low accountability; many staff do the bare minimum and are still seen as competent
Cons
Toxic, racist work culture — BIPOC staff are routinely isolated, tokenized, and undermined by both leadership and peers The Board of Directors includes a few BIPOC members, but their presence is symbolic at best; they consistently uphold the same harmful, white-dominant power structures—often abandoning solidarity in favor of ego and proximity to power Performative DEIA efforts lack depth or accountability—when harm is named, the response is either silence or retaliation Staff culture is predominantly white and exclusionary — microaggressions are common, and equity concerns are dismissed or minimized Leadership operates in silos, driven by ego, not mission — collaboration is discouraged, and control is prioritized over impact Arbitrary layoffs and disorganization — no transparent processes, mishandled payroll/W2s, and a total absence of HR support Siloed, cliquish teams — true cross-functional work is rare and often discouraged
