Staff Report
A coalition of women of color leaders in the environmental movement is urging the Sierra Club to conduct a fair and independent review of its handling of the firing of Ben Jealous, the organization’s first Black executive director.
In a letter sent to the Sierra Club’s board on Sept. 12, eight longtime members and allies — including NAACP board member Katherine Egland and environmental justice advocate Charlotte Keys — criticized the board for overseeing an investigation into Jealous while also being implicated in allegations of racial bias he raised.
“For the past two years, Ben has raised serious concerns about racial bias and discrimination within the Sierra Club,” the leaders wrote. “Yet instead of these concerns being resolved in a transparent way, confidential counter-allegations against him are being shared anonymously with reporters.”
The signatories say that allowing the board to both choose investigators and decide on outcomes undermines trust and transparency. They called for an “independent process” and warned that leaks of confidential personnel matters weaken the environmental movement at a critical moment.
The Sierra Club board voted in August to terminate Jealous with cause, but provided little public explanation. Jealous, a former NAACP president, has denied wrongdoing and says he is pursuing legal remedies.
The letter adds to growing dissent within the Sierra Club’s grassroots membership, where some chapters are calling for outside review of the board’s conduct.