Black and Brown Women+ are Leading Climate Justice: Girl Plus Environment’s Diamond Spratling
May 14, 2025 | By Alexis Woody
Who are Systemic Disruptors?
Systemic disruptors are leaders who challenge and transform unjust systems through creative, community-centered approaches. They combine cultural power with innovative strategies to address root causes, uplift marginalized voices, and create lasting social change. These changemakers don't just work within existing structures—they reimagine and rebuild them to benefit marginalized and historically underrepresented communities.
Introduction
Diamond Spratling is an award-winning Climate DisruptHER, children’s book author, and global public speaker. With over a decade in the environmental justice movement, she is redefining what it means—and looks like—to be a climate activist.
In this interview, Diamond shares why she created an organization to shift the narrative around climate and environmental issues to clarify that these are critical concerns for communities of color and that our voices and experiences are essential in this sector.
Systemic Disruptor Feature
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Systemic Disruptor Feature •
Meet Diamond Spratling, Founder & Executive Director at Girl Plus Environment
Diamond is the proud founder and executive director of Girl Plus Environment, the national nonprofit that has raised over $700,000 to ensure Black and Brown women+ are leading climate and environmental policies, decisions, and innovative solutions.
A Detroit native and two-time TEDx speaker, Diamond is a globally recognized voice in climate justice, delivering talks for Hasbro, Columbia, United Nations, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Microsoft, the World Resources Institute, MIT, and more.
Her work has been featured in Essence Magazine, Inc. Magazine, The Bitter Southerner, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other leading publications—cementing her influence as a leader shaping the future of climate justice.
About Girl Plus Environment
Founded in 2019, Girl Plus Environment (GPE) is a national community and 501(c)(3) nonprofit. GPE’s mission is to educate, engage, and empower young Black and Brown Women+ (and yes, the "+" is for PLUS) to advocate for climate and environmental justice within their own communities.
Our Conversation
Can you introduce your role in the organization?
I am the proud founder and executive director of Girl Plus Environment, the national nonprofit that has raised over $700,000 to ensure Black and Brown women+ are leading climate and environmental policies, decisions, and innovative solutions.
Beyond being a founder, I have led major projects with agencies like Bloomberg, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the City of Atlanta. I am also the author of Sage Sails the World, a children's book series following 7-year-old Sage and her dog Benji as they explore Earth’s wonders, uncover climate challenges, and inspire young readers to become environmental stewards.
What is your organization's mission in three words?
Shifting Power to Community.
Why did you become dedicated to working towards this mission?
Girl Plus Environment was founded in 2019, stemming from my experiences and observations within the environmental and climate sector. After over a decade in the field, I realized that the space needed to be more inclusive. During my studies in environmental policy, I was often the only Black student in my program, which highlighted a significant lack of diversity. Additionally, the solutions we discussed frequently needed to address the real issues faced by my community back home in Detroit.
Talking with my friends and family, I noticed a disconnect: they were often unaware of how climate and environmental issues directly impacted their health and well-being. This realization was frustrating and eye-opening, pushing me to create an organization to bridge this gap. I wanted to shift the narrative around climate and environmental issues to clarify that these are critical concerns for communities of color and that our voices and experiences are essential in this sector.
Girl Plus Environment focuses specifically on Black and Brown girls, women, and non-binary individuals because we have historically been at the forefront of many pivotal movements, such as the civil rights and #MeToo movements. Our contributions have been indispensable, and the climate and environmental justice space is no different. For meaningful progress, it's crucial that women and non-binary individuals of color feel supported and empowered to lead. Our organization aims to ensure that marginalized communities are included in decision-making, conversations, and policies that affect their lives, fostering a more equitable and inclusive approach to environmental justice.
What is the biggest challenge facing your social issues areas and specifically your work?
One of the biggest challenges currently facing the climate and environmental justice space is the growing uncertainty and instability in federal climate funding. Recent freezes and terminated opportunities have created real setbacks for frontline organizations and the communities they serve.
For Girl Plus Environment specifically, our greatest challenge is the lack of access to multi-year general operating support—the kind of flexible funding that allows us to grow with the needs of our members and respond quickly in moments of crisis or opportunity.
As a newer, Black woman-led organization, we’re often competing for resources against larger, more well-established groups, despite the fact that our work directly engages those most impacted by climate injustice. Without sustained, unrestricted support, our ability to scale, retain staff, and meet rising community demand is put at risk.
Do you have a current campaign or project you are working on you can tell us about?
Girl Plus Environment is transforming hair salons (historically trusted, culturally rich spaces) into hubs for environmental justice leadership through The Mane Issue (TMI), Phase II. This national initiative trains Black and Brown hairdressers and salon workers to become certified community advocates who educate their clients and peers about the environmental and health impacts of toxic beauty products and poor indoor air quality. To our knowledge, TMI is the only initiative of its kind mobilizing salon professionals as environmental justice leaders at this scale.
In Phase I, GPE conducted in-depth research through surveys, interviews, and literature review to better understand how environmental toxins in beauty products and salon air disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities. We launched a culturally resonant digital campaign that reached over 52,000 people, generating national awareness and dialogue around clean beauty and environmental health. Phase II moves from awareness to action through a nationwide train-the-trainer program. Salon professionals will receive stipends, hands-on education, a GPE-issued certificate, and tools to engage clients in clean beauty and clean air advocacy. Sessions will be led by trained facilitators and grounded in cultural relevance and community trust.
Often, Black and Brown women face elevated exposure to toxic chemicals and unsafe air in salon environments, contributing to respiratory illness, hormone disruption, and chronic health conditions; yet, they are rarely provided with clear, accessible information or the power to advocate for safer conditions. Our innovative model reimagines how environmental justice is conceptualized by mobilizing salon professionals and equipping them with environmental education and advocacy tools to activate their impact as they are an overlooked, yet powerful sector of changemakers. These beauty spaces are more than just places for personal care; they are community pillars.
How can people support your work?
People can support Girl Plus Environment in several powerful ways. First, connect us with mission-aligned funders who are passionate about climate justice, racial equity, and community-led solutions.
You can also help us send some of our amazing mentees to NY Climate Week, where they can build networks, grow as leaders, and represent the next generation of environmental changemakers. We're also looking for sponsors for our Blk Girl Climate Dinner, a special gathering that centers joy, community, and collaboration among Black women in the climate space.
Lastly, amplify our work—share our story, spread our impact, and help ensure Black and Brown women are seen, supported, and celebrated in this movement.
Meet the Author
Alexis Woody | Director of Marketing & Business Development at Neta Collab
Alexis is a digital marketer with 8+ years of experience helping purpose-driven brands and businesses grow through creative storytelling and strategic marketing. With a people-first approach and background in journalism, she’s led campaigns, built teams, and driven results across industries like hospitality, the building trades, and nonprofits—connecting brands to audiences authentically and impactfully.
She is passionate about migration reform and children’s rights and believes in the power of people-centered storytelling.
