About the Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit

Established in 2018 to cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders, the Women’s Environmental Leadership (WEL) program connects a multigenerational network of women. Their environmental efforts at local, national, and international levels are guided by a justice and humanities-based framework.

Recognizing that a social justice perspective enables a more nuanced and inclusive exploration of environmentalism and civic engagement, WEL's programming creates spaces for women to convene and envision new approaches to leadership and community impact.

Three women at a panel table smiling, one wearing a mask. 'Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit' banner in background.
Logos of The Center for Environmental Justice and the Anacostia Community Museum. The top logo shows a stylized profile of a woman's face within a rectangular frame with the text 'The Center for Environmental Justice' to the right. The bottom logo is for the Anacostia Community Museum, featuring a bold geometric cross-like symbol with the text 'Anacostia Community Museum' below it, followed by the Smithsonian Institution's sunburst logo and the word 'Smithsonian.

A Flagship Program of the Smithsonian’s Center for Environmental Justice at the Anacostia Community Museum

The fourth WEL Summit will once again unite its network of current and aspiring leaders to delve into diverse environmental practices, pathways to leadership, and effective community-centered advocacy and activism.

Over two days, attendees will participate in panel discussions, workshops and virtual coffee chats. These activities will be enriched by insights into how various Smithsonian units and community-led environmental organizations approach environmental issues, serve as community resources, and collaborate with communities to develop holistic conservation strategies.

Continue to learn and connect by visiting the Center for Environmental Justice on the Anacostia Community Museum website.

Previous Events

Watch a clip from our 2021 Women’s History Month series, Women of the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, to learn more about what to expect at the WEL Summit.

Watch on Youtube