Washington DC, April 3, 2023– Greenpeace USA announced Ebony Twilley Martin as sole executive director in a historic first. She is the first Black woman Executive Director for a national legacy environmental organization.
Ebony’s journey in environmental activism started after her then young son developed asthma. Her son’s pediatrician identified environmental pollution as a key culprit in his condition, and through research she found that the problem disproportionately affected Black children. Now, Twilley Martin devotes her efforts at Greenpeace to building a safer, more green world for future generations.
Greenpeace USA Executive Director Ebony Twilley Martin said: “I am absolutely honored to be leading this amazing organization in such a pivotal moment in the climate movement. It’s clear that racism goes hand in hand with exposure to both the fossil fuel pollution and climate-fueled disasters that Greenpeace USA campaigns want to stop. Throughout my journey, I have seen the devastating effects of environmental racism accelerate with the climate crisis. Black, Brown, Indigenous, and working class communities suffer first and worst. Simply put, it is clear that we cannot tackle the climate crisis without also tackling racial injustice.
Twilley Martin continued: “To win the fight for our planet – our ONLY planet – the climate movement must be powered by racial justice, and I am determined to expand our focus to include all aspects of environmental justice, including protecting people’s voting rights and ensuring that everybody is able to participate in our democracy. And as a longtime justice strategist, I know that Greenpeace is in the right position to dismantle systems of oppression and engage more Black and Brown communities in this work — so that we can truly build a greener, more peaceful, more just world for all.”
Liz Gilchrist, Chair of the Greenpeace Fund Board, said: “Ebony is the right leader at this moment in history, not just for Greenpeace, but for the environmental movement globally. During her tenure at Greenpeace USA, I have been privileged to observe first-hand the tremendous impact that her strong and effective leadership has had on the organization. Now, as the first Black woman to serve as the sole Executive Director, I look forward to watching her inspire and lead into action a diversity of partners in communities across the country in our journey toward justice for people and for the planet.”
After joining the organization in 2013 as its Senior Talent Acquisition Manager and Director of Human Resources, Ebony would soon become Greenpeace USA’s first Black woman Chief Officer of People and Culture before being named Chief Operating Officer in 2018. In 2021 she was named co-Executive Director and led all of Greenpeace’s US operations, bringing her powerful skills as a justice activist and strategist.
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Contact: Rocio Estrada, Senior Communications Specialist, Executive Support [email protected], 301-592-7700
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
