Finney, Carolyn
Carolyn Finney
Dr. Carolyn Finney is an accomplished author, scholar, and cultural geographer widely recognized for her groundbreaking work in environmental justice and environmental humanities. She is a scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College’s Franklin Environmental Center. One of her most notable works is the book Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors. In addition to her public speaking and consultation engagements within the United States and internationally, Dr. Finney actively participates in various national boards and committees, including positions with Orion Magazine, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Center for Whole Communities. She also served on the U.S. National Parks Advisory Board for eight years, during which she played a vital role in building mutual relationships between the National Park Service and diverse communities.
“Change never happens when you’re comfortable.” - Dr. Carolyn Finney
Finney, Carolyn. 2024. Radical Presence-The Shadows Take Shape: African Americans (Re)making a Green World. In Not Just Green, Not Just White, M. Mendoza & T. Voyles eds. University of Nebraska Press (in press).
Finney, Carolyn. 2023. Memory Divine in A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Stories from Soil to Stars, edited by Erin Sharkey. Milkweed Press. 1-10.
Finney, Carolyn. 2022. Joy is a Revelation in Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors. Rue Mapp, ed. Chronicle Books.
Finney, Carolyn. November 4, 2021. Who Gets Left Out of the Great Outdoors Story? New York Times.
Finney, Carolyn. 2020. The perils of being black in public: we are all Christian Cooper and George Floyd. The Guardian, 3.
Finney, C. 2014. Black faces, white spaces: Reimagining the relationship of African Americans to the great outdoors. UNC Press Books.
Born in Manhattan in 1959, Dr. Carolyn Finney’s life is dedicated to advocating for a more inclusive and equitable relationship between humanity and the environment. Her early years unfolded on a sprawling estate owned by a wealthy Jewish family, where her parents served as caretakers. Growing up as the only family of color in this predominantly white neighborhood, she experienced navigating racial and class differences both in school and in the neighborhood.
Dr. Finney’s formative years corresponded with the tapering end of the turbulent Jim Crow era, where societal tensions ran high. During this time, she encountered the powerful “Crying Indian” public service announcement, prompting her to contemplate her responsibilities to society. She engaged in activities that connected her with nature and civic involvement, including participation in Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Cadets.
Breaking new ground in her family, she became the first to pursue a college education. Initially enrolling in a liberal arts program, she boldly abandoned her studies to pursue an acting career despite her father’s reservations. Theater became a platform to address social issues and find her voice, and she found a receptive and accepting audience. After dedicating 11 years to her acting career, she embarked on a five-year backpacking journey through Asia and Africa.
During this transformative journey, she began to view the world through a different lens, questioning societal norms and gender roles. She traversed Eastern Africa, explored the idea of collaborating with NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) in Mozambique, and spent nearly two years in Nepal, immersing herself in the local culture and reflecting on her future. Dr. Finney’s experiences reshaped her perspective and motivated her to resume her education and finish her undergraduate degree. To her, academia was a great way to build confidence, focus, and be intentional.
At 34, she returned to complete her undergraduate studies, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Gender and International Development from Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University. Returning to New York, she attended a one-woman show, “Twilight: Los Angeles,” performed by Anna Deavere Smith in 1992, which profoundly impacted her. This unique storytelling format, presented in an unbiased and connected manner, sparked her deep interest in social justice.
Seeking her true calling, she joined the Center for Homeless in Seattle, known as Street Outreach Services (SOS), for a year. There, she witnessed the empowering work of SOS and its impact on marginalized communities. Subsequently, she pursued a Master of Social Science degree in International Rural Community Development at Utah State University, where her research in Nepal’s women’s forest communities ignited her passion for socio-environmental discourse. It became evident that women were not receiving equitable attention from foreign aid initiatives.
Continuing her educational journey, she briefly considered anthropology but was captivated by the geographical concept that everything is geographical and about the relationship between people and place. This revelation led her to further academic pursuits at Clark University in Massachusetts, where she completed a Ph.D. in Cultural Geography in 2006.
Dr. Carolyn Finney is an accomplished author, scholar, and cultural geographer widely recognized for her groundbreaking work in environmental justice and environmental humanities. Dr. Finney’s background is rooted in diverse academic and arts-based disciplines, including geography, environmental science, American studies, and theater, allowing her to explore complex intersections between race, place, and the environment in new and different ways.
While pursuing a PhD, she received a Fulbright Fellowship to support her initial dissertation focus on the Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal. She studied the impacts of tourism on gender roles. This research endeavor spanned seven months but was interrupted due to political unrest. Upon her return to the United States in 2002, she shifted the focus of her study, drawing inspiration from the works of early environmental justice scholars.
Fortuitously, she secured $100,000 in funding for her new research proposal. Her revised dissertation explored the relationship between national parks and American identities, specifically Florida’s national parks. This research venture involved interviewing black communities in Florida and engaging with individuals nationwide, like Robert Stanton, the first African American to head up the National Park Service. Through these interactions, she probed what the environment truly meant for the people she encountered.
In 2007, Dr. Finney began her teaching career as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California, Berkeley’s Division of Society and Environment. In 2007, she also joined the Center for Whole Communities faculty, facilitating week-long summer retreats for young conservation professionals. In 2008, she joined the American Association for the Advancement of Science as a Committee on Public Understanding of Science and Technology member. She contributed to the committee for almost six years. In 2010, Dr. Finney joined the National Parks Advisory Board, serving two four-year terms where she was pivotal in fostering reciprocal relationships between the National Park Service and diverse communities.
Dr. Finney continued traveling globally and was a visiting professor at Meiji University in Japan beginning in 2012. She also joined the faculty of the Global Environments Summer Academy in Germany and Switzerland. In 2013, she joined the Parks Forward Commission as an Advisory Board Member.
In 2014, Dr. Finney published her first book, Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors, which features portions of her dissertation. In the book, Dr. Finney delves into African Americans’ historical and contemporary experiences in outdoor spaces, challenging the prevailing narrative of the “great outdoors” as a domain primarily inhabited by white individuals. She critically examines history, culture, and personal narratives and sheds light on how African Americans have shaped and been excluded from environmental spaces.
Dr. Finney’s groundbreaking research challenges conventional narratives, shedding light on the complex historical and contemporary experiences of African Americans and other marginalized communities concerning the environment. Her influential work has inspired a broader dialogue on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in environmental spaces.
In 2015, Dr. Finney left California to join the University of Kentucky as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography. Dr. Finniey was not interested in the traditional academic career trajectory of striving for full professorship and establishing a research lab. Instead, her goal was to establish a public platform where she could actively engage with diverse individuals from diverse sectors of society.
In 2019, she relocated to Vermont after accepting an offer extended by the Dean of Middlebury College to serve part-time as an artist and scholar-in-residence at the Franklin Environmental Center. Notably, climate change activist and founder of 350.org, Bill McKibben, also has a residency at the Center.
Dr. Finney’s impact extends well beyond academia. She is a passionate advocate whose expertise has made her a sought-after voice, addressing critical issues related to environmental justice, social equity, and the interplay of race and place. Her influence resonates in the United States and globally as she engages in public speaking and consulting. In 2020, The Guardian requested she write an article about the dangers of being black in public. The Guardian asked her to write about Christian Cooper, but Dr. Finney insisted on writing about both Christian Cooper and George Floyd because they exist on a spectrum of Black experiences.
In addition to her advocacy, Dr. Finney collaborates with cultural organizations such as museums and non-profit entities that prioritize public engagement as an integral part of their artistic mission. From 2013 to 2022, she was a board member for Orion Magazine.
Furthermore, she has taken part in unique creative projects. In 2021, Dr. Finney began a Mellon residency at the New York Botanical Garden. Through the residency, she embarked on a one-woman performance titled “The N Word: Nature, Revisited.” In this exceptional work-in-progress, she imagined a dialogue with John Muir to shed light on pressing environmental issues.
Dr. Finney partnered with Emmy-award-winning documentary filmmaker Irene Taylor from Vermilion Films. Their collaboration involved incorporating Dr. Finney’s family narrative into an upcoming HBO documentary, “Trees and Other Entanglements”, released in November 2023. The documentary explores the intricate and multifaceted relationship between humans and trees, highlighting Dr. Finney’s dedication to addressing vital environmental and social themes.
Dr. Finney’s creative endeavors continue. She is working on her next book and working with an award-winning Black filmmaker for an upcoming series about transformative work.
Dr. Finney has significantly contributed to the media landscape, lending her expertise to various platforms and outlets. Her multifaceted involvement includes roles on the Tavis Smiley Show, MSNBC, and Vice News Tonight. She has also penned impactful Op-Eds for respected publications like Outside Magazine and Newsweek, sharing her insights on critical issues. She has recently completed a three-year stint as a columnist for The Earth Island Journal.
Furthermore, Dr. Finney’s influence extends to her work as a guest editor and contributor for a special Race and National Parks section in Orion Magazine. She has engaged in insightful roundtable conversations with prominent organizations such as REI and The Atlantic. Her interviews with various media outlets, including NPR, the Sierra Club, the Boston Globe, and National Geographic, have added depth to critical discussions on environmental and social issues.
In addition to her media and academic contributions, Dr. Finney’s commitment to fostering understanding and change is evident through her involvement in a commercial for Toyota, which emphasized the importance of African Americans connecting with the natural world.
Dr. Finney reflects on the mentors who have shaped her journey and perspective. She initially considered herself without a mentor but gradually recognized that she had learned valuable life lessons from different individuals, including her parents, who instilled a strong ethical foundation and a deep connection to the land.
Dr. Finney considers Kaylynn Sullivan Two Trees, an indigenous and black artist and writer, a significant influence. Dr. Finney began attending Two Trees’ teachings in the late 1980s, which revolved around the Seven Directions Practice and the importance of having harmony with the land. Dr. Finney was inspired by Two Trees’ fearless approach to life and willingness to take risks. She admired Two Trees’ wisdom and her ability to hold a guiding light for others in the pursuit of meaningful work.
Audrey Peterman, a black environmental activist, and her husband, Frank Peterman, also played a pivotal role in Dr. Finney’s journey. Peterman became Dr. Finney’s community partner when she was conducting her doctoral dissertation on African Americans and the environment, and they formed a strong bond.
Dr. Finney also considers MaVynee Betsch, an opera singer who relinquished her wealth to support environmental causes, a remarkable individual she had the privilege to meet through Peterman. Betsch identifies as a free woman of color, living her own way and making a significant impact.
Dr. Carolyn Finney’s doctoral mentor, Dr. Diane Rocheleau, was a significant mentor on her academic journey. Dr. Rocheleau firmly believed in the synergy between activism and scholarly pursuits. What made her particularly remarkable was her thoughtful ways of thinking about what people do on the ground and her dedication to feminist political ecology. Dr. Rocheleau actively engaged in both activism and the publication of academic papers, consistently demonstrating the interplay between theory and practical action.
Dr. Finney appreciates these four women as individuals who defied societal norms and rules to pursue their passions and make a difference in their respective fields. They demonstrated the power of defining one’s path and not letting external expectations dictate their lives. Dr. Finney highly regards these mentors and her parents for their profound influence on her personal and professional development.
Dr. Finney also draws inspiration from other passionate and fearless individuals, such as feminist novelist Alice Walker and author and filmmaker Zora Neale Hurston. Their work has provided her with a powerful voice and perspective.
Dr. Finney emphasizes that age does not limit effective mentoring. Mentoring is a two-way street characterized by reciprocity. It involves both parties showing up and being accountable, recognizing the unique contributions each brings to the table. While at Middlebury, she has learned from numerous students with whom she has had the privilege to engage in profound discussions about topics like mortality and cultivating healthier relationships.
Furthermore, Dr. Finney actively mentors a young black woman who completed her doctorate in conservation biology. This mentoring experience has allowed her to continue her learning journey, instilling in her a sense of responsibility that she deeply cherishes. It allows her to purposefully support and guide someone else on their path, demonstrating the importance of intentional mentorship.
Dr. Finney emphasizes the power of forging new paths through the intersection of events, social dynamics, and cultural shifts. The paramount skill to cultivate is adaptability while remaining steadfast in your convictions. Challenge yourself to introspect and contemplate your long-held aspirations and the strategies to achieve them. The essence of making an impact lies in offering something compelling that beckons others to join your cause.
Do not shy away from taking calculated risks, recognizing that what constitutes a risk varies depending on individual circumstances. Meaningful change rarely occurs within the confines of comfort zones. Consider ways to nurture your well-being, as creativity flourishes when the mind is unburdened.
While academia is a bastion of intellectual pursuit, acknowledge the different ways of knowing. Just because a particular path has not been tread before does not diminish its worth. Have faith in your abilities and acknowledge that you might contribute to something larger than yourself, even if you may never witness its full fruition. Perseverance and belief in your intention are your guiding lights.
Carolyn Finney. May 18, 2023. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn_Finney_(author)
Carolyn Finney. n.d. Home [https://www.linkedin.com/in/etakaki/]. LinkedIn. Retrieved September 21, 2023 from https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-finney-0b61992/. Carolyn Finney. N.d. About. https://www.carolynfinney.com/
Survey and interviews conducted by Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative staff. 2022-2023. Yale University-School of the Environment. New Haven, Connecticut.
Marlon Co