About us
Our history
From one well-attended symposium to a region-wide initiative.
History of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative
Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI) originated from the outcome of a 2014 symposium entitled Toward a More Diverse Adirondacks, held at the Adirondack Interpretive Center at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Newcomb, NY. This well-attended symposium included attendance and participation from a broad swath of residents, activists, educators, and community leaders, who collectively gave the organizers two guiding imperatives:
- The Adirondack region should be welcoming to and inclusive of everyone.
- The Adirondack region should be relevant to and supported by an increasingly diverse New York State and American population.
Upon functioning as an entity in 2015, ADI immediately began its work toward making the Adirondacks a more welcoming and inclusive place. Since then, ADI has designed and directed many outreach programs, including, but not limited to:
- Establishing formal alliances with nearly two dozen leading organizations in the Adirondack region.
- Building a strong advisory network from outside the Park, including recognized experts on diversity.
- Consulting on marketing and outreach to minorities and the LGBTQ community.
- Holding multiple diversity workshops and education sessions.
- Creating a bi-directional youth exchange program.
- Establishing an annual symposium.
Knowing the regional needs
ADI conducted longitudinal demographic and economic research — population decline, regional employment dynamics, school enrollment decline, and national demographic shifts — for a holistic picture of the Park and the country. ADI is a network of people intimately involved in ADK community life: living here, buying groceries here, sending children to school here.
Were it not for tourism-generated state and local taxes, the average ADK household would have to pay an additional $1,509 to maintain the same level of government revenue. A diverse and inclusive Adirondacks protects that shared base.
State funding
The State of New York awarded a $250,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Fund, managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation, to support the Initiative in 2019. The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) was nominated by the ADI Core Team and selected by the State to oversee the grant and the program.
ADI is now based at ANCA’s office in Saranac Lake. To learn more about ANCA, visit www.adirondack.org.