About
EcoWomen helps you lead your best life and be part of a community that cares about the environment. We help you learn and grow professionally and personally, while giving you the skills, resources, and connections to advance your career and help you make a difference.
What is our mission?
To inspire and empower women/trans/femme-identifying and nonbinary individuals to become leaders for the environmental community through educational and professional development opportunities.
What are our values?
EcoWomen is committed to creating a just and equal world by empowering women/trans/femme-identifying to be leaders in their professions and stewards of the environment.
We value meaningful connections within a diverse and inclusive community to cultivate a more respectful and nurturing society. We believe in exhibiting excellence in all that we do.
History of EcoWomen
Washington, D.C. hosts a wide array of environmental non-profits, businesses, federal agencies, and more. In 2003, a group of D.C.-area women recognized a need in their community. Having attended many conferences, the women found that the most fulfilling time was between work sessions— the time spent building both personal and professional relationships. Often, these deeper, meaningful relationships lead to successful professional relationships.
To forge those connections in the D.C. community, the concept for EcoWomen’s “EcoHour” was created and the first gathering was held in April 2004. The featured speaker, Alisa Gravitz, the Executive Director of Co-op America, was met by a sizable and enthusiastic crowd. The audience grew at the monthly gatherings as well as the online EcoWomen community. EcoWomen sought a venue to accommodate larger gatherings, provide options for purchasing food and refreshments, and maintain an intimate atmosphere. EcoWomen eventually found a welcoming home at Teaism in the heart of Washington, DC, which for years, has regularly offered a meeting space.
Since its early days, EcoWomen has expanded to a national scale. EcoWomen was officially incorporated in 2010, and the founding chapter in DC has been joined by chapters in Colorado and New York City. EcoWomen has continued to expanding its environmental, social, and professional scope through activities ranging from mentor dinners, book clubs, skill-building workshops, volunteer actions, and outdoor adventures.
About our logo
The apple is a symbol of ecology, and contrasts with the usual environmental symbols of globes, recycling symbols and trees. The image of the apple embodies a wide range of environmental concepts, including growth and agriculture. Along with the atypical choice of imagery, the apple is colored not red, but green, as we aim to frame our thoughts and actions using an environmental lens.
The tone of the logo is bold, professional and with a good sense of humor, to match our personalities and our approach to making positive environmental change happen.
The logo was designed by Fran Ornstein, an art director with over 25 years of experience. Ms. Ornstein is currently an independent designer and communications specialist. Her many projects include What’s’sname, playful hand-drawn baby names, and custom calligraphy. She currently lives in Nova Scotia with her husband, where together they built their house out of piles of recycled materials. They have two wonderful children. EcoWomen warmly thanks Ms. Ornstein for designing our beautiful logo.
