A conversation with Board Chair Vanessa Roanhorse

[Vanessa Roanhorse]: I am Diné (Navajo) citizen from the Navajo Nation. I grew up on the Nation, and today I live on unceded Tiwa lands in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 2007 I found myself living in Chicago working for a large national real estate company, managing a large building downtown. The culture was very corporate and needlessly wasteful. Coming from the reservation and growing up not being able to own our lands, working in real estate seemed antithetical to my own values and sense of self. How I ended up in real estate was beyond me, and by 2007, I was ready for something else. A friend, Elise Zelechowski, mentioned that they were hiring at Delta for an administrative assistant. I had never worked for a non-profit, and was very intrigued by the mission which felt aligned with my own values as a Diné human being. So, I quit my job and began my very short stint as the administrative assistant, and so began the journey at the Delta Institute.

[VR]: Right. When I joined Delta, the organization had received some big federal grants for a weatherization and energy auditing program to help families reduce their energy costs. And the Program Manager at the time, who secured the funding and was running the project, needed help. So while I started as an administrative assistant helping the office manager, I also was pulled into the weatherization program pretty quickly, and I think within a few months, I had moved completely out of the administrative role, and became a Project Associate. So that’s how it all started. It wasn’t intentional. I was just following the path of least resistance in order to do something that I could feel good about doing.

[VR]: The funds were used for major updates, such as replacing entire HVAC and hot water systems, along with minor construction upgrades to make homes more energy efficient. These funds were bundled with LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), which provided smaller upgrades that homeowners could do themselves. To run the program, we worked with experienced contractors and energy auditors, many of whom were not from the primarily Black and Brown communities on the south and west sides of the city.

I’m proud that our team focused on increasing the number of minority- and women-owned businesses. We prioritized hiring more of these businesses and provided resources to train emerging entrepreneurs of color in partnership with various organizations. We recognized that access to credit, affordable insurance, bonding, and storage was crucial for these businesses to have enough financial runway to stay afloat, especially given the long and cumbersome process of receiving government payments.

[VR]: The program became part of a city-wide green housing coalition, collaborating with various organizations to provide services like weatherization upgrades and toxin testing for radon and lead. Many Chicago homes, being old, had issues like lead and asbestos that required remediation. We didn’t want to leave households with just bad news, so we initiated discussions about a holistic approach, particularly with the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), and Faith In Place. We sought to further support these households by helping them access resources such as senior services and children’s programs.

Our goal was to ensure the program was not just transactional. We understood the sensitivity of entering people’s homes, so we approached the work with care, respect, and a mindset of solidarity rather than charity. Going into these homes and speaking with the residents reminded me of the importance of community, the power of a kitchen table, a cup of coffee, and good conversation.

[VR]: When I started, Delta Institute’s team consisted of highly talented technical experts, many with experience in state and local government. The organization, like many environmental groups, was primarily white-led and focused on academic, solution-oriented work. While Delta had strong technical expertise, it lacked diversity. During my time there, I participated in the early development of the Environmentalists of Color Network, which aimed to create more diverse spaces and conversations within the sector. This group has since grown, continuing the vital work of connecting environmental efforts with social and racial justice.

As an Indigenous woman without the same technical skills as many Delta staff, I was still able to do meaningful work. I collaborated with community organizers and leaders to explore partnership opportunities and address the challenges of funding and supporting their solutions. Building relationships based on respect and trust was crucial, so I prioritized transparency and involved community members in pre-planning to ensure we were co-creating everything together.

 

After I left, I noticed that Delta had become more diverse and that leadership was increasingly focused on thinking holistically about our services and impact—not at the expense of those facing challenges, but to enhance the efforts they were already making. The conversation about decentering Delta as the sole solution started around that time. Leaders like Bill Schleizer embraced these ideas and integrated them into Delta’s culture and values. 

[VR]: When I joined the Board in 2020, I had been away from Delta for five years, and the conversations around the new Strategic Plan were already underway. I want to acknowledge the hard work of the past Board and Delta’s leadership. The discussions around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) that guided the strategic planning began before George Floyd’s murder in 2020 and during the pandemic, which highlighted many of the country’s infrastructure challenges. Returning to Delta, I was excited to see the progress made by the leadership, board, and staff, and their commitment to tackling these difficult conversations. These discussions require acknowledging privilege and being vulnerable, authentic, and uncomfortable, which isn’t possible without a safe environment.

 

I felt I joined at the right time, as I could share my expertise and emphasize that communities now demand to author their own stories rather than let others tell them. We need not just allies, but co-conspirators—partners and investors willing to support the systemic shifts needed for real change. The period when we ratified the DEI [Statement of Commitment], the Land Acknowledgement, and the Black Labor Acknowledgement, was revolutionary. Delta showed that these steps are not only possible but essential if we want to live up to our statements. When other nonprofits said, “That’s difficult. There’s no clear way to do it. We don’t want to alienate anyone,” I pointed to Delta as an example: they’ve done it, they’re still here, and they’re financially successful.

The process Delta undertook was so strong that I’ve referenced it with other organizations that hadn’t traditionally made such statements. Delta became a model for me, and I’ve invited Bill and the team multiple times to share their approach with other organizations and foundations looking to do the same.

 

[VR]: Delta’s approach is powerful because it centers culture, location, and the expertise of those on the ground. This is evident in their work with Nature-Based Climate Solutions on the South Side of Chicago, where they collaborate with communities to address issues like implementing Green Infrastructure, utilizing vacant lots, and even advocating for land reclamation. Land control is crucial, and Delta’s approach to empowering community agency will be highly beneficial. They have the technical expertise to partner with communities and create plans that address self-determined needs, focusing on stronger waterways, people, and places.

Delta’s advocacy work, as seen with the Environmental Finance Center and other programs, demonstrates the limitless potential when we understand our role in the ecosystem, acknowledge privilege and power, and lead with our hearts. There’s never been a question about Delta’s technical expertise—they have the brains. But the true alchemy comes from connecting the heart and the brain, something Delta excels at. Alchemy is art, science, and magic, and for Delta, the magic lies in their love for the planet, all living beings, and our natural resources.

[VR]: The teachings from my Diné culture remind us that we are just one part of a long thread. We can look to our ancestors, acknowledge our present, and carry their wisdom into the future. We’re not responsible for fixing everything, but we are responsible for bringing that ancestral wisdom forward and showing up every day.

I often tell my team that we won’t see the generational changes we’re working towards within our lifetime. Once we accept that, we’re liberated to do our very best in the time we have. This is a multigenerational process, and we are part of that change. If we’re at a pivotal moment in time, we must each do our part to move the needle in the right direction.

When I talk to young people, I emphasize the importance of pacing yourself, having fun, and enjoying the world around you. Work is not life. But if you wake up every morning with the intention to do what you believe is right, even if you don’t achieve it every day, you get another chance the next morning.

Last, I want to share something we reference a lot here at Roanhorse Consulting. It’s from Leanne Simpson. She’s a renowned Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg scholar, writer and artist, and she outlined the Seven Principles of the Indigenous worldview.