WASHINGTON, D.C.—Mark your calendars: Attend the first UPLIFT meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Mountain. All Forest Service employees are invited to join UPLIFT, or Unifying People, Lifting, and Inspiring Females Together.

As a brand-new Forest Service employee resource group for women and their allies, UPLIFT’s origins started when several employees got together with a desire to support and help Forest Service women. On Nov. 9, these founding members will be on hand to share more information about UPLIFT. 

If you are interested in joining a supportive community and working together to inspire, serve and empower women and champion women’s issues, UPLIFT would love to hear from you. As an organization, UPLIFT hopes to grow and learn and provide support and aid Forest Service women in their professional and personal lives. 

“We want to hear from women and their allies in all walks of Forest Service life to better understand the varying perspectives and common ground held across the Forest Service,” said UPLIFT co-chairperson Carolyn Warden. 

UPLIFT aims for a diverse and inclusive membership base. UPLFIT looks forward to members that represent all genders and having a membership base that represents an intersectional and intergenerational community. All Forest Services employees who support UPLIFT’s vision are welcome. 

As an employee organization, it is important that UPLIFT has a senior executive to help champion its efforts. “We are happy to have Southwestern Region Regional Forester Michiko Martin as our executive sponsor,” said UPLIFT co-chairperson Savannah Springer. 

For those wanting more information, UPLIFT’s charter members have written a constitution and by-laws. UPLIFT’s vision statement affirms women. “We promote growth through positive experiences, inclusivity through acceptance and spearheading change for the betterment of women as leaders in all areas and disciplines in the U.S. Forest Service.”

We look forward to seeing you virtually. At the Nov. 9 session, our participants will be invited to answer the open-ended question, “What would you like to see from UPLIFT?”

If you are interested in UPLIFT, please join us at the Nov. 9 session.

For more information, contact UPLIFT at sm.fs.uplift@usda.gov and watch the UPLIFT video below (introduction by Carolyn Warden).