The racist graffiti recently discovered in Saranac Lake is just the latest and incredibly sad reminder that no geography and no landscape is spared the brutal ugliness of racism. And although we do not tolerate these types of vile public expressions anywhere, the fact that this incident occurred in the hometown of Nicole Hylton-Patterson, leader of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, is especially painful and dispiriting. The incident itself highlights the critical importance of her efforts to make the Adirondacks more inclusive and underscores the need for the environmental and conservation communities to ensure that all people are safe and welcome in nature.
- Kim Elliman, OSI president and CEO