Sean Binninger — Diversity and inclusion advocate
Growing up in the bustling city of Miami Beach, Florida, Sean Binninger had limited access to natural spaces. Since January of 2017, he has been a visitor services specialist at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. As part of the Spanish-language program, his work focuses on connecting urban communities in Philadelphia with nature in new ways.
“Nature doesn’t have to be scary; it can be something exciting and different,” Binninger said. “Being in the city and supporting that connection with nature is really important; I wish I had more of that support growing up.”
The Spanish-language program uses social media, broadcasting, and events to reach Hispanic populations in the city. It also works directly with Philadelphia elementary school students and the Philly Nature Kids program. Binninger assists by giving lessons in Spanish about the importance of nature and conservation.
Several of the students he works with have moved to the U.S. from Latin America just months earlier. He walks through the lessons with kids who would otherwise be unable to follow. The goal is to make this type of educational resource accessible to diverse groups of students.
“I help them out with responding to the educator’s questions and then working through whatever assignment they have for the day,” Binninger said. “I’m really happy I’m able to help because, if I wasn’t there to do that translation, those students would be lost.”
With students in Philadelphia attending classes virtually due to the pandemic, Binninger and his team haven’t been able to be in the classroom. But he hasn’t let this deter him from pursuing the program’s mission. Through social media tools like Facebook Live, Binninger reaches people in the comfort of their own homes. The refuge team can even cast a wider net with their outreach.
The refuge’s target area has historically been southwest Philadelphia, but there is a limited Hispanic population there. By broadcasting on Facebook Live, Binninger and his team are able to expand their audience. This, paired with established connections with community leaders, set up the virtual program for success.
“Reaching audiences beyond our geographical target and reaching out to connections made prior to the pandemic so they can share it with their networks is a great step forward for us,” Binninger said.
In the coming months, Binninger will begin a new role with the Service as a diversity specialist at the Office of Diversity and Inclusive Workforce Management in the Pacific regional office in Portland, Oregon. And while this new position is across the country, the issue of a diverse and more inclusive workforce hits close to home for Binninger.
After moving to Philadelphia, Binninger joined the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus to make connections in his new city. The organization has a committee dedicated to ensuring diversity and inclusion within the chorus, and Binninger jumped at the chance to get involved. This experience made him realize how important it is to incorporate equity and inclusion into all social settings.
“It was an opportunity to think more about diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Binninger said, “I think we’re all realizing that there’s a lot of work to be done.”
In this upcoming role, he is especially eager to lead diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, as well as highlight special monthly events like Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month.
The pandemic has not only pushed Binninger to think outside the box in terms of work but also motivated him to use this time to connect with natural spaces he otherwise might not have explored.
“Prior to COVID-19, I had a lot of social activities going on in the city,” Binninger said. “Since I was working at the refuge, I didn’t feel this need to go out to another natural space or green space on my weekends or off-time. Now, working from home, you just feel cooped up. I was happy to get away on the weekends and explore a new park or refuge.”
He paid visits to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware and Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey.
Binninger leaves Philadelphia better than he found it through incorporating his passion for diversity and inclusion into the Philly Nature Kids program. He is bound to leave a lasting mark on Portland, Oregon, too.
