Dwight Washington

Dwight Washington understands that communities hold the power to not only guide best practice on climate change that leads to effective policy but also develops relationships between personal passions and science. Board leadership should encourage industry to meet the highest environmental standards on future infrastructure. Through a revised transportation and planning agenda, he believes communities can facilitate equitable access to social and environmental determinants of health. While pursuing his Ph.D. in Natural Resources, Dwight learned to enjoy four seasons of bicycling as a viable form of transportation in the Tri-County Capital region. With more than a decade relying on his own pedal-power, he remains committed to moving and shaping a viable transition to a more sustainable future.

Dwight is an active and dedicated advocate for environmental and social justice issues. Stemming from his love for Michigan’s Great Lakes sunsets and the refreshing chill of jumping into the world’s largest body of freshwater, he founded Great Lakes Action, an organization that furthers water policy advocacy on issues affecting the Great Lakes. The Flint water crisis and existential threats such as climate change and oil spills highlight the importance of well-thought-out leadership and empower him to take action.

As a skilled trainer for the Meta Peace Team, Dwight empowers fellow citizens to carry on the principles of non-violence and conflict resolution. As a locally-elected county commissioner, he serves with advisory and operational oversight to local, state, and national agencies related to parks and public health. When Dwight visited all 114 state parks during the 2019 Michigan State Parks centennial anniversary, he found new meaning in “Si Quaeris Peninsulam Pulcham, Circumspice.” (If you seek a beautiful peninsula, look about you.) Dwight imagines that our present stewardship preserves our “beautiful peninsula" for future generations.