Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit

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  Conference Schedule

  Day One – Thursday October 2, 8:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.

  Keynote Videos are prerecorded.

  8–9 a.m. Student Union - Ballroom	Registration (Ballroom Lobby) Opening Keynote Video (begins at 8:35 a.m.) Remembering Our Inter-relatedness to Navigate Dangerous Times Nina Simons
  9-9:30 a.m. Ballroom	Emcee: Theroi Riggins, GLBD Chairperson Welcome Donald Taylor, PhD President, University of Detroit Mercy and Nina Simons and Kenny Ausubel Co-Founders National Bioneers Land acknowledgement Introducing Bioneers and Thanking our Sponsors Yvonne King, College of Health Professions, University of Detroit Mercy
  9:30 – 11:40
  	Tour 1	Tour of Wayne State University’s C. S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development Rahul Mitra
  	Tour 2	Visit a living, breathing, faith-filled Resilience Hub (“Laudato Si’ in Cody Rouge”) Steven Wasko
  	Tour 3	Sustainability Bus Tour – Highland Park Monica Booker
  	Tour 4	Walking Tour: Protecting Human Health through Stormwater Management (Gesu Catholic Church) Stephanie Osborn
  	A1. 9:35-10:35 Adult Learnshop: Restoring the Land Through Youth Empowerment Esha Biswas (TBD)
  	A2. 9:35-10:35 Youth/Adult Learnshop: Mouth Matters: Leveraging AI for Dental Literacy and Access Dr. Tamika Thompson and Dr. Melanie Mayberry (Ballroom)
  	A3. 10:40-11:10 Panel: Offsetting Gesu’s Carbon Footprint Anita Sevier and 5th & 6th grades Gesu students (Ballroom)
  	A4. 11:15-11:40 Keynote Video: California’s Leadership in Nature-Based Solutions: Building Climate Resilience Through Ecosystem Restoration Wade Crowfoot (Ballroom)
  11:45 a.m. –12:45 p.m. (Ballroom)	Lunch A5. Keynote Video: From Me to We, A Story of Interdependence Baratunde Thurston 12:15 p.m.: 20th Anniversary Tribute & Celebration
  12:50-1:50	B1. Youth Learnshop: Reducing Cafeteria Waste (12:50 – 1:20) Anita Sevier and 5th & 6th grades Gesu students (TBD)
  	B2. A. TapWatch: Examining the Global Hydrosphere Using AI Technology Victor Boyd, 11th Grader, Chandler Park Academy, Senior research scientist at Ecotek Lab-Detroit and a participant in the GEARUP Program at the University of Michigan Dearborn B. Geophysical Methods to Characterize the Subsurface on Irrigated Sites Using AI Autumn Herring 12th Grader, Renaissance High School, Senior research scientist at Ecotek Lab (TBD)
  	B3. Panel Discussion on Eco-Spirituality Professor Mike Whitty & Rev. Charles Oduke (Ballroom)
  	B4. Youth Learnshop: Youth Organizing 101 ReJoyce Douglas (TBD)
  	B5. Story-driven animation shorts to communicate the health impacts of environmental pollutants, like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Rahul Mitra (TBD)
  1:55 - 2:30 p.m.	B6. Youth and Adult Learnshop: When we eat wild food, we have wild thoughts Zarah Ackerman (Ballroom)
  2:30 - 3:00 p.m.	Visit Vendors

  
  

  Day Two – Friday October 3, 8:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.

  Keynote Videos are prerecorded.

  8 – 9 a.m. Student Union - Ballroom	Registration (Ballroom Lobby) Keynote Video (begins at 8:30 a.m.) Matrilineal World-Making: Embracing for Impact Katsi Cook Keynote Video (begins at 8:45 a.m.) Reclaiming Roots: The Global Fight for Indigenous Science Sherya Chaudhuri
  9 - 9:30 a.m.	Emcee: Theroi Riggins Welcome Nina Simons and Kenny Ausubel Co-Founders National Bioneers Land Acknowledgement Introducing Bioneers and Thanking our Sponsors Yvonne King, College of Health Professions, University of Detroit Mercy
  9:30 - 11:40 a.m.	Tour 5	Tour of Wayne State University’s C. S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development Rahul Mitra
  	Tour 6	Visit a living, breathing, faith-filled Resilience Hub (“Laudato Si’ in Cody Rouge”) Steven Wasko
  	Tour 7	Sustainability Bus Tour – Highland Park Monica Booker
  	Tour 8	Walking Tour: Protecting Human Health through Stormwater Management (Gesu Catholic Church) Stephanie Osborn
  	C1. 9:35 – 10:35 Adult Learnshop. Immigration: How Would Nature Deal With It? Gloria Rivera, IHM (Ballroom)
  	C2. 9:35-10:35 Adult Learnshop: Air Quality in Action: From Monitoring to DIY Solutions Salam Beydoun (TBD)
  	C3. 10:35-11:05 Adult Learnshop: Dumping on the Global South: Challenging the Ethics of Waste Exportation John Ouko (TBD)
  	C4. 10:35-11:40 Panel: The Flavor of Resilience: Food, Justice, and Interdependence Shanel Dennard (Ballroom)
  11:45 a.m. –12:40 p.m.	Lunch (Ballroom) C5. Keynote Video: Rising Together: Women’s Leadership for a Resilient Future Women’s Earth Alliance
  12:45-1:45	D1. Adult Learnshop: Practical Actions for Environmental Concerns Olga Johnson (TBD)
  	D2. Adult Learnshop: It’s Elementary My Dear Ones! A Poetic Feast for the Strait James Perkinson (TBD)
  	D3. Youth Learnshop: Making and Baking a Greater Detroit our Children Deserve Reuben Gordon (TBD)
  	D4. Youth Learnshop: Deputize Yourself to Commit to Community – We the Youth of Detroit (Past Present and Future) Norrel Hemphill (TBD)
  	D5. Adult Learnshop: The Power of Praying as part of Solutions for our Earth’s Ecosystem Chantal ( Yarënda) Gros-Louis (Nde Yahchrondiak) (Ballroom)
  1:50 – 2:25 p.m.	D6. Adult Learnshop: Environment Stewardship or Earth Snowball Rev. Rich Peacock (Ballroom)
  2:30-3:00 p.m.	Closing Ceremony TBD (Ballroom)

  
  

   

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  Session Descriptions

  Day 1

  Opening			Keynote Video. Remembering Our Inter-relatedness to Navigate Dangerous Times Nina Simons Bioneers co-founder Nina Simons shares her rage and sadness at the current national and international situation and expresses her admiration for all those resisting in whatever ways they can. She also stresses the importance of taking care of our inner health and drawing from a range of wisdom traditions in order to maintain our psycho-spiritual equilibrium. We will need to nurture our souls and our affective relationships, Nina argues, lest we burn out during what is sure to be a protracted struggle to protect the natural world and birth a genuinely compassionate, life-affirming civilization. This talk was delivered at the 2025 Bioneers Conference. Emcee: Theroi Riggins Theroi Riggins serves as chairperson of GLBD. She is an alumna of University of Detroit Mercy, where she has been an adjunct faculty member and a doctoral candidate in the AG-CNS DNP program. She is the CEO of Grab Community Outreach Inc., a Detroit nonprofit that provides health promotion and preventative services to underserved communities.
  A1			Adult Learnshop: Restoring the Land Through Youth Empowerment Esha Biswas This session explores how youth can be empowered as environmental stewards through leadership development. Drawing from work at the Freeman Environmental Education Center, the presenter will share how K–12 students helped plan an educational prairie and co-create an outdoor art installation using an interdisciplinary curriculum. The session also highlights the Teen Leadership Program at Growing Hope, where high schoolers are trained in environmental advocacy and food justice. The presenter will also introduce their children’s book on prairie restoration, offering a creative tool to inspire ecological awareness in younger audiences. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for engaging youth in meaningful, community-rooted environmental action. Esha Biswas ​is an environmental educator, ecologist, and artist based in southeast Michigan. She is the Youth Programs Manager at Growing Hope, a non-profit ​Urban Farm in Ypsilanti, MI, where she facilitates garden-based​ education with K12 students, including a Teen Leadership Program that empowers high schoolers to become leaders in food justice. ​She has collaborated with the Freeman Environmental Education Center in Ann Arbor, MI on creating an educational prairie, designing curriculum, and creating an environmental art installation with youth. She wrote and illustrated a children's book titled "We Planted a Prairie," which follows a community of humans and animals who work together to restore a prairie.
  A2			Youth/Adult Learnshop. Mouth Matters: Leveraging AI for Dental Literacy and Access Dr. Tamika Thompson and Dr. Melanie Mayberry Oral care access is critical; it involves embracing our interdependence. Bridging the gap requires uniting community and technology. In this session participants will learn characteristics of healthy versus diseased oral cavities, and label selected images appropriately. Promotion of education and awareness will be reinforced via accessible AI-powered mobile apps. Participants will be shown how to enter their information and gain access to instant oral health assessments, detailed descriptions, and recommended dentist referrals when indicated. Exposure to real life application of this AI tool using a targeted population will foster a relationship between the obstetrician, patient, dentist, and oral health. Dr. Tamika Thompson is a board certified, full-time clinical associate professor and periodontist at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. She works part-time at the John D. Dingell VAMC proudly serving veterans. Dr. Melanie Mayberry is a full-time clinical professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. She works part-time in private practice proudly serving her community.
  A3			Panel: Offsetting Gesu’s Carbon Footprint Anita Sevier and Gesu 5th & 6th grade students This is a student led presentation which explains how Gesu students have calculated their carbon footprint and are inspired to work to offset this production. The more solar panels Gesu funds, the more sustainable it will become. In 2018, Gesu students lobbied Ford Motor Company to fund solar panels for the roof of the school to help reduce pollution and asthma which plagued 40% of the science club members. Current Gesu Science Club members are working on a project to determine Gesu’s carbon footprint and present the findings to grantees in hopes of getting funding for more solar panels. Gesu 5th and 6th graders will explain how they have calculated the carbon footprint and what they are trying to accomplish with this project.
  A4			Keynote Video: California’s Leadership in Nature-Based Solutions: Building Climate Resilience Through Ecosystem Restoration Wade Crowfoot California is harnessing the power of nature to tackle climate change and build resilience against wildfires, droughts, floods, and extreme heat. By restoring ecosystems and integrating natural infrastructure into climate policy, we are enhancing biodiversity, improving public health, and supporting sustainable communities. Wade Crowfoot, on the frontlines of environmental leadership throughout his long career in the public and non-profit sectors, California’s Natural Resources Secretary since 2019, leads efforts to conserve California’s environment and natural resources, overseeing an agency of 25,000+ employees spread across 26 departments, commissions, and conservancies charged with stewarding the state’s forests, natural lands, rivers, water supplies, coasts, wildlife and biodiversity, as well as helping oversee its world-leading clean energy transition, including a commitment to conserve 30% of its land and coastal waters by 2030. Secretary Crowfoot has led efforts to navigate California’s record-breaking droughts, floods, and wildfires and has initiated a new era of partnerships with the state’s Native American tribes.
  A5			Keynote Video. From Me to We: A Story of Interdependence Baratunde Thurston While we work fervently in response to the many crises we face, we also need to pay attention to the story, because what we tell ourselves about ourselves shapes how we show up in these times. Baratunde Thurston shares the stories he has been unearthing about our relationships with the natural world, our fellow humans, and even with machines, that provide strong hints of where we need to go and how to get there. Baratunde Thurston, a writer, communicator, and creator and host of the How To Citizen podcast, is also a founding partner and writer at Puck. His newest creation is Life With Machines, a YouTube podcast focusing on the human side of the A.I. revolution. Author of the bestselling comedic memoir, How To Be Black, Baratunde also serves on the boards of Civics Unplugged and the Brooklyn Public Library and lives in Southern California.
  TOURS (Thursday AND Friday)	1 Tour OF Wayne State University’s C. S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development Rahul Mitra The tour of CLEAR research labs will focus on health impacts of VOC exposure in different mammal models. The tour will take place at the C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development in Midtown, Detroit. Attendees will learn about lab spaces, equipment, and methods that research the relationship between various health conditions and environmental pollutants, including VOCs and PFAS. Afterwards, CLEAR graduate student trainees will discuss and answer questions with students in a social poster. The tour focuses on the interdependence between environment and human health, encourages STEM/science careers for young Detroiters, and discusses how Detroiters can be proper stewards of our environment for optimal health. Wayne State University’s Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR) is a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences center. CLEAR is dedicated to understanding and mitigating adverse birth outcomes and developmental health problems that have been associated with exposure to volatile organic compounds, a class of pollutants frequently present underground, including in post-industrial cities like Detroit. Dr. Mitra is the research translation coordinator at CLEAR, and he will be assisted by other researchers and student trainees at CLEAR.
  	2 Visit a living, breathing, faith-filled Resilience Hub (“Laudato Si’ in Cody Rouge”) Steven Wasko Our Catholic Community Resource Center is integrally interdependent with the Earth and its inhabitants in its mission and all of its actions. The Center espouses power sharing in economics, programming, and decision-making. It also demonstrates the true sense of resilience in its recent national designation as a hub that not only makes substantial capital improvements at energy efficiency and remaining vibrant during times of disaster, floods, and power outages, but aims to empower the entire community's resilience by way of directly involving young and adult residents in education, workforce development, and economic responses to environmental stewardship. Steve Wasko is the founding director of the St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center. He holds 38 years of experience in public education administration, having served as an assistant superintendent of one private and two public school systems, with his most lengthy tenure at Detroit Public Schools where among other responsibilities he convened teams to develop innovative new program designs and enrollment stabilization efforts. He is a longtime neighborhood and community leader and holds a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Michigan and the Certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
  	3 Sustainability Bus Tour – Highland Park Monica Booker Attendees will explore Highland Park - a city that has been consistently labeled as "damaged" or "run-down", when in reality the interconnectedness of neighbors and community leaders have created a web of sustainability that is a beacon and example for those across the globe. Collaborators across Highland Park have built sustainability from the grassroots up, and because of their resilience, their passion, and their ability to continue to be undeterred by any blockades, a city has emerged at the forefront of sustainability - whether you expect it to be or not! With stops at fully-fledged resiliency hubs, urban farms, low-income solar initiatives, and breakthrough engineering, this tour shows off the best of the best in interdependence and environmental justice through self-determination. Soulardarity is building a brighter future in Highland Park with education, organizing, and people-powered clean energy. We are working to install solar-powered streetlights, save money on energy bills, and work together with our neighboring communities to build a just and equitable energy system for all. Soulardarity is a membership-based 501c3 non-profit. Our board is made up of and elected by our members and must be a majority of Highland Parkers.
  	4 Walking Tour: Protecting Human Health through Stormwater Management Gesu Catholic Church Stephanie Osborn The tour, led by Gesu students, will take place on the 6-acre campus of Gesu Catholic Church, 17180 Oak Dr, Detroit. The walking tour from UDM highlights completed projects that enable stewardship of the precious groundwater and freshwater that falls on the campus. The tour will visit the rain garden, native plant garden, bioswales, parking lot renovation stormwater management, rain barrels, and a pollinator lawn. Guides will highlight the terms and language for water-related issues and solutions, connections between the built environment, water systems, and human health, the importance and challenges associated with GSI, native plants, and a general Q&A. Stephanie has degrees in Sustainable Business and Biology from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a Master of Public Health and Master of Urban Planning from Wayne State University. She works as a staff planner at Giffels Webster, is a member of the Gesu Green Team, and serves as a board member for Make Food Not Waste. She loves doing anything outside, whether it be running, camping, hiking, swimming, boating, or just reading a good book.
  B1.	Youth Learnshop: Reducing Cafeteria Waste Anita Sevier and 5th & 6th grades students Starting with a short news video, students will explain how Gesu reduced its waste nearly 95% through trial and error, and how sustainable this process is for organizations. Gesu students will demonstrate how it is done, and others can learn how they can do it too. Gesu Jesuit Elementary School, located across the street from UDM has had great success in the last two years reducing cafeteria waste. In 2022, Gesu produced an average of 125 lbs. of cafeteria waste each school day. This waste consisted of milk, discarded food, Styrofoam trays and plasticware. In the fall of 2023, Gesu began sorting its waste and composting the food waste. Through trial and error, Gesu has successfully reduced its cafeteria waste to approximately 6 lbs. per day and uses its compost in gardens on its campus. This presentation will be presented by 5th and 6th grade students.
  B2	A. TapWatch: Examining the Global Hydrosphere Using AI Technology Victor Boyd, 11th Grader, Chandler Park Academy, Senior research scientist at Ecotek Lab-Detroit and a participant in the GEARUP Program at the University of Michigan Dearborn The world's water resources are becoming more and more scarce every day . Man made pollution and natural disasters are negatively impacting the one resource that everyone needs- water. It is imperative that we start collecting, analyzing and conserving the world's water resources before it is too late. In this presentation, Victoria will provide an update on her work with India at TapWatch, an innovative public-private partnership between Ecotek Lab and member countries at the United Nations to develop the first ever global hydrobank that uses artificial intelligence to analyze and make tributary level water quality data available to key stakeholders on a global scale. B. Geophysical Methods to Characterize the Subsurface on Irrigated Sites Using AI Autumn Herring 12th Grader, Renaissance High School, Senior research scientist at Ecotek Lab What is it like to see the perpetual depth of bodies of water? This question may feel impossible to many, but for some, technology has become an innovation. Many jobs, research projects, and products have become increasingly reliant on technology over the last 20-25 years. Computer science has a significant influence on tech innovation because the study of it can produce software, applications, or artificial intelligence, among other things. Actively, climate change contributes to higher temperatures, extreme weather patterns, and water quality and quantity accessibility, according to the EPA climate change report 2024. In this session, Autumn will share information on how she worked with professors and graduate students in the Biosystems Lab at Michigan State University to perform a geophysical survey equipment to gain detailed insights into subsurface aquifer structures and lithology, enhancing our understanding of groundwater dynamics in irrigated fields across Michigan. The overall project aims to improve the understanding of the relationship between irrigation practices and groundwater resources in Michigan and to contribute to sustainable water management in the region.
  B3	Panel Discussion on Eco-Spirituality Professor Mike Whitty & Rev. Charles Oduke A reflective discussion on personal values, environmental ethics, and optimistic futurism to empower activists of all ages to engage higher consciousness as stewards of the earth. A sharing session of the value of service, leadership, and deep spirituality. Mike Whitty headed the UDM Institute for Building Sustainable Communities, served as a cofounder of Earth Community in Detroit, and is a member of the Sierra Club, and the World Future Society. He studies trends and forecasts of a possible green future for urban America. He spent 40 years as a business professor at UDM. Fr. Charles Oduke is vice president for Mission Integration at University of Detroit Mercy.
  B4	Youth Learnshop: Youth Organizing 101 ReJoyce Douglas DAYUM's Youth Guide to Organizing will provide visual aids as well as physically and mentally engaging activities. The techniques and skills that DAYUM coordinators have studied and currently practice, include that of past organizers, current organizers, and their work through experience. We whole-heartedly uplift voices of youth. Our practices encourage youth to think critically, lead the space, and implement effective practices. ReJoyce has been around grassroots organizers and community spaces for a long time and has always had a passion for mutual aid and replenishing communities. An early interest in water equity led to the founding of DAYUM(Detroit Area Youth Uniting Michigan) in 2018.
  B5	Story-driven animation shorts to communicate the health impacts of environmental pollutants, like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Rahul Mitra This presentation will first provide an overview of CLEAR and the environmental health impacts of pollutants like VOCs. These pollutants can migrate as a vapor into homes and buildings, creating an exposure pathway for human health impacts. CLEAR is researching new methods for assessment, testing and mitigation to help reduce toxic exposures and improve health outcomes. The presentation will then showcase a number of story-driven animation shorts developed by CLEAR to spread awareness about VOCs and how CLEAR is addressing them. The videos (each 3-4 minutes long) are an example of visual storytelling, and center on a fictional young Detroiter named Suzie, who wants to be a scientist when she grows up. Rahul Mitra is associate professor in the Department of Communication at Wayne State University, where he also leads the research translation team at the Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR), which is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. CLEAR is dedicated to understanding and mitigating adverse birth outcomes and developmental health problems that have been associated with exposure to volatile organic compounds, a class of pollutants frequently present underground, including in post-industrial cities like Detroit.
  B6	Youth and Adult Learnshop: When we eat wild food, we have wild thoughts Zarah Ackerman Food sovereignty in our urban landscape is not only about what our community can grow but what is already growing right outside our doorstep. Wild invasive plants are prolific and are often overlooked as weeds. These plants are also nutritious and delicious, holding the ancient keys to our survival! In this hands-on workshop, we will learn how to identify wild plants to harvest, prepare, and eat a wild salad together in community. KweenZarah is a Green Witch and multi-disciplinary artist based in Detroit since 2010. She is the founder and lead coordinator of the Detroit chapter of Herbalists Without Boarders (@HWBDetroit) and works to share Wise Woman teachings and medicine as a Community Herbalist in the 313. Currently she sits on the board of directors of the freshly founded nfp Care Club Detroit.

  
  

  Day 2

  	Keynote Video: Matrilineal World-Making: Embracing for Impact Katsi Cook Katsi Cook shares the stories of remarkable Indigenous elder women and what they can teach us about the Sacred Cycle of Life, covering such topics as the regeneration of Indigenous lifeways, ancestral healing, the world-building biocultural characteristics of matrilineal descent and rematriation, and addressing the maternity care crisis in Indian Country through kinship connection. Tekatsi:tsia’kwa Katsi Cook (Wolf Clan member of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation), an Onkwehonweh traditional midwife, lifelong advocate of Indigenous midwifery and Native women’s health throughout the life-cycle (drawing from the longhouse traditionalist teaching that “woman Is the first environment”), is Executive Director of the Spirit Aligned Leadership Program. Her work over many decades has spanned a range of worlds and disciplines at the intersections of environmental reproductive health and justice, research, and policy. Katsi’s groundbreaking environmental research of Mohawk mother’s milk revealed the intergenerational impact of industrial chemicals on the health of her community, and she is a major figure in a movement of matrilineal awareness and “rematriation” in Native life. Keynote Video: Reclaiming Roots: The Global Fight for Indigenous Science Sherya Chaudhuri For generations, Indigenous science has safeguarded ecosystems worldwide—yet mainstream environmental solutions continue to sideline it. As climate crises escalate, young activists are reclaiming these knowledge systems, challenging colonial frameworks, and forging global solidarity. The future of sustainability isn’t about reinventing solutions—it is about reclaiming the roots that have long sustained our planet. Shreya Chaudhuri, a senior at UC Berkeley, majoring in Environmental Science and Geography with minors in Global Poverty & Practice and Data Science, runs Project Planet, a nonprofit for decolonial environmental education, including teaching the class Decolonizing Environmentalism at Berkeley that she created. As a Climate Action Fellow at the Student Environmental Resource Center and UC Office of the President, Shreya advances equity in UC Climate Policy and leads the Decolonial Environmental Network on campus. She is also on the council for the Students of Color Environmental Collective, and, for her senior thesis, Shreya studied Indigenous ecological knowledge and climate resilience on her family’s ancestral tea farm in India.
  C1	Immigration: How Would Nature Deal With It? Sister Gloria Rivera "Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Celebrating Our Interdependence" in the context of environmental sustainability, social justice, and community resilience. What if we took time to truly understand immigration as a great gift to all of us? What if we could explore some of the myths and untruths relating to it? What if we consult with Nature to find solutions and positive answers to what is going on and come up with a win-win response? For 15 yrs. Sister Gloria served as GLBD coordinator supporting and encouraging efforts to create sustainable communities in Detroit. Along the way, she discovered biomimicry, a fascinating field rich with possibilities. She has taken time to learn and explore more and has shared with others, particularly about the possibilities for social innovation. At this point in our fractured world, Biomimicry can be a great teacher, model, and mentor.
  C2	Adult Learnshop. Air Quality in Action: From Monitoring to DIY Solutions Salam Beydoun This interactive workshop offers community-driven solutions to environmental and public health challenges. Participants will explore the basics of air pollution—primarily from industrial sources, with occasional spikes from regional wildfire smoke—and its health impacts. The session introduces local air monitoring tools, strategies for advocacy, and hands-on skills to build DIY Corsi-Rosenthal box air filters. By combining education, organizing, and action, the workshop equips attendees to respond to both everyday pollution and short-term air quality events. Two completed filters will be given away, fostering engagement, collaboration, and tangible improvements in community air health. Salam is the Environmental Justice Organizer at the Ecology Center, working with the Clear the Air coalition to address air quality inequities in Southeast Michigan. She partners with community members to combat industrial pollution and respond to occasional wildfire smoke through local air monitoring, public education, and advocacy. Salam holds a Master of Social Work from Wayne State University with a focus on Innovation in Community, Policy, and Leadership. She has extensive experience in community organizing, air quality education, and leading hands-on workshops like DIY Corsi-Rosenthal box builds to equip communities with practical tools for cleaner, healthier air.
  C3	Adult Learnshop. Dumping on the Global South: Challenging the Ethics of Waste Exportation John Ouko This presentation examines the intersectionality between environmental issues and social justice on a global scale. Participants will have the opportunity to consider actions we can take regarding e-waste, not only locally but also globally. Rich nations often export millions of tonnes of e-waste, plastics, and other waste to the Global South. Tracking efforts, like those by the Basel Action Network, reveal that much European and American e-waste eventually ends up in Africa and Southeast Asia, with hundreds of thousands of tonnes imported or dumped annually. Some frameworks—libertarianism, utilitarianism, and free market views—try to justify this export or dumping as acceptable. However, the presenter contends that they are a form of global (environmental) injustice best addressed through a negative-rights (non-harm) perspective. John Ouko holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Michigan State University. He is a full-time lecturer in Philosophy at Eastern Michigan University and a senior adjunct instructor at the University of Detroit Mercy. His teaching and research interests include global justice, global ethics, environmental philosophy, and contemporary political thought.
  C4	Panel. The Flavor of Resilience: Food, Justice, and Interdependence Shanel Dennard Food connects us all — to the earth, to culture, and to each other. Yet food waste, hunger, and climate change threaten that connection. In this panel, diverse voices from across the food system will explore how communities can transform food challenges into opportunities for resilience. Panelists will share stories from the frontlines of sustainability, food justice, and cultural preservation, revealing how interdependence is both our heritage and our pathway forward. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of how food can be a force for justice, climate action, and community strength. Shanel Dennard is a Detroit-based chef, food systems leader, and advocate for sustainable, equitable food practices. A James Beard alum and Food Network Chopped finalist, she currently serves as Culinary Director for Make Food Not Waste, where she transforms surplus food into thousands of nourishing meals each week while reducing climate impacts. Through her work, she blends culinary creativity with environmental stewardship and social justice, using food as a tool to build resilience, equity, and connection. Shanel’s mission is simple: fight waste with flavor and empower communities to thrive through interdependence.
  C5	Keynote Video. Rising Together. Women’s Leadership for a Resilient Future Women’s Earth Alliance As co-leaders of a global alliance working at the intersection of gender justice and environmental resilience, award-winning, groundbreaking activists and visionaries Amira Diamond, Melinda Kramer, and Kahea Pacheco explore the transformative power of grassroots women’s leadership in confronting our most pressing ecological challenges. By sharing stories from their global network, they illustrate how frontline women leaders are implementing community-based solutions that protect land, water, and biodiversity as well as advancing climate resilience across diverse regions. They also delve into WEA’s unique co-directorship model—a shared leadership structure that embodies collaboration, collective visioning, and sustained impact in alliance-building work.
  D1	Adult Learnshop: Practical Actions for Environmental Concerns Olga Johnson This presentation traces the evolution of a personal passion into a legally established business, sparked by insights gained from an SBA class. The speaker will highlight a diverse product line that includes work as an EGLE Clean Water Ambassador, Cool Way water filtration bottles, rain garden services, a medicinal garden for teas and tinctures, and custom ceramics. Emphasis will be placed on how these offerings are shared with the community through local pop-ups and educational workshops, blending entrepreneurship with environmental advocacy and public engagement. Attendees will gain inspiration and practical ideas for turning personal commitment into impactful, community-rooted enterprise. Olga is a retired adult who started a Social Enterprise to live in a better environment.
  D2	Adult Learnshop. It’s Elementary My Dear Ones! A Poetic Feast for thee Strait James Perkinson This workshop organizes audience members into small groups to collectively compose poems (1/group) that concentrate on developing a rhythmic invocation of the ecology of the Detroit River watershed (Waawiyaatanong, “where it goes around” in Anishinaabemoin). A brief presentation and performance will set the stage for the group creations to dig toes into soils, free sounds, collaborate with Breath/Wind/Air as living creature, wooing the waters of the Lakes and le détroit connecting them. And then, each group will perform their offering in a collective riff on yet other creatures (the elements) to be specified once they have composed their group pieces. James Perkinson is a long-time activist/educator who has lived for 40 years as a settler on Three Fires land in inner-city Detroit. He holds a Ph.D. in theology from the University of Chicago and teaches as Professor of Social Ethics at the Ecumenical Theological Seminary. He is the author of six books including Political Spirituality in an Age of Eco-Apocalypse: Communication and Struggle Across Species, Cultures, and Religions and Shamanism, Racism, and Hip-Hop Culture: Essays on White Supremacy and Black Subversion. He has written two books of poetry and is a recognized artist on the spoken-word poetry scene in Detroit.
  D3	Youth Learnshop: Making and Baking a Greater Detroit our Children Deserve Reuben Gordon This session will educate participants on how a purpose-driven business can be the key to personal growth and community transformation. The Better Detroit Brownie Company was the idea of a 17-year-old who wanted a way to help The Better Detroit Youth Movement help more of his peers. Today, The Better Detroit Brownie Company is teaching high school students, and autistic and special needs teens, life skills, business skills, baking skills, and blessing skills (community service) to help them feel better about themselves and this challenged world. Reuben is co-founder of The Better Detroit Youth Movement (501c3) and owner of The Better Detroit Brownie Company LLC, where great kids, great brownies and great causes get together for our Greater Detroit.
  D4	Youth Learnshop: Deputize Yourself to Commit to Community – We the Youth of Detroit Norrel Hemphill We the Youth of Detroit will demonstrate what they’ve learned about the importance of access to clean water from leading a community-wide lead testing project. They will then explain the effects of contaminated water through a fun, interactive activity. Lastly, they will demonstrate their commitment to intergenerational learning and community interdependence. As the youth programming arm of We the People of Detroit, We the Youth of Detroit is dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders. We educate and equip young people with the skills to advocate for themselves and their community, ensuring a future where all have access to clean and affordable water.
  D5	Adult Learnshop: The Power of Praying as part of Solutions for our Earth’s Ecosystem Chantal (Yarënda') Gros-Louis (Nde Yahchrondiak) Age old ways to live and to survive are to pray. Participants will learn some prayers and many ways of praying from different sources, nations, and from Aboriginal people. Yarënda’ Nde Yahchrondiak is Wendat from the Wendat Nation of Wendake, Quebec, Canada and has been living for over 20 years in Michigan, area of her Ancestors. She is a singer, drum carrier, and culture carrier. She is a multidisciplinary artist: visual art, artisan, storyteller, writing. Among her studies of art and music is also education, counseling, and alternative medicines, noticeably Ayurveda. She is an ecology advocate and Earth Charter endorser.
  D6	Adult Learnshop: Environmental Stewardship or Earth Snowball Rev. Rich Peacock Environmental and social justice will be wiped out by a nuclear war. The exploding nuclear bombs will create huge, dark clouds of debris and soot that will prevent sunshine from reaching the earth, plants will not grow, temperatures will plummet, and planet earth will become a snowball. To become stewards of the environment and justice makers, we must prevent nuclear war. Rev. Peacock is Co-Chair, Peace Action of Michigan; founder Troy Interfaith Group; Michigan United Methodist Church Task Force for Middle East Peace; Methodist Foundation for Social Action; Greater Detroit District Church & Society Task Force

   

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  General Registration
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  School/Class Registration
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  Exhibitor/Vendor

  As an area business/organization that shares our commitment to sustainability, we invite you to support the 20th Annual GLBD Conference, a Bioneers Pollinators Event, Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Embracing Our Interdependence. Join us as an exhibitor/vendor and directly reach over four hundred participants who share your interests. University of Detroit Mercy is continuing to provide the planning and hosting of the conference. Your contribution will help support the conference and the scholarship fund

  EXHIBITOR/VENDOR SPACE

  Level	Benefits
  $25	Two-day Exhibitor/Vendor table (table provided) Table set-up by 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 thru 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3 Includes one (1) full two-day registration
  $10	Shared table space for brochures and fliers Materials must be dropped off at the conference by 9 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 2, and pick up what’s not distributed by 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3

  Conference Registration
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  Become a Sponsor

  As an area business/organization that shares our commitment to sustainability, we invite you to support the 20th Annual GLBD Conference, a Bioneers Pollinators Event, Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Embracing Our Interdependence. Join us as a sponsor and directly reach over four hundred participants who share your interests. University of Detroit Mercy is continuing to provide the planning and hosting of the conference. Your sponsorship will help support the conference and the scholarship fund.

  SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

  Level	Benefits
  $100	Signage at event and on webpage One (1) one-day registration OR Exhibitor table.
  $250	Signage at event and on webpage One (1) full two-day registration AND Exhibitor table
  $500	Signage at event and on webpage Two (2) full two-day registrations AND Exhibitor table.
  $1,000	Signage at event and on webpage Three (3) full two-day registrations AND Exhibitor table
  $2,000	Signage at event and on webpage Five (5) full two-day registrations AND Exhibitor table

  Conference Registration
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  Make a Donation

  Our conference is a platform for sustainability, social justice, and community resilience, bringing together activists, innovators, and change-makers to inspire positive change. Your generous contributions directly support our efforts to bring our area an affordable conference promoting environmental stewardship, equity, and empowerment. Whether you're passionate about conservation or social justice, your support helps create a brighter, more sustainable future. Thank you for considering a donation to the Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit 2024 Conference, where together, we can make a meaningful impact.
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  2025 Chair

  The Chair and the conference planning committee are working on the annual fall conference which will be held Oct. 2-3 in the Student Union Ballroom on UDM’s McNichols Campus.

  Theroi Riggins '09 is a professional nursing leader with over 20 years of experience in clinical care, healthcare administration and community outreach. She is a DNP candidate and adjunct faculty member at the University of Detroit Mercy and leads Universal Hospice Care with a focus on compassionate, culturally sensitive end-of-life care. She is also the CEO of Grab Community Outreach Inc., a nonprofit serving Detroit’s underserved communities through health education and prevention programs.

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  Call for Proposals

  The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference is thrilled to announce its call for proposals for presentations and workshops aimed at both youth and adults. We invite passionate individuals, experts, activists, and educators to join us in exploring the theme "Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Embracing Our Interdependence" in the context of environmental sustainability, social justice, and community resilience.

  The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference serves as a platform for thought-provoking discussions, innovative ideas, and actionable solutions. This year, we aim to delve deep into the interconnectedness between humanity and nature, recognizing that our well-being is intricately linked to the health of the planet.

  We are seeking proposals that address the following key areas: 

  1. Environmental Stewardship: Presentations and workshops that explore sustainable practices, conservation efforts, biodiversity conservation, and regenerative agriculture.
  2. Social Justice: Sessions that examine the intersectionality between environmental issues and social justice, including topics such as environmental racism, indigenous rights, and equitable access to resources.
  3. Community Resilience: Workshops focused on building resilient communities through grassroots initiatives, sustainable urban development, climate adaptation strategies, and disaster preparedness.
  4. Youth Empowerment: Engaging and interactive sessions designed specifically for youth, empowering them to become environmental stewards, changemakers, and leaders in their communities.
  5. Arts and Culture: Presentations that utilize art, music, storytelling, and other creative mediums to inspire environmental activism, foster connections with nature, and promote cultural appreciation.

  Submission Guidelines:

  • Proposals should clearly align with the conference theme and one or more of the key areas outlined above.
  • Presentations and workshops should be interactive, engaging, and inclusive, fostering dialogue and collaboration among participants.
  • Preference will be given to proposals that offer innovative approaches, practical solutions, and diverse perspectives.
  • Proposals must include a title, abstract (100 words or less), outline of activities or topics to be covered, target audience, and brief bio(s) of the presenter(s).
  • Proposals should indicate whether they are intended for youth (ages 12-18), adults, or both.

  Submission Deadline: Aug. 16, 2025

  Please submit your proposals online at https://bit.ly/GLBDProposals

   All submissions will be reviewed by our organizing committee, and selected presenters will be notified by June 30. Accepted presenters will receive complimentary registration for the conference.

  Join us in catalyzing positive change and embracing our interconnectedness with nature at the Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference. Together, let's ignite a revolution from the heart of nature!

  For inquiries or more information, please contact Yvonne King at glbd@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1762.

Past GLBD Conferences

Open All | Close All

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  2024 Conference

  2024 GLBD Conference
  
  October 17-18
   

  The 19th Annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference:
  A Bioneers Pollinators Event

  McNichols Campus
  4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221

  Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Celebrating Our Interdependence

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  2023 Conference

  2023 GLBD Conference
  
  October 12-13, 2023
   

  The 18th Annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference:
  A Bioneers Pollinators Event

  McNichols Campus
  4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221

  Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Take Action in Detroit

  The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference is a platform for community members to network and highlight innovative approaches to environmental and social challenges. The conference is for people of all ages who are interested in exploring topics, developing skills and motivating action for the betterment of our One Earth Community.

  • A note of thanks for the 2023 Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference, which would not be possible without the help of so many. 
  • 2023 Great Lakes Bioneers Conference a success (The Varsity News)
  • Thursday Oct 12 photos
  • Friday Oct 13 photos
  • National Bioneers - Collective Heritage Institute story on conference

  Supporters and Sponsors of the 2023 Conference

  We want to thank the following organizations for funding generous grants given to GLBD for this 2023 conference:

  • W.K. Kellogg Foundation
  • Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
  • Fund for Equal Justice

  We want to acknowledge our sponsors for the 2023 conference:

  • University of Detroit Mercy, and the following Departments/Programs of the University:
    • Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive
    • College of Liberal Arts & Education
    • Environmental Law Clinic
    • Institute for Leadership and Service
    • Titan Equity Nourish Network
  • Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice
  • Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen
  • Marian High School
  • People’s Water Board
  • Planet Detroit
  • MSU Center for Regional Food Systems
  • Mike and Gail Whitty

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  Bioneers Pollinator gatherings/events are independently organized and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of the Bioneers organization. For more information, visit: www.bioneers.org or https://www.glbd.org

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  2022 Conference

  

  Fall 2022 Annual Conference

  17th annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference

  More than 400 registrants signed up for the 17th annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference. Over 350 attended in person, which included 230 middle school and high school students. Fifty attended the online program on Friday. The theme of the conference was "Earth is our Measure, Mentor and Model." Click below to see photos of our conference!

  View Friday Youth Day photos in Youth Day on Friday and GLBD Conference, Oct. 14-15, 2022 (part two).

  WXYZ Detroit Spotlight on the News with Chuck Stokes

  Read the article from WXYZ Detroit Spotlight on the News here.
  Watch the video clip below with Chuck Stokes from WXYZ Detroit Spotlight on the News interviewing Conference Co-chair Gail Presbey, planning Committee member Mike Whitty and conference sponsor Erma Leaphart, which begins at 10:44 into the segment.

  Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022
  8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  University of Detroit Mercy
  4001 W. McNichols Road
  Detroit, MI 48221

  Our 17th annual regional conference Pollinators event was in partnership with the national Bioneers organization, that is, the Bioneers Collective Heritage Institute (see bioneers.org for more information on them, including great information and wonderful videos from the national conference!)

  We were happy to acknowledge that the 2022 conference was supported by three generous grants, from the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the Congregation of St. Joseph and the Fund for Equal Justice. These grants will enable us to lower the registration costs in several categories. University of Detroit Mercy is proud to have recently hosted the Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit (GLBD) conference for the third time. This conference is a National Bioneers Pollinator event. GLBD is part of the National Bioneers Pollinators Network.

  

  Associate Dean, Experiential Education and Associate Professor of Law Nicholas J. Schroeck speaking with students, faculty and staff

  

  Bioneers Conference Event with Co-chair Gail Presbey, professor of philosophy, and student volunteers (from left) Brenda Bravo and Mona Alawie in the Student Union

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   Sponsors of the 2022 Conference

  • University of Detroit Mercy, and the following Departments/Programs of the University:
    • Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive
    • College of Liberal Arts & Education
    • Environmental Law Clinic
    • Institute for Leadership and Service
    • Jesuit Community at Detroit Mercy
    • Philosophy Department
  • Adrian Dominican Sisters, adriandominicans.org
  • Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network, dbcfsn.org
  • Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, dwej.org
  • Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen, cskdetroit.org/EWG
  • Eastern Market, easternmarket.com
  • Erma Leaphart
  • James and Grace Lee Boggs Center, boggscenter.org
  • Marian High School, marian-hs.org
  • Michigan Environmental Council, environmentalcouncil.org
  • Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance, moffa.net
  • MSU-Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning, and Innovation, canr.msu.edu/detroitpartnership
  • People’s Water Board, peopleswaterboard.org
  • River Raisin Institute
  • Shiffman Foundation
  • Sisters IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office, ihmsisters.org
  • Mike and Gail Whitty

  Additionally, we want to thank the following organizations for funding generous grants given to GLBD for this conference:

  • Congregation of St. Joseph, csjoseph.org
  • Sisters of Mercy of the Americas sistersofmercy.org
  • Fund for Equal Justice https://www.buckdinner.org/donate
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  2021 Conference

  Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference (2021) "One Earth Community"

  

  Co-Chairs of the Oct. 15-16 conference were Gail Presbey, director of the Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive and professor of Philosophy (313-993-1124 or presbegm@udmercy.edu) and Nicholas Schroeck, director of the Detroit Mercy Law Environmental Law Clinic and professor of law (313-596-9817 or schroenj@udmercy.edu). We also thank IHM Sisters Gloria Rivera and Paula Cathcart for their many years of leadership of the GLBD.

  Information

  • View Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 Photo Gallery
  • Saturday, Oct. 16 Photo Gallery

  Goals of this conference:

  • Tap into the power and richness of Metro Detroit’s diversity
  • Come together as a learning community
  • Commit to new ways of living, acting and thinking
  • Create a synergistic space in which to network with others
  • Nurture a deeper understanding of ‘a sense of place’
  • Welcome each other and work together for the common good

  Sponsors of the 2021 conference

  • University of Detroit Mercy, and the following Departments/Programs of the University:
    • Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive
    • College of Liberal Arts and Education
    • Environmental Law Clinic
    • Institute for Leadership and Service
    • Jesuit Community at Detroit Mercy
    • Office of Mission Integration
    • Titan Equity Nourish Network
  • Adrian Dominican Sisters, www.adriandominicans.org
  • Congregation of St. Joseph, www.csjoseph.org
  • Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, www.detroitblackfoodsecurity.org
  • Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, www.dwej.org
  • Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen, www.cskdetroit.org/EWG
  • Eastern Market, www.easternmarket.com
  • James and Grace Lee Boggs Center, www.boggscenter.org
  • Marian High School, www.marian-hs.org
  • Michigan Environmental Council, www.environmentalcouncil.org
  • Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance. http://www.moffa.net
  • MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, www.foodsystems.msu.edu
  • People’s Water Board, www.peopleswaterboard.org
  • River Raisin Institute, www.rriearth.org
  • Shiffman Foundation
  • Sierra Club of Michigan, www.sierraclub/michigan
  • Sisters IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office, www.ihmsisters.org
  • Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team www.sistersofmercy.org
  • Voices 4 Earth Justice, www.voices4earth.org
  • Mike and Gail Whitty
  • Diane Van Buten and Ernest Zachary in honor of Gloria Rivera and Paula Cathcart
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  2020 Webinar Series

  Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Webinar Series (2020)

  • Oct. 23, 2020 - Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Webinar No.1: Sr. Gloria Rivera, IHM and Dr. Nicholas Schroeck introduce students to the basics of environmental law, and outline key steps that can be taken to preserve the environment. During the session, Jason (8th grade) and Macey (6th grade) Zarate will present on “How Youth Conservationists are Helping to Save the Monarch Butterfly.”
  • Oct. 23, 2020 - Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Webinar No.2: Associate Professor of Biology and Director of Sustainability Victor Carmona gives a presentation on his integrative sustainability initiatives in the College of Engineering and Science at Detroit Mercy and their collaborations with community partners.
  • Oct. 23, 2020 - Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Webinar No.3: Student Voices: Stone Soup for Environmental Justice. Moderator and speaker, Detroit Mercy student Caleb Scheys, joined by Dolores Perales, Joyce Choi, Colin Goodman, Yahir Hernandez, and Dahlia Carmona-Valdivieso.
  • 2020-10-23 Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Webinar No.4: School of Law Associate Dean of Experiential Education Nicholas J. Schroeck speaks on "Environmental Justice, Climate Change, and Public Engagement.
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  2019 Conference

  Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering & Science hosted the 15th Annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit (GLBD) Conference titled “The Planet will Survive. Will We?” Oct. 25-26, 2019, on the McNichols Campus.

  This event brought together hundreds of high school students, teachers, university faculty and organizational leaders to discuss the environment and changes. Additionally, attendees received opportunities to ponder and discuss many questions about the environment, such as whether or not the planet and human race will exist in the future, given the impact of global warming.

  Bill McKibben, one of the nation’s leading environmental activists, presented a pre-recorded keynote address titled “Changing the Climate: What We’ve Learned in the Last 30 Years.” He is a scholar of Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and author of The End of Nature (1989), the first book for general audiences about climate change. He is also the founder of 350.org, the first planet-wide, grassroots climate change movement. For his work, he has won the Right Livelihood Award, Gandhi Prize and Thomas Merton Prize.

  Conference participants heard from Ed Whitfield, a social critic, writer and community activist, as well as co-managing director of the Fund for Democratic Communities. Originally from Little Rock, Ark., Whitfield’s political activism began when he attended Little Rock Central High School and engaged in the anti-war protest as a teenager. Today, he speaks and writes on issues of cooperatives and economic development, and continues to study issues of war and peace, as well as education and social responses to racism. He serves on the boards of the New Economy Coalition, The Working World and the Southern Reparations Loan Fund.

  The conference also presented nine plenary speakers from the national Bioneers conference, as well as the following tours:

  • Southwest Detroit Eco-D Neighborhood Tour
  • Eastside: From growing our economy to growing our souls
  • Water is Life—Lila Cabbil Memorial Tour
  • The Natural History of Palmer Parks Witherell Woods
  • Green living Science Tour
  • Forest Therapy at Palmer Park

  The conference hosted a local panel titled “Urban Greening: People, Environment, Power!" Panelists included Oday Salim, Donna Givens, Nick Schroeck, Rev. Joan Ross, Joel Howrani Heeres and Victor Carmona.

  The 15th annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference: “The Planet Will Survive. Will We?” was sponsored by:

  • University of Detroit Mercy, www.udmercy.edu
  • Adrian Dominican Sisters, www.adriandominicans.org
  • James and Grace Lee Boggs Center,www.boggscenter.org
  • Congregation of St. Joseph, www.csjoseph.org
  • Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, www.detroitblackfoodsecurity.org
  • Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, www.dwej.org
  • Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen, www.cskdetroit.org/EWG/
  • Eastern Market Corporation, www.easternmarket.com
  • Environmental Interpretive Center, www.umdearborn.edu/eic/
  • Madonna University, www.madonna.edu/academics
  • Marian High School, www.marian-hs.org
  • Michigan Environmental Council, www.environmentalcouncil.org
  • Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance.
  • MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, www.foodsystems.msu.edu
  • River Raisin Institute, www.rriearth.org
  • Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org
  • Sisters IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office, www.ihmsisters.org
  • SW Detroit Environmental Vision, www.sdevweb.org
  • Voices 4 Earth Justice, www.voices4earth.org
  • Zachary and Associates, www.zacharydetroit.com
  • Zero Waste Detroit, www.zerowastedetroit.com
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  2018 News Coverage

  Past news coverage

  • https://sites.udmercy.edu/campusconnection/2018/10/08/register-for-novembers-bioneers-conference/
  • https://sites.udmercy.edu/campusconnection/wp-content/uploads/sites/106/2018/10/GLBD18NewLayoutSpread.pdf