Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit
Be a positive force in our earth community
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.
This is an opportunity for you to to share experiences and learn strategies to ensure that humans are a positive force in our earth community while addressing the critical issues of public health and wellness; racial and environmental justice; indigenous (Traditional Ecological Knowledge, TEK) resource protection and sustainability; fresh water resource and Great Lakes protection; and recycling, food waste reduction and management.
- A note of thanks for the 2023 Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference, which would not be possible without the help of so many.
The GLBD Mission
Our mission is to promote a sustainable community that fosters life-giving relationships, nurtures connections and celebrates solutions for restoring and healing Earth's communities.
The GLBD Vision
Our vision is expressed in the preamble of the Earth Charter: "in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms, we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace."
Past GLBD Conferences
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2023 Conference
2023 GLBD Conference
October 12-13, 2023
The 18th Annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference:
A Bioneers Pollinators EventMcNichols Campus
4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221Revolution 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.
- Thursday Oct 12 photos
- Friday Oct 13 photos
- See Program Schedule
- 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:
We want to acknowledge our sponsors for the 2023 conference:
- University of Detroit Mercy, and the following Departments/Programs of the University:
- 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
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 -
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 48221Our 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
Sponsors of the 2022 Conference
- University of Detroit Mercy, and the following Departments/Programs of the University:
- Adrian Dominican Sisters, adriandominicans.org
- Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, detroitblackfoodsecurity.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
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:
- 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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2018 News Coverage