Join us for a community dialogue exploring the systemic inequities in our urban food ecosystem, primarily focusing on communities of color in NYC through the lenses of community composting, urban farming, and mutual aid. We’ll hear from BIPOC activists, community composters, urban farmers, and youth leaders working towards building an equitable food system. Through this dialogue, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that grassroots efforts face in addressing food equity and what actions are needed at the individual, community, and systemic levels for meaningful change.
This 90-minute event includes prompts from the moderators and a 30 minute dialogue with the audience. Hosted by the NYU Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and the Lower East Side Ecology Center. This session is co-sponsored by the Urban Democracy Lab and NYU Environmental and Racial Justice Network.
Sheryll Durrant is an urban farmer, educator, and food justice advocate. She has been the Resident Garden Manager at Kelly Street Garden since 2016, and is also the Food and Agriculture Coordinator for New Roots Community Farm, managed by the International Rescue Committee. Her work has included developing community-based urban agriculture projects and providing expertise and technical assistance for gardens within supportive housing developments. She currently serves as Board President for Just Food.
Power Malu has been on a journey to connect the many paths he’s walked in the service of justice and healing. Using his platform and vast life experience, Power strives to educate and guide young activists fighting for racial, social, economic and food justice in New York, Puerto Rico, and worldwide. In March 2018, he founded Artists Athletes Activists, a nonprofit organization that takes action to support vulnerable communities by connecting them to critical services. His organization was instrumental during Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico, launched the Plant-Based Community Fridge Initiative, and most recently has been on the frontlines responding to the migrant crisis in NYC.
Domingo Morales, a Green City Force (GCF) alumnus, is the founder of Compost Power and a compost consultant. His leadership and passion for a healthier and more environmentally-just city was born out of lived experience. As a former public housing resident, he saw first-hand how residents of underserved neighborhoods and public housing suffered from poor access to healthy food and a lack of sustainable infrastructure. After serving with GCF in 2015, his life trajectory changed. Today, Domingo supports GCF and NYC Housing Authority as an expert on composting and waste diversion programs, and coaches others to implement best practices across the city. Domingo is laser-focused on making composting cool and accessible for everyone
Kyara Grant is a native of Howard Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn and has always had a passion for social justice. She participated in community run protests and organizing events throughout her childhood up to high school. She took a break but soon resumed participating in community activities after seeing that a farm had been built in her development. From that moment on she became a part of the world of environmental justice, food justice in addition to social justice and has never looked back. She has found her place with her current organization Green City Force and is continuing with urban agriculture and youth development.
About the Moderators
Lia Lucero is the Compost Outreach and Education Manager at the LES Ecology Center. With more than a decade of experience in community greening, Lia sees community composting as a tool for connection and creating healthy neighborhoods. In her role at the LES Ecology Center, she is focused on capacity building for community compost sites and leads a team that facilitates the Master Composter Certification Course.
Jennifer Bombardier is the Education Manager at the Lower East Side Ecology Center. She is passionate about connecting people to their local environment and has worked in environmental and outdoor education for over 10 years in New York City and Virginia. At the Ecology Center, she leads the Food Justice Project in partnership with Henry Street Settlement, which includes educational programming for local residents and a small food garden, which grows produce for community fridges and culinary workshops.
About LES Ecology Center
The Lower East Side Ecology Center (Ecology Center) has been pioneering community-based models in urban sustainability since 1987. We provide unique e-waste and composting services, environmental stewardship opportunities, and educational programming to all New Yorkers who want to learn about environmental issues and take responsibility for creating solutions through action. Learn more at www.lesecologycenter.org
New York University and Gallatin provide reasonable accommodations to people living with disabilities who wish to attend events at the School. For every event, Gallatin staff will be on hand to assist guests. Please note that the entrance at 715 Broadway is wheelchair accessible. To request accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, assistive listening devices, or large print programs, or should you have questions regarding accessibility for an event, please contact Gallatin’s Office of Special Events by emailing events.gallatin@nyu.edu or by calling 212-992-6328. Should you need an accommodation, we ask that you send your request as early as possible so that we have time to fulfill your request.
