Field Report: NAAEE 2013 Conference in Baltimore, Maryland

 

Hello, my name is Morgan Powell of Bronx River Sankofa.  Here are some memories I’ve brought home from the 42nd annual conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education.  It was certainly one of the most ethnically diverse in NAAEE history thanks to vigorous and sustained efforts.  Keep on pushing for a green movement that looks like America!

Circular Dialogue

Akiima Price scheduled a wonderful day of activities for us.  This picture of some of us around a table captures our Community Environmental Education (EE) Workshop.

Rich discussion was everywhere inside and out of formal sessions as with emerging food scientist Milton Newberry (NJ) of Florida U.  I also learned from Tanya Fields (The Blk Projek), Dennis Chestnut (Groundwork Anacostia), Nicole Jackson (The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden), Jose Marcos-Iga (Environmental Education Exchange), Latriece Brown (Greening Youth), Nilka Martell (G.I.V.E.), Andrew Brazington (Chester Environmental Partnership) and many others from every region of our country.

Touring Baltimore

        This New Yorker chose to bypass the free Charm City Circular which connects many center city attractions.  Except for the cab I took to the Great Blacks in Wax Museum , I walked to and from the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture where I learned about oystering, iron-working and farming in sandy soils before exploring the Walters Museum and much more.  All conference participants were extended reduced admission to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  The Community EE Fellowship Field Trip began at Jubilee Arts Center, continued to Whitelock Community Farm, included commentary by Antonio Carpenter of www.metaro777.com who leads tours of old growth forested Baltimore parks and concluded with an environmental justice tour by Glen Ross.  

Making New Friends

I feel honored to have met Bobby Wilson of the Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, James McGirt of Project Learning Tree in D.C., Marta Campo (NY) of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, C. Parker McMullen-Bushman of the Marine Science Consortium (VA), Charice Bourdeaux of Utah Bike Month, Park Ranger Nick Clemons (MD) at the Assateague Island National Seashore, Veronica Kyle (IL) of Faith in Place, Marcos Trinidad (CA) of Audubon Youth Environmental Stewards, Juan Reynosa (NM) of the SouthWest Organizing Project, Elizabeth Babalola (NJ) who is studying at Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies among  too many others to name!