The Bioneers by the Bay: Connecting for Change Youth Initiative is organized by a Youth Planning Committee, comprised of youth age 15-34, from all over the Northeast. These young people span a wide range of experiences and backgrounds and it is this diversity of perspective that gives the Youth Initiative so much energy and richness.


Youth Committee Account by Jordan Cosentini-Jensen


Meet the 2009 youth planning committee:


TEM BLESSED, 34
Temistocles BleSSed was born in Guniea-Bissau West Africa. He and his family immigrated to New Bedford to seek a better life. Temistocles has used education to become successful as a Hip-Hop Artist and working with youth at YouthBuild for the past nine years. He is an activist who works to raise awareness regarding peace, love and social and environmental justice. After attending Bioneers 2007, Tem began to set up his own renewable energy company called BleSSed Energy.



MIKE Cermak, 28
Mike Cermak is an environmental educator and educational consultant working in Boston. He runs a network of teachers, artists, and students called Environmental Justice Action Media (EJAM) that produces youth-designed educational media focused on environmental issues. He is also a Sociology PhD student at Boston College researching the connection between environmental justice and the grassroots hip hop movement. Mike's general interests are the environmental and food justice movements, critical pedagogy, and youth development programs. He is also an after school martial arts instructor working in the Boston schools.





ANGEL “Anghelli” Diaz, 21
Bio coming soon…












MARTY Driggs, 24
Marty grew up in a small town in Massachusetts and has since traveled across the country a couple times in an effort to define his niche in the movement for just and sustainable future. He has discovered an affinity for direct action as a means of raising awareness and building community. For the last two years, Marty has been largely focused on exposing the true cost of coal and debunking false solutions to climate change, and has become dedicated to the transition of our society to a sustainable Earth Community. Last year he traveled across the country as an eco-carnie with the educational extravaganza known as the Sustainable Living Roadshow. Marty recently returned to his hometown in Massachusetts, where he's hoping to find balance, and bridge the gaps between radical sustainability, activism, and spiritual development. In his free time he likes to read about various esoteric topics, listen to bass-heavy electronic music, and go far off the deep end in late-night discussions.


ERIN Feeney, 18
A senior at New Bedford High School Erin Feeney has lived all her life in the city of New Bedford. She is a two year captain of the varsity swim team, two year vice president of the great outdoors club, and the founding president of the NBHS Student Emergency Response Team. From a young age she has always had a love of the oceans and the natural environment we live in. She spent six summers at the marine science education program, Sea Lab, located in New Bedford, steps from the harbor. From her work with the US Navy and Woods Hole Oceanographers, Erin has decided to attend Unity College in Maine, to major in Marine Biology with a minor in Oceanography. This is Erin's first year working with the Bioneers by the Bay.


JUSTIN Freiberg, 27
Justin Freiberg is passionate about sharing the transformative act of growing food with youth. This summer, he will run the Urban Foodshed Collaborative in New Haven, which seeks to reinvent vacant urban spaces through the insight and efforts of local youth – growing food for local markets and restaurants while providing green space for communities – all documented on film. Justin is also currently a student at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and recently finished up a Certificate in Conservation Biology from Columbia University, and has been worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Added Value, and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. He holds Masters and Bachelor degrees in psychology from Wesleyan University, and is aiming to integrate social science techniques with agricultural development work. He's also working on a documentary about foraging for food, which is perhaps his favorite thing to do – in the country and the city alike. Making new things out of old things – that’s where it’s at.


MITCHELL Garner, 22
Mitchell is a college student at Bristol Community College. He is known for being the “Green Man” at the 2008 Bioneers by the Bay and Standard Times Youth of the Year. He is perhaps better known as Outspoken, for his honest and blunt lyrics and poetry and rap that speak truth to power and give the youth of New Bedford a voice. For the past four years, he has dedicated much of his time to 3rd EyE Unlimited, working on everything from everyday office work to video production, graphic design, performances, event coordinating and event security. He’s played an essential role at the 3rd EyE Open for the last few years and is very dedicated to the youth of New Bedford, stopping kids from joining gangs and helping them move on to finish high school and proceed to college. In his spare time, he is working on improving 3rd EyE and helping kids graduate from High School.


BRITTNY Gentilucci, 17
Brittny Gentilucci is a Senior at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School studying Environmental Sciences & Technology. She has a great interest in photography, as well as the environment. After she graduates she hopes to attend Boston University to major in Photography and minor in environmental. Brittny is interested in many different things such as art, writing, and sports. She is very excited to be helping this year in the Bioneers by the Bay Youth Initiative.







BEN Gilbarg, 30
Ben is the Founder and Executive Director of 3rd EyE Unlimited, a non-profit based in New Bedford, MA. 3rd EyE has built a youth movement by being on the cutting edge of creative activism and cultivating an anchor point for young people to boost their opportunities and gain a wide range of leadership skills to motivate, educate, and organize their peers. 3rd EyE raises awareness in our community by advancing the positive and progressive aspects of the Hip Hop culture, which challenges the social status quo, and offers an array of diverse and unique ideas to society. We strive to give young people a chance for their ideas to be developed and their voices to be heard, regardless of race, creed, or religion. 3rd EyE has worked with thousands of youth since its inception in 1998 and continues.



ZOË Hansen-DiBello, 22 – Youth Coordinator
Zoe Hansen-DiBello is from Providence, RI. She recently graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Maritime Studies. During college Zoe focused mainly on fisheries management and policy. Although she discovered quickly that working with youth in urban settings was vital to her happiness in a career pursuing environmental and social justice. Zoe took on the position as Youth Coordinator for Bioneers by the Bay in May, and is already inspired and motivated by the positive energy brought forth by this years Youth Committee. In her spare time Zoe enjoys spending time in both nature and the city. She enjoys salsa dancing and watching live music, no matter how local or famous the artist. Zoe is looking forward to incorporating the newly discovered 2009 youth committee flavor to this years Youth Initiative!



Dereck Hunt, 17
Dereck joined Bioneers by the Bay Youth Committee after attending a meeting held at 3rd Eye Unlimited, a non-profit organization for which he currently works for. Dereck will be a entering his sophmore at New Bedford High this Fall. He is passionate about music and writes often. Although Dereck is new to the Youth Committee he brings with him a hunger for learning, and passion for connecting with new people that’s contagious.



FRANCES Jennings, 16
My name is Frances Jennings, and I’m a sophomore at Tabor Academy. I’ve grown up with environmentalism and it’s something I’m passionate about, so I’m very much looking forward to being part of this committee. One day I hope to go in politics to work with some of the barriers our society still has with environmentalism and social issues. There are really tons of things that I’m interested in, but I’d have to say that my favorite activity is just experiencing the world. Meeting new people, doing things I never imagined doing, and finding myself in places that surprise me.






KALIA Lydgate, 24
Kalia grew up in Santa Cruz, CA and at an early age fell in love with the tide pools and Redwoods. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 2007 with a degree in Social Ecology. She has been the Youth Coordinator for the Marion Institute for the past two years and is now very excited to be moving into a new position as the Director of the Green Jobs, Green Economy initiative, a new program of the Marion Institute. She will work closely with the City of New Bedford and Community Organizations to make the most of stimulus funding for green jobs. She’ll also continue the work she’s been doing with the MA Green Jobs Coalition (MAGJC), which she co-founded in 2008. She is interested in doing things differently and is motivated by both frustration and hope. She thinks that there is nothing more powerful than hope. Her main interest is in bridging the gap between social justice and sustainability movements and using creative self-expression to fuel the movement. Kalia has studied ecology and conservation in Madagascar and Guyana, taught sustainability through hip hop to New Bedford youth, and in the in between moments does spoken word, salsa dancing, and other random creative ventures. She is thrilled to be working with such an astounding group of young people to plan this year’s Youth Initiative!


SHAKILA McKnight, 17
Shakila McKnight is a 17 year old high school senior born and raised in New Haven, CT. She has been involved in the nonprofit, youth development program Solar Youth Inc. since its founding in 2000 by Joanne Sciulli and Heather Gilbert. Not only did she help in the creation of Solar Youths by-laws, but she also helped to fill out 501c3 papers for the program. She is currently on the Board of Directors and is an intern at one of the many inner city schools that Solar Youth works with. Shakila attended the 2007 Bioneers by the Bay conference and really enjoyed it. She greatly appreciates the opportunity she has to help plan this year’s conference.


YORMAN Nunez, 20
A young Dominican immigrant, Yorman grew up in the Northwest Bronx, organizing young people around the issues that affect them. A strong voice in the sustainable development, Yorman found his passion in organizing to ensure development projects that were approved in his community were sustainable and provided living wage jobs to local residents. As a young person, Yorman continues to motivate young people throughout the city to take stronger roles in the movement to make our communities more sustainable. Yorman is currently running for a political office in his local community in an effort to work with leaders to more effectively address issues around jobs, housing, and environmental sustainability.



MEGAN Perez, 16
Megan was born in Florida and moved to New Bedford three years ago. She’s always lived by the ocean and loves to watch the waves lap the shore. When she was old enough, she realized she wanted to help the ocean and its inhabitants. She spends her days when she isn't in shop, writing and reading. Though she tries to learn guitar, she sounds worse and worse every day. With the Bioneers she's met new people and had a different outlook on the environment. Though it's her first year volunteering, she plans on continuing to work with the Bioneers.






MATT Pimental, 19
My name is Mathew Gil Pimental, I’m 19 years old and was born and raised in New Bedford MA. I am currently a student at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High school and studying my dream of Environmental Science & Technology. As of now, I work for The Trustees of Reservations – they protect land all over Massachusetts. But what I want to do with my education is become either a conservation officer or an environmental lawyer. My biggest reason why I want to help with Bioneers by the Bay is that we need to change our ways of living but also to just help the people that come to our conference and to get them to see that we are trying to really connect for a change.




KARENA Prescott, 16
Karena Prescott is a sophomore at Greater New Bedford Voc Tech and is in the Environmental Science and Technology shop. She loves music, basketball, and trying new experiences. She loves animals and the environment and would love to make a difference. She likes to help people and have fun doing it! She can't wait till the next Bioneers conference!









KELLY Rebeiro
Kelly L.E. Rebeiro is continuing to take all the steps necessary to establish a user friendly and credible body of work that will infuse her transformational philosophies into the growing vanguard of education reform, public policy, youth development, and sustainability. Her two guiding principles are equity and fostering life-long learning. These core values led her to become one of the founding members of The ESHU2 Collective(education should help us), an organization that is responsible for creating a national pilot for community education as a profession. This model was adopted by YouthBuild USA and resulted in training youth consultants nationwide. She currently serves this grassroots network as Co-Founder/Creative Director. In this capacity she develops curricula, facilitates courses, and advises organizational development. Her experiences in education have depth and breadth and position her to offer critical insights to educators in all fields. She has been highly involved in institutional reform as a leader within Edison Schools and Rocket Learning in the cities of New York and Miami. Since her graduation from Rutgers University with a dual degree in psychology and communications, she has worked extensively in the fields of artistic expression both as a dancer for the noteworthy Mark Morrison and in many facets of the film and music industry with the likes of Spike Lee and Sean Coombs. She has taken her direct experiences in this field and is translating them into her work as part of a cohort under The Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington D.C., considering how to effectively integrate fine arts into the traditional education. She is currently enrolled at The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth studying public policy at the master degree level. As part of her studies, she is actively engaged in community development and working to incorporate local leadership in the underserved and underrepresented populations such as the poor and the young. Her avid interests include applying mind/body science to create holistic educational experiences and stimulating environmental activism and sustainability.


EMILYMARI Rodriguez, 17
My name is Emilymari Rodriguez and I’m 17 years old. I was born in Puerto Rico and I decided to move to New Bedford, Massachusetts. I’m currently a senior at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School dedicating my time, effort, and passion through the career major program Environmental Science and Technology. After I graduate, I will be attending the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to major in Biology and minor in Environmental Technology. I’ve always loved to help the environment and come together as a team to make our environment clean and sustainable for years to come. This is my second year volunteering in the youth committee at the Bioneers by the Bay. Being part of the Bioneers by the Bay has taken a big part throughout my life to continue innovating people to connect for change as an energetic resource and strong endeavors to enjoy our planet as clean and green as it can be.


ELIZA Sherpa, 16
Eliza lives in rural Ithaca, NY and attends the Lehman Alternative Community School, a democratic high-school. Her school has a commitment to service learning and she has been working at a 4H after-school program for young Burmese refugees. She hopes to take a trip in the coming months to work in an underprivileged urban school to gain a different cultural perspective. Her interests in social justice issues and sustainability have grown throughout the years and she is excited to be part of this committee to educate others. She attended Bioneers By the Bay in 2008 with a school group and then went to DC for Powershift ’09, and has been truly inspired. She hopes to pursue biology and environmental studies in college and is exploring interests in sustainable agriculture and sustainable design. Currently she is volunteering in a plant genetics lab at Cornell to learn about the biological aspects of agriculture. She would eventually like to take her study of environmental sustainability and use it to move towards justice and equality in impoverished areas, especially through the emerging green economy. She loves animals and has had a host of exotic pets, but currently her animal family consists of three dogs. She is fascinated by architecture, loves photography, and is a bit of a freak about healthy food, including local and organic produce.


LINDSEY Wahlstrom, 23
Lindsey is the Programs Associate at PCI-Media Impact in New York. PCI-Media Impact uses the power of storytelling and media to promote social justice, especially in the areas of health and gender equality. The Minnesota native holds degrees in International Relations and Journalism and has worked with a variety of social justice organizations. After receiving her undergraduate degrees from Boston University, she spent time in Ecuador and Bolivia researching the relationship between extractive industries and social movements. Additionally, she has spent time collaborating with indigenous populations in Navajo Nation, India, New Zealand, Mexico and Peru. Lindsey most recently worked with youth to promote educational equity in New York City public schools.


REBECCA Wolfson, 25
Born in Pawtucket and raised in Upstate New York, Becca recently made her triumphant return to New England after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Biology from the University of Rochester. Since then she has worked as both an active AmeriCorps service member as well as the current Outreach and Education Coordinator for the environmental AmeriCorps Cape Cod program. Becca's personal and professional interests in "anything green" have grown to encompass the research and pursuit of sustainable energy, organic gardening, not to mention the perfect bike route. She went to her first Bioneers by the Bay conference 3 years ago, and the weekend's speakers and events moved her. She is excited to be a part of the transitional experience for all of this year's conference participants!


Osvaldo Velasquez, 16
Ozzy decided to join the Bioneers by the Bay Youth Committee through his employment at 3rd Eye Unlimited, a non-profit organization that promotes social change through hip-hop. Ozzy will be a freshman at New Bedford High in the Fall. Ozzy is full of energy and is not shy by any means. During the Youth Committee Summer Retreat Ozzy made everyone laugh, and showcased his dance moves which no doubt impressed everyone…come to Bioneers tby the Bay to see more.


Please click HERE to view the 2008 Youth Committee.