Jada Imani is a Hip Hop artist and community curator involved in environmental justice and social activism. Influenced by the rich traditions of Black American music, her catalog speaks to the insights of liberatory thinkers. With roles as a Creative Organizing Coordinator at Youth vs Apocalypse and a board member at BAY-Peace, Jada’s journey in community engagement began at the age of 15 creating inclusive spaces at events like Oakland’s First Fridays and the Life is Living Festival. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Jada lends her insights to program design for the Bioneers Conference where she plays a role in planning and executing transformative initiatives. Jada is committed to transformative solutions and to uplifting the voices of young activists.

Kayla Douglas, a local activist and creative entrepreneur, is a queer woman who currently occupies the land of the Kumeyaay people but was born and raised on Ohlone territory. Her love for nature and community has led her to work with a variety of nonprofits. As a Co-Coordinator for the Bioneers Youth Leadership and Education Program with Weaving Earth, Kayla is excited to co-host the Bioneers Youth Program. 

Orientation Poets:

Brandon Gagante (he/him) is a Filipino American storyteller born and raised in San Jose. He works at YouthSpeaks as a teaching artist, has hosted Lyricist Lounge and the student-centered open mic at USF. Brandon is also an independent Director and Filmmaker under the name of Kuya B. The stories he creates illustrate everything he carries with him, the lessons he learned, his people, his culture, his intentions in life, and more. He writes in the way he wishes to live: without fear.

Zara Jamshed (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, disabled Pakistani-American poet from NYC living in the East Bay. Their debut full-length poetry collection Neither Created Nor Destroyed was a semifinalist for the Pamet River Prize and a finalist for the Stories Award for Poetry, and is available with Game Over Books. Putting their engineering degree to use, Zara currently works to bring the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy to California’s low-income renters.

Gabriel Cortez is a poet, educator, and organizer. His work has appeared in The New York Times, National Public Radio, The Rumpus, and The Breakbeat Poets Anthology Volume 4. He is a VONA fellow, #BARS workshop alum, Palette Poetry Emerging Poet finalist, and recipient of the YBCA Creative Corps and Judith Lee Stronach Baccalaureate Prizes.

Gabriel is the inaugural poet in residence of The Ecology Center in Berkeley, California, where he uses poetry and arts education to uplift local legacies of resistance rooted in climate justice and food sovereignty. Gabriel is a member of the artist collective, Ghostlines, and co-founder of The Root Slam, an award-winning poetry venue dedicated to inclusivity, justice, and artistic growth, as well as Write Home, a project working to challenge public perceptions of houselessness and shift critical resources to houseless Bay Area youth through poetry and arts programming.

Sammy Gensaw III, a dynamic young Yurok leader, will share some of his experiences working for ecological and cultural revival along the Klamath River, central to his people’s identity and livelihood. He’ll discuss how the epic struggle to remove destructive dams required drawing deeply from ancestral wisdom, modern science, and cutting-edge activism, and how Indigenous leadership can play a central role in rekindling our connections to land and water and ushering in a restorative, resilient future for all of us.

In this hands-on art-making workshop, we will engage in the creation of a Singing Tree Mural from start to finish during the conference. No one knows what it will look like in the end, as we will practice “emergent wisdom” together. It will be the 131st Singing Tree mural of a forest of trees, joining a legacy of some 23,500 people from 52 countries. The mural is part of an invitation for the whole world to make a painting together, which had its origins in the vision of an 8-year-old girl. The workshop will also include information about the neurobiological aspects of the eco-based “Peace Building Through Art Inspired by Nature” program. Paint clothes will be provided. Hosted by Laurie Marshall, founder of Unity Through Creativity Foundation and The Singing Tree Project. With Singing Tree Mural facilitators, Leslie Rein and Fernanda Lugo.

Restorative Justice is a philosophy, a movement, and a body of practice that offers a radically different model of a society’s justice system, one based not on retaliation and vengeance but on healing, transformation, mending broken relationships and maintaining positive, healthy relationships. Come explore and discuss what we can do to help make this fundamental shift in the way our society views and does justice. Restorative Justice healing circles will be facilitated by RJOY (Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth).

Bioneers is inherently a community of mentors—people eager to learn, share, explore and create together. The “Community of Mentors” space at Bioneers is an intergenerational container that offers youth the opportunity to be in small group mentoring sessions with Bioneers presenters. The presenters will share their life experience in an interactive dialogue with youth who are seeking guidance on their path to activism.

We are thrilled to welcome Nikola Alexandre to the Community of Mentors space this year. Nikola’s work and experience touches many areas that are of critical importance to young people today. We welcome all interested youth to come join the conversation with your thoughts, questions and curiosities. Co-hosted by David Hage of Weaving Earth.

True to a rainbow, queerness carries a spectrum of perspectives, with many gradients of experience. Alongside the inherited magic and joy of our liberated identities, we are often also moving with our wounds, questions, thoughts, and processes that can be challenging to navigate alone. This space is dedicated to providing a sanctuary for discussions, witnessing and peer support as we seek to work through who and with whom we are. Come as you are to speak, be heard and to hear, so we can make medicine for each other in the shared journey of being queer. This space is dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ experience and those respectfully honoring that intention. Hosted by Orion Camero, former Brower Youth Award winner and Spiritual Ecology Fellow.

Whether you are gay, bi, or lesbian, transgender or two-spirit, or adjacent allies supporting us to thrive, our shared lineage makes for a vibrant garden of beings that mutually support our growth and blooming. This gathering is designed for celebratory self-expression through performances with participation. Come take part and witness the spells cast for wellness for the queer community through food + drink, song, dance and connection in a night celebrating our unique roles in liberation. This is a space dedicated for LGBTQ2SIA+ folx, but allies are welcome. Hosted by Orion Camero, former Brower Youth Award winner and Spiritual Ecology Fellow; and Ruby Kaur, transdisciplinary artist and healer working at the intersections of ecology, community, wellness, somatic (re)connection to nature, and seva (selfless service).