Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit
October 17-18
The 19th Annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference:
A Bioneers Pollinators Event
McNichols Campus
4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221
Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Celebrating Our Interdependence
Be a positive force in our earth community
The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit (GLBD) 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. Read the press release.
Register today
Use the links below to register to attend, support or exhibit at the GLBD Conference.
Attendees
Attendees will learn about environmental challenges, share with us the joy of community and join with others for positive change. Attendees should use one of the following registration forms. (See forms for fees.)
Registration:
- School/class groups – School groups with teachers and chaperones should use the School/Class Registration form.
- General attendees – Other attendees, including University of Detroit Mercy students, faculty and staff; students from other universities and colleges; conference presenters and GLBD Committee Members should use the General Registration form.
Schedule:
- Find the complete complete program schedule, which includes panels, tours, sessions and session descriptions.
Exhibitors, vendors and sponsors
Area businesses and organizations that share our commitment to sustainability can directly reach more than four hundred participants who share your interests! Please submit one of the following forms.
Donors
Whether you're passionate about conservation or social justice, your support helps create a brighter, more sustainable future.
Committee
The GLBD Conference Committee has chosen the co-chairs for its 2024 conference.
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Conference Schedule
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General Registration
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School/Class Registration
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Exhibitor/Vendor
As an area business/organization that shares our commitment to sustainability, we invite you to support the 19th Annual GLBD Conference, a Bioneers Pollinators Event, Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Celebrating Our Interdependence. Join us as an exhibitor/vendor and directly reach over four hundred participants who share your interests. University of Detroit Mercy is continuing to provide the planning and hosting of the conference. Your contribution will help support the conference and the scholarship fund
EXHIBITOR/VENDOR SPACE Level Benefits $25
- Two-day Exhibitor/Vendor table (table provided)
- Table set-up by 9:00 am Thurs., Oct. 17 thru 5:00 pm Fri., Oct. 18
- Includes one (1) full two-day registration
$10
- Shared table space for brochures and fliers
- Materials must be dropped off at the conference by 9:00 am Thurs., Oct. 17 and pick up what’s not distributed by 5:00 pm Fri., Oct. 18
Conference Registration
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Become a Sponsor
As an area business/organization that shares our commitment to sustainability, we invite you to support the 19th Annual GLBD Conference, a Bioneers Pollinators Event, Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Celebrating Our Interdependence. Join us as a sponsor and directly reach over four hundred participants who share your interests. University of Detroit Mercy is continuing to provide the planning and hosting of the conference. Your sponsorship will help support the conference and the scholarship fund.
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS Level Benefits $100
- Signage at event and on webpage
- One (1) one-day registration OR Exhibitor table.
$250
- Signage at event and on webpage
- One (1) full two-day registration AND Exhibitor table
$500
- Signage at event and on webpage
- Two (2) full two-day registrations AND Exhibitor table.
$1,000
- Signage at event and on webpage
- Three (3) full two-day registrations AND Exhibitor table
$2,000
- Signage at event and on webpage
- Five (5) full two-day registrations AND Exhibitor table
Conference Registration
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Make a Donation
Our conference is a platform for sustainability, social justice, and community resilience, bringing together activists, innovators, and change-makers to inspire positive change. Your generous contributions directly support our efforts to bring our area an affordable conference promoting environmental stewardship, equity, and empowerment. Whether you're passionate about conservation or social justice, your support helps create a brighter, more sustainable future. Thank you for considering a donation to the Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit 2024 Conference, where together, we can make a meaningful impact.
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2024 Co-Chairs
The co-chairs and the conference planning committee are working on the annual fall conference which will be held Oct. 17-18 in the Student Union Ballroom on 黑料社’s McNichols Campus.
Anita Jones is a former Dentist turned Massage Therapist and Reiki Practitioner. She has presented a story-sharing Learnshop at Bioneers Detroit for several years. Since 2012, she has co-organized an annual Mother's Day event, Women Walking Woodward for Peace inspired by Julia Ward Howe. She participated in the Wisdom Institute's Passing the Torch, Preserving the Flame grant team, focalizing a Womanist praxis among BIPOC women. She was a 2021 Knight Arts Challenge winner for The Ron Allen Project in the capacity of Project Director. She is a longstanding member of Peace Action Michigan. Also known as Ruby Woods, she is a singer, song writer, poet and ritualist.
Theroi Riggins '09 works in outreach ministry to Detroit’s Pershing and Osborne schools. She is an alumna of University of Detroit Mercy, where she has been an adjunct faculty member and a doctoral candidate in the AG-CNS DNP program. She is the CEO of Grab Community Outreach Inc., a Detroit nonprofit that provides health promotion and preventative services to underserved communities. -
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Call for Proposals - CLOSED
The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference is thrilled to announce its call for proposals for presentations and workshops aimed at both youth and adults. We invite passionate individuals, experts, activists, and educators to join us in exploring the theme "Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Celebrating Our Interdependence" in the context of environmental sustainability, social justice, and community resilience.
The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference serves as a platform for thought-provoking discussions, innovative ideas, and actionable solutions. This year, we aim to delve deep into the interconnectedness between humanity and nature, recognizing that our well-being is intricately linked to the health of the planet.
We are seeking proposals that address the following key areas:
- Environmental Stewardship: Presentations and workshops that explore sustainable practices, conservation efforts, biodiversity conservation, and regenerative agriculture.
- Social Justice: Sessions that examine the intersectionality between environmental issues and social justice, including topics such as environmental racism, indigenous rights, and equitable access to resources.
- Community Resilience: Workshops focused on building resilient communities through grassroots initiatives, sustainable urban development, climate adaptation strategies, and disaster preparedness.
- Youth Empowerment: Engaging and interactive sessions designed specifically for youth, empowering them to become environmental stewards, changemakers, and leaders in their communities.
- Arts and Culture: Presentations that utilize art, music, storytelling, and other creative mediums to inspire environmental activism, foster connections with nature, and promote cultural appreciation.
Submission Guidelines:
- Proposals should clearly align with the conference theme and one or more of the key areas outlined above.
- Presentations and workshops should be interactive, engaging, and inclusive, fostering dialogue and collaboration among participants.
- Preference will be given to proposals that offer innovative approaches, practical solutions, and diverse perspectives.
- Proposals must include a title, abstract (100 words or less), outline of activities or topics to be covered, target audience, and brief bio(s) of the presenter(s).
- Proposals should indicate whether they are intended for youth (ages 12-18), adults, or both.
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2024
Please submit your proposals online at
All submissions will be reviewed by our organizing committee, and selected presenters will be notified by June 30. Accepted presenters will receive complimentary registration for the conference.
Join us in catalyzing positive change and celebrating our interconnectedness with nature at the Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference. Together, let's ignite a revolution from the heart of nature!
For inquiries or more information, please contact Yvonne King at glbd@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1762.
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."
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: or
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.
- A note of thanks for the 2023 Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference, which would not be possible without the help of so many.
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:
- 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: or -
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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 and .
WXYZ Detroit Spotlight on the News with Chuck Stokes
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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 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,
- Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network,
- Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice,
- Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen,
- Eastern Market,
- Erma Leaphart
- James and Grace Lee Boggs Center,
- Marian High School,
- Michigan Environmental Council,
- Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance,
- MSU-Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning, and Innovation,
- People’s Water Board,
- River Raisin Institute
- Shiffman Foundation
- Sisters IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office,
- 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,
- Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
- Fund for Equal Justice
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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,
- Congregation of St. Joseph,
- Detroit Black Community Food Security Network,
- Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice,
- Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen,
- Eastern Market,
- James and Grace Lee Boggs Center,
- Marian High School,
- Michigan Environmental Council,
- Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance.
- MSU Center for Regional Food Systems,
- People’s Water Board,
- River Raisin Institute,
- Shiffman Foundation
- Sierra Club of Michigan,
- Sisters IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office,
- Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team
- Voices 4 Earth Justice,
- 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)
- : 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.”
- : 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.
- : 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.
- : School of Law Associate Dean of Experiential Education Nicholas J. Schroeck speaks on "Environmental Justice, Climate Change, and Public Engagement.
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2019 Conference
Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering & Science hosted the 15th Annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit (GLBD) Conference titled “The Planet will Survive. Will We?” Oct. 25-26, 2019, on the McNichols Campus.
This event brought together hundreds of high school students, teachers, university faculty and organizational leaders to discuss the environment and changes. Additionally, attendees received opportunities to ponder and discuss many questions about the environment, such as whether or not the planet and human race will exist in the future, given the impact of global warming.
Bill McKibben, one of the nation’s leading environmental activists, presented a pre-recorded keynote address titled “Changing the Climate: What We’ve Learned in the Last 30 Years.” He is a scholar of Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and author of The End of Nature (1989), the first book for general audiences about climate change. He is also the founder of 350.org, the first planet-wide, grassroots climate change movement. For his work, he has won the Right Livelihood Award, Gandhi Prize and Thomas Merton Prize.
Conference participants heard from Ed Whitfield, a social critic, writer and community activist, as well as co-managing director of the Fund for Democratic Communities. Originally from Little Rock, Ark., Whitfield’s political activism began when he attended Little Rock Central High School and engaged in the anti-war protest as a teenager. Today, he speaks and writes on issues of cooperatives and economic development, and continues to study issues of war and peace, as well as education and social responses to racism. He serves on the boards of the New Economy Coalition, The Working World and the Southern Reparations Loan Fund.
The conference also presented nine plenary speakers from the national Bioneers conference, as well as the following tours:
- Southwest Detroit Eco-D Neighborhood Tour
- Eastside: From growing our economy to growing our souls
- Water is Life—Lila Cabbil Memorial Tour
- The Natural History of Palmer Parks Witherell Woods
- Green living Science Tour
- Forest Therapy at Palmer Park
The conference hosted a local panel titled “Urban Greening: People, Environment, Power!" Panelists included Oday Salim, Donna Givens, Nick Schroeck, Rev. Joan Ross, Joel Howrani Heeres and Victor Carmona.
The 15th annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference: “The Planet Will Survive. Will We?” was sponsored by:
- University of Detroit Mercy,
- Adrian Dominican Sisters,
- James and Grace Lee Boggs Center,
- Congregation of St. Joseph,
- Detroit Black Community Food Security Network,
- Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice,
- Earthworks Urban Farm/Capuchin Soup Kitchen,
- Eastern Market Corporation,
- Environmental Interpretive Center,
- Madonna University,
- Marian High School,
- Michigan Environmental Council,
- Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance.
- MSU Center for Regional Food Systems,
- River Raisin Institute,
- Sierra Club,
- Sisters IHM Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office,
- SW Detroit Environmental Vision,
- Voices 4 Earth Justice,
- Zachary and Associates,
- Zero Waste Detroit,
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2018 News Coverage
Past news coverage