The following are the invited speakers to present on the panel during the next installment of the Food Justice Series held at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, November 17, 2011. This month’s topic will be on Environment, Food, and Health.
Bernadine Prince Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, FRESHFARM Markets
Bernadine (Bernie) Prince is Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of FRESHFARM Markets, a nonprofit organization which operates 11 producer-only farmers markets in the mid-Atlantic region in 2011. She started the Food Stamp/Matching Dollars program and oversees the FoodPrints—local foods school program which just opened its Food Lab, a fully functional teaching kitchen that complements the edible garden and curriculum instruction for first, third and fourth graders at Watkins Elementary School in DC’s Ward 6. For the past seven years, Prince has also worked in Australia and New Zealand, where she helped set the standards for those countries’ farmers markets. She holds an honorary position on the board of Farmers’ Markets New Zealand, Inc. Prince was just elected President of the national Farmers Market Coalition in the USA.
Colin O’Neil Regulatory Policy Analyst, Center for Food Safety
Colin O’Neil is Regulatory Policy Analyst for the Center for Food Safety (CFS), a non-profit public interest organization that works to protect human health and the environment by curbing the proliferation of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture. Prior to joining CFS, Colin received his B.A. from Beloit College where he graduated magna cum laude. At CFS, Colin works on a wide range of policy issues related to genetic engineering, organic foods, biofuels, corporate accountability, climate change and food safety. Colin also works for CFS’ sister organization, The International Center for Technology Assessment, where he focuses on nanotechnology, synthetic biologic, and geoengineering.
Michele Roberts Campaign and Policy Coordinator, Environmental Advocates for Human Rights
Since 1990, Ms. Roberts has provided technical assistance and advocacy support to communities regarding the impacts of toxins on human health and the environment. Ms. Roberts is also a spoken word artist, who created Arts Slam @ SsAMS, a community-based arts program. Ms. Roberts received an M.A. from the University of Delaware (2000), and a B.S. in Biology from Morgan State University (1983). Ms. Roberts has co-authored reports on environmental justice issues. Her advocacy work has been featured in television, print news, and magazines.