Author Bios

Meena Miriam Yust is an attorney based in Chicago, Illinois, with a special interest in the environment.

David Anderson Hooker is a professor of conflict transformation and peace building at Notre Dame. 

Marco Thimm-Kaiser is an assistant research scientist at the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health at New York University and a Master’s student at the City University of …

Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos is a professor and founder of the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health. He is licensed as a clinical social worker and nurse practitioner with …

Heidi Schultheis is a policy analyst for the Poverty to Prosperity Program at the Center for American Progress. Follow her on Twitter: @H_Schultheis.

Porshéa Patterson is the public opinion research associate for The Opportunity Agenda, a social justice communication lab in New York. She consults with allies in the field to identify …

Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin (she, her, hers) is co-founder of the People of the Global Majority in the Outdoors, Nature, & Environment Summit , an Earth Island project which convenes Black, …

Kevin Morris is a quantitative researcher with the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, focusing on voting rights and elections. His research focuses on the impact of …

Claudia Torrisi is an Italian freelance journalist focused on social issues such as migration and civil rights. She writes monthly features for openDemocracy. Follow her on Twitter: @clatorrisi.

Mason Adams wrote this article for YES! Magazine. Mason has covered Blue Ridge and Appalachian communities since 2001. He lives in Floyd County, Virginia, with his family, goats, chickens, dogs, and cats.