Join us for our annual Summer Gathering on Friday, June 7, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center. Gather with fellow Catskills residents, newcomers, and visitors for an inspiring evening focused on envisioning a thriving future for our region. This year’s theme, The Future of the Catskills, will explore the pivotal role of diverse, inclusive communities, ecological awareness, and local agriculture in shaping our shared future.

The evening will unfold with a series of individual presentations by influential leaders in regional development, community engagement, and environmental stewardship, complemented by an engaging panel discussion. Attendees are invited to join the conversation during our question-and-answer session, which aims to deepen our collective understanding and commitment to the Catskills’ future.

We are proud to host three featured speakers who each embody the spirit of this year’s theme, The Future of the Catskills:

ESI LEWIS

Esi Lewis is an Ulster County native, born and raised in New Paltz by prominent local educators and activists. Her mother, Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis, was a pioneer of the Black Studies Department at SUNY New Paltz, and her father, David Lewis, a lifelong educator and former town board member. She attended Hampton University and Suffolk University Law School, then practiced law in New York City, including six years as an Assistant District Attorney in the Sex Crimes Bureau at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn. She also worked at HSBC Bank in the Financial Intelligence Unit before returning to New Paltz to engage in community work following the birth of her daughter. Lewis has been a prominent community leader in Ulster County, serving on the New Paltz Police Reform and Reinvention Committee and making history as the first Black member of the New Paltz Town Board in January 2022. In 2023, she was appointed Ulster County’s Chief Diversity Officer, a cabinet-level position in the County Executive’s Office.

IRIS FEN GILLINGHAM

Iris Fen Gillingham grew up on Wild Roots Farm, an off-grid regenerative farm in the Catskill Mountains. Iris became involved in climate justice work at the age of 9 when her community rose up against the threat of fracking. Between 2014 and 2019 she worked with Earth Guardians and helped launch the climate justice organization Zero Hour. Working with the Livingston Manor Summer School students in their garden, running internship programs, and hosting workshops on her family’s farm inspired her to found Gael Roots Community Farm. Iris wants to support people of all ages (especially young people) to build connections to their food, energy resources, and local ecology, with an emphasis on creating stronger relationships between themselves and the natural world. She is passionate about fostering collaboration and connection at Gael Roots. Iris attended SUNY Sullivan and received a degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic in Maine.

AMY BROWN-WHITE

Amy Brown-White supports established organizations that wish to shift their personal narratives and practices to become more equitable. She helps promote the breaking down of the beliefs and systems of people with threatened identities and researches those experiences for deeper understanding. She approaches her Anti-Racist work by examining each project individually and then crafts a unique program that organizations can continue to build on long after she has completed her work. Empathy and connection guide her work. Amy has consulted at various local schools and various organizations including Middleway School, Woodstock Day School and PAWS NYC. She is a two time Chronogrammie winner and will complete a leadership degree at Harvard University (HGSE) in 2026.

Summer Gathering

By Catskill Center for Conservation and Development

Summer Gathering

Join us for our annual Summer Gathering on Friday, June 7, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center.

Team Members