“How Individuals and Communities Can Promote Sustainability”

Earth Day 2015 Keynote Address by Amanda Edmonds, Mayor, City of Ypsilanti, and Founder, Growing Hope.

Amanda Maria Edmonds is an experienced, proactive leader for positive community change, with two decades of experience serving on and leading boards and organizations from local to national levels. She is the founder and executive director of Growing Hope, an eleven-year old nonprofit rooted in Ypsilanti dedicated to helping people improve their lives and communities through gardening and healthy food access. While her accomplishments through Growing Hope and its impact in Ypsilanti have been significant, her leadership experience goes well beyond this role.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Edmonds has lived in Michigan since the mid 1990s. She earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources & Environment, where she focused on environmental justice, policy, education, and behavior. She is passionate about social justice, and her life and career are guided by her drive to help people create thriving, diverse, and sustainable communities.