Dennis Black is a dedicated community organizer and political operative born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, with a strong commitment to environmental justice, including work on water affordability, sustainability, and community solar.
Latia Leonard is the Justice 40 Program Manager with the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC). Latia holds passion in advocating for environmental justice, on issues of water access, affordability, just transition...
Chris Gilmer-Hill has been a part of the MEJC policy team since April 2024, and he was elected to the steering committee of the Environmental Justice Caucus in 2024.
Jumana Vasi, MS, is the Principal at JVasi Consulting, LLC. For seven years she has been helping nonprofits design and implement programs and strategies to take advantage of, and respond to, current political, social, and economic realities.
Anne Marie Hertl (she/they) joins the MEJC team leveraging a decade of non-profit experience working as an organizer and regional activist to support social justice movement building throughout the environmental sector in Michigan.
Ayanna-Grace (she/them) is an urban farmer by trade and organizer by passion. She has a diverse 10 year background in teaching, climate justice and social justice. Ayanna-Grace began her career as a teenage art teacher.
As MEJC’s communications associate, Xandr Brown (she/her) brings her years of experience as a hyperlocal reporter, multimedia producer, and artist to the role.
Kathryn Savoie (she/her) is veteran community organizer and has led a number of major health, human rights and environmental justice campaigns in the Detroit area over more than 30 years.
Pavan (he/him) comes to MEJC after almost a decade in nonprofit and government spaces, particularly focused around immigration, education and environmental advocacy.
Andrew Kaplowitz is an Ashkenazi Jew living in Wawiyaatanong (so-called Detroit). As Organizing Director at MEJC Andrew focuses on helping to build healthy communities for those most impacted by environmental injustice across Michigan.
Mikal is a public servant, community leader, and dedicated environmental justice organizer, who is thrilled to bring deep passion and experience to his role as Manager of the Michigan Alliance for Justice In Climate (MAJIC).
