Diane Mora, CCC, CFCS-HNFS, MA Ed, is an award-winning educator, chef, and food system advocate who serves as Director of Programs and Education for Kids Feeding Kids, the education initiative of Pete’s Garden. Throughout her career, Diane has connected classrooms, communities, and food systems to empower young people to address real-world challenges through service, sustainability, and civic engagement.

​The 2019 Kansas City Public Schools Teacher of the Year and an internationally recognized culinary and education leader, Diane has helped students prepare and distribute tens of thousands of meals to families experiencing food insecurity and create systems solutions to prevent nutritious food from going to waste. Her work demonstrates the power of systems thinking, showing how education can connect environmental stewardship, community well-being, and meaningful action. Through inspiring stories and practical examples, Diane invites audiences to recognize the connections that unite us and the role educators play in creating lasting change.

As the temperature increases in our cities, climate disasters disrupt lives, and land is destroyed, there lies the fear of environmental doom. The work we do daily often feels like it is not enough. Despite it all we are still here! We will ground ourselves in the conference theme, “From Soil to the Stars–Systems Connect Us All”, reminding ourselves of a resilient environmental justice ecosystem of organizers, educators, funders, growers, stewards, advocates, lawyers, researchers, and engineers rooted in the collective care of Earth and each other. Amanda, Sunni and Nick will share organizational models that will guide attendees to reaffirm the collective values that drive action, reconnect with community, and reestablish hope.

Organization Background. Sow Joy Peoples Fund (SJPF) is a community-centered and led funding initiative supporting Black, Indigenous, people of color-led environmental justice grassroots organizations working on the frontlines in the St. Louis Metro and Metro East areas. The fund and its resources were originally stewarded by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary (FSM), a congregation dedicated to community service. Through their vision, this fund was created to foster a just culture of giving and shift power to the frontline. 

One of the SJPF’s grantees is Ujima, founded in 2018 by Nick Speed. Ujima is a St. Louis nonprofit service provider that creates equitable access to food, education and employment. They manage an urban farm, George Washington Carver Farms, created a holistic community for Black teenagers and young adults called The Sunflower Institute as well as address illegal dumping in North St. Louis city by cleaning up over 14,000 pounds of trash since 2021. Their vision is for North St. Louis to be a thriving community with access to quality food, sustainable agriculture, green infrastructure, housing, education, and employment.