Justina Thompson

Justina "Farmer J" Thompson is the Farm Education and Volunteer Manager at Urban Creators, Philadelphia, PA. Justina intentionally attended school in Philadelphia so she could “connect her passion and experience to the ongoing environmental justice work in the area.” As a speaker, educational curriculum designer, program leader, and community organizer, Justina possesses extensive knowledge on urban farming inspired to work in the field of environmental justice from a young age. Her first experiences with the food system started with her first job, running a farmer’s market in a neighborhood impacted by food apartheid with her peers as just the age of 13. From here, she was inspired by what she witnessed was possible through connecting community and fresh, affordable produce. She initially structured this passion through education, with a Dual Bachelor’s in Sustainability and Design from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. While studying, she served on the Student Sustainability Task Force, was the Resident Assistant for an intentional first-year hall focused on environmental consciousness and was even accepted to present at an International Conference on Sustainability Education in New Dehli, India. She also served as a Youth Environmental Educator at an urban farm in Albany, NY during the summers in between her studies. She’s taught high schoolers about co-working the land, maintaining greenhouses, turning compost, befriending chickens, and even learning about environmental design principles. This foundation served as the beginning of Justina’s passionately pursued knowledge on urban farming and environmental justice + sustainability practices. She currently facilitates educational programming for Philadelphia youth grades 1-12 and hosts seasonal fellowships to encourage immersion in urban agriculture in her current role.