Mabari Byrd joins the Sierra Club Outdoors team as the Delaware Watershed Community Coordinator, based in Philadelphia. He'll facilitate activities that connect Philly youth and military / veteran communities to the Delaware River watershed through outdoor activities, experiential education and advocacy. We are super excited to have Mabari on the team. Please join us in gratitude.
Mabari is a Philadelphia native with a love for youth, the environment, outdoor recreation, and the citizens of his beloved city of “Brotherly Love.” He possesses a diverse and solid professional background in program development, youth development, environmental sustainability practices, volunteer management, project management, nature outings and community organizing as well. Having managed hundreds of community development, environmental stewardship and stormwater/watershed management projects across Philadelphia, Mabari takes pride in consistently providing a high quality project management experience that connects people of all backgrounds to the outdoors.
Mabari has a strong commitment to and positive perspective concerning promoting activities that can support the needs of the military community because three members of his family are veterans and and his fourth oldest brother is currently 15 years active duty in the US Army, having done 4 tours of duty in Iraq. Mabari understands the benefit and rich rewards that can come from spending time immersed in the beauty of the land that troops sacrifice daily to protect. It is vital to develop environmental opportunities and experiences for military personnel and their families.
His educational background is in Behavioral Science & Human Services, with a degree from Community College of Philadelphia and completed coursework in Temple University’s School of Social Work. His academic studies and the insights he gains from his studies fuel his passion and efforts towards advocacy for the improvement of employment outcomes for youth, effective mentoring and workforce development programs for minority males and females, and building capacity to effectively engage youth and community as partners. He is a representative/advocate for numerous social and environmental justice organizations/initiatives across the country.
He is an active member of the “My Brother’s Keeper Alliance” initiated by President Obama, and attended as a speaker on “Effective Mentoring Strategies,” at the 2013 inaugural conference in D.C. As a city representative of “Cities United,” a national movement focused on eliminating the violence in American cities related to African American men and boys, Mabari consistently provides workshops and participates on panels that advocate for better criminal justice laws and counseling resources for young men of color. Recently, he was selected to participate in SHIFT’s “Emerging Leaders Program” in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which convened “a gathering of rising stars (21 and older) who have distinguished themselves in the fields of outdoor recreation, outdoor education, land-management or conservation. These are just a few of the many causes that Mabari is passionate about and willing to dedicate his time to be a part of all in the name of trying to leave the world in better condition than when he found it.
Welcome!