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Genea Foster
Environmental Justice, Climate Resilience, & Community Planning
Genea Foster is an accomplished urban planner and environmental justice organizer based in Brooklyn, New York. As the Director of Climate Resilience and Land Use at Groundwork USA, Genea brings a wealth of experience in environmental justice, city planning, land use, community development, and equity.1
Background and Expertise
Genea is a New York City native with Afro-Caribbean ancestry, which has shaped their deep commitment to environmental and social justice.1 They hold a Master's in City Planning from MIT and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Wellesley College.6
Professional Experience
Throughout their career, Genea has worked extensively with youth, communities of color, and municipalities to promote:
- Environmental justice
- Climate resiliency
- Health equity
- Food sovereignty
Their approach involves community-based planning, organizing, and popular education.1
Notable Roles
- Director of Climate Resilience and Land Use at Groundwork USA (current position)
- Project Development Coordinator at NYC Department of Parks & Recreation's GreenThumb program (Sep 2018 - Jan 2021)
- Board Member at Alternatives for Community and Environment (Oct 2015 - Oct 2018)1
Key Contributions
At GreenThumb, Genea coordinated an interagency partnership between NYC Parks and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to provide technical assistance to 50 NYCHA community gardens across the five boroughs.1
Genea has also been involved in various initiatives focused on:
- Community-led planning
- Industrial retention
- Green jobs
- Mitigating displacement and gentrification1
Recent Activities
Genea is actively engaged in sharing their expertise through webinars and presentations. They have recently presented on topics such as:
- Connections between redlining, brownfields, and climate resilience23
- The role of anti-displacement and placekeeping in equitable development4
- Innovative land reuse solutions for parks, playgrounds, urban farms, and affordable housing5
Genea Foster's diverse background and extensive experience make them a valuable contributor to the fields of climate resilience, land use, and environmental justice.
Highlights
A few years ago, I organized with the Sunset Park community to defend the largest industrial walk-to-work community along Brooklyn's waterfront from gentrification and displacement. The documentary, Emergent City, chronicles this struggle and is having it's world premiere at the TriBeca Film Festival this week. Check it out!
If you’ve ever thought about tackling a land revitalization project but didn’t know how to get started, Groundwork USA's Brownfield Curious webinar series is for you! In this three-part webinar series, we’ll help demystify the brownfield land reuse process for nonprofits and understand how brownfields can help you meet community priorities.
✅ In our first webinar of the year, unlock the untapped potential of brownfield redevelopment in Unearthing Potential of Brownfields for Environmental Justice, February 7th, 2-3 pm EST | 11 am PT
✅ This webinar will cover the strategic redevelopment of brownfield sites into community assets and how this can align with your organization's work. You will learn about innovative and creative land reuse solutions, from parks to playgrounds, urban farms, and affordable housing, that tackle critical mission-driven issues like food security, climate adaptation, and anti-displacement.
If your organization is interested in learning more about how brownfield revitalization can contribute to the well-being of your community, register today! 👇
