Mr. Easterling is a founding member of Black Urban Growers (BUGs), a community-based group in NYC that annually produces the national Black Farmers & Urban Gardeners conference. Since 2008 he has helped to bring thousands of multidisciplinary stakeholders together for events that promote sustainable local development. He has worked as an educator, advisor and facilitator in urban agriculture projects in Ohio, New Jersey and New York City and as a consultant to projects nationwide.