Allison Gracia

they / them

Born and raised in southern California, Allison’s passion for creating community and caring for the environment guided them to the Bay Area where they attended UC Berkeley to study Environmental Economics and Policy. Unsatisfied with their courses that viewed the human relationship with nature through a lens of domination and extraction, Allison began seeking out spaces that uplift reciprocal relationships with the land. In this search, Allison took a position as a garden manager for the Berkeley Student Farms that introduced them to the concept of agroecology— a pedagogy of agriculture that views humans as a part of the natural ecology whereby indigenous and traditional knowledge systems are utilized to cultivate reciprocal relationships amongst humans and nature. It was here that Allison became passionate about land-based work, specifically that which involved food systems change through alternative methods of crop production. This led them to working and living on a farm after graduating; they lived in community and had hands-on experience in working with the land. 

With their love of working with children and experience as a youth water polo coach and caregiver, Allison knew their next step would be to  find work in environmental education with young folks. Thus, having the opportunity to work with Berkeley Forest School was one they eagerly accepted in order to continue expanding their own knowledge and facilitate a similar passion for the environment in their students!