Jester Jersey
Youth Vote Coordinator
Jester Jersey is an editor by trade and a passionate advocate for youth rights. He graduated from the University of California, Davis with a major in History and hopes to attend graduate school to earn his master’s degree. Jester has been a strong advocate of lowering the voting age to 16, having written op-eds in papers and has met with other like-minded supporters since high school. Based in the heart of California, Jester has always believed that young people deserve a voice and a vote for paying taxes, and for making positive contributions to their local communities. He says, “I’ve been paying taxes on money I’ve earned from work since I was 16. If you’re responsible enough to hold a job to save up for college, drive a car and have adult responsibilities, you deserve a vote”.
He has traveled the country several times to advocate lowering the voting age to 16, giving talks, advice and encouragement to other civically engaged young people. In 2015, Jester actually walked across the country, from New York City to San Francisco, to promote youth rights. In the summer of 2024, Jester moderated a panel of like-minded supporters of lowering the voting age to 16 at the prestigious Jonathan M. Tisch of Civic Life at Tufts University in the Boston suburb of Medford. The panel discussed the merits of Rep. Grace Meng’s House Joint Resolution 16(HRJ16) bill for lowering the federal voting age.
In November, Jester traveled to Brattleboro to host the Youth Vote Awareness Day event that he created and spoke at the town’s selectboard about the importance of the Youth Vote.
In his spare time, Jester likes to DJ (disc jockey) music: from vinyl to CDs to mp3s, mixing music of all genres, particularly electronic dance music (EDM). He also enjoys playing board games with friends family.
Jamie Mohr
former Board President
Jamie is a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker who has exhibited her work in Europe, South America, Australia and the U.S. She holds a Sustainable Development MA from SIT, A Masters from The New School in Documentary Studies and has studied Climate Change in the Arctic context at the University of Oslo, in preparation for her last film project sailing on a Tall Ship in Arctic Svalbard.
“With deep understanding of the convergence of social and environmental issues, BCS passionately brings immediacy into action.”
Marshall Patton
former Board Director
Marshall Patton is dedicated to feeding people. Whatever it takes to get food to people, he does it. He cooks, serves and distributes food to people almost every day. He’s been doing this for seventeen years.
Laura Grittman
former Board Director
“I’ve been an activist for my entire life, motivated first by JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Over time, that grew to be more inclusive, to, “Think globally, act locally.” I cannot remember a time when the Earth was not center, when I disregarded her, even if my ignorant actions contributed to hurting her.
“Toxic burning is one of three issues I’ve been addressing for the last decade in my very low socioeconomic neighborhood of the Confederate south. My current endeavor, Wonder Worm Woman Edible Insects, is testament to my foundational beliefs. I’ve worked with various organizations across the country in various efforts, from banning cars in Washington Park in Albany, NY, working with Dennis Banks to charge Ronald Reagan for crimes against indigenous peoples and the Earth, to organizing nationwide protests at the Nevada Test Site with WILPF and being one of thousands to be arrested in peaceful demonstrations of civil disobedience, to becoming the de facto shelter for stray dogs on the reservation in Hoopa, CA, and recently, soliciting funding for and writing 1,487 postcards to voters between 2017 and 2020.”
Kurt Daims
Director and Worker
Kurt worked for inventors and loved the ocean in San Francisco. In 2002 he came to Brattleboro with his family. He hopes to consolidate the power of the Left in town government and create an activist leftist town with a leftist agenda. He takes the credo “Think globally: act locally” for an aggressive, pragmatic grass-roots politics, which he believes is needed to save an endangered world.
Adam Marchesseault
Economic Researcher and Policy Analyst
Adam is an economic researcher based in Burlington, Vermont. He is primarily focused on public policy, including tax reform, social spending and income inequality, and sustainable development, with a background in ecological economics. He has worked on a number of BCS initiatives, including the S.A.F.E. Policing Project and the Wall Street Tax. Outside of BCS, he also works as an entrepreneur and independent consultant.
Mark Tully
Assistant
Mark is a community organizer and arts activist with backgrounds in CBO administration, youth leadership development, and Playback Theatre /Theatre of the Oppressed.
Dr. Jeanne Sutherland
Leadership Consultant
Jeanne Marie Sutherland has a PhD with a concentration in Ethical & Creative Leadership and a Master’s degree in Art Therapy / Special Education. As a change-agent in clinical, educational, and community settings, Dr. Sutherland’s professional experience has taken form in: individualized education (support in school, community, home-school); youth psychosocial development initiatives in collaboration with community organizations (Boys To Men Mentoring Network, CoMUNITY Project, Girls Circle curricula); Sirius Ecovillage Educational Center (consensus governance / permaculture / regenerative sustainability / nonviolent communication (NVC) / conflict transformation); and advocacy. With collaborative leadership and stewardship orientations, she has worked on steering committees and in community organizations to address emergent environmental, social, and political issues to co-create progressive and responsible results. Dr. Sutherland is also a visual artist, loves to dance Argentine Tango and Morris Dance, and plays the accordion.
Heather Urquhart
Researcher and Consultant
Heather is a social and political researcher based in Scotland. With a master’s degree in Human Geography, she is a competent qualitative and quantitative researcher, with a specialised interest in community engagement and the climate justice movement. She has experience contributing to a range of social and climate justice campaigns, as both an activist and researcher, and is currently working on the BCS S.A.F.E Policing Project.
Hannah Van Dusen
Paralegal Researcher
Hannah is a legal, social and political researcher based in Waterbury, Vermont. She has a degree in philosophy and several years experience as a paralegal. She is passionate about social justice and community political engagement. Outside of BCS, she currently works as an independent consultant.
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