GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Multicultural BRIDGE will host its Earth Day 2026 celebration on Wednesday, April 22, at Solidarity House, marking both the opening of the growing season and the next phase of its Solidarity Farm & Garden at April Hill.

 

This year's gathering brings together state leaders, regional partners, and community members to advance a shared vision for environmental justice, food sovereignty, and climate resilience in the Berkshires.

 

Gwendolyn VanSant, CEO and founding director of BRIDGE, will moderate the panel with Lina Maria Polo Caijao. Panelists include Betsy Harper, chief of the Environmental Protection Division in the Attorney General's Office; 

Elizabeth Cardona, community engagement manager for the state Department of Environmental Protection; and Charles Redd, DEI officer with Berkshire Health Systems.

 

After five years of growing at the Great Barrington Fairgrounds, BRIDGE's Solidarity Farm has supported the development of a strong cohort of community growers. As part of this next phase, several Solidarity growers are now ready to expand beyond community plots into more independent, production-oriented farming.

 

The April Hill site in South Egremont represents the next evolution of this work, building on the World Farmers' Flats Mentor Farm model in Lancaster and adapting it for the Berkshire context of BIPOC emerging farmers. Partnering with Greenagers in a values-aligned effort across constituencies, trainings and agricultural resources.

 

This expansion includes new grower plots supporting transition to independent farming; expanded mutual aid and community distribution capacity; culturally specific crop cultivation; integration of climate-resilient agricultural practices, and youth engagement 

 

April Hill serves as a partner hub in the first year with expanded plots to meet urgent food security needs, supporting growers as they evolve our community-based growing model toward long-term land access, increased food sovereignty and economic sustainability.