Reverend Mariama White-Hammond

Rev. Mariama White-Hammond is an advocate for ecological & social justice, youth engagement, and Spirit-filled organizing. Rev. Mariama is the founding pastor of New Roots AME Church in Dorchester. New Roots is a multi-racial, multi-class community that is innovating new ways of being a church. Rev. Mariama is active in secular and interfaith justice efforts. In particular, she uses an intersectional lens in her ecological work, challenging folks to see the connections between immigration and climate change or the relationship between energy policy and economic justice.

Rev. Mariama also serves as the Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for the City of Boston after being appointed by the Wu administration in 2021. In this role, she is responsible for leading the Cabinet in achieving its mission of enhancing environmental justice and quality of life in Boston by protecting air, water, climate, and land resources, as well as preserving and improving the integrity of Boston's architectural and historic resources.

As the former director of Project HIP-HOP, she used the arts as a tool to raise awareness for social issues. Rev. Mariama was chosen as a Barr Foundation Fellow in 2009 for her role at Project Hip-Hop.