There is an identifiable spirit that energizes the regenerative projects our Field Guide stories
describe, and it sets them apart from many other worthy endeavors to address societal
and environmental ills. That spirit was perhaps best expressed by Yorman Nunez of the
Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative, who, though unaware of our regenerative thesis,
articulated the critical distinction between resiliency and regenerativeness:
“Resiliency speaks to what we are doing in response to outside forces that are beating us
down. That may be necessary, but maybe building protections is not the best possible use
of our energy. Regeneration makes you think about the activities that get you through a real
healing process to a place of wellness. Because of the realities we live with, that is a much
harder proposition and process to go through… but necessary if we really want to get to a
point of true sustainability.”