Mushrooms are revolutionizing our food system, the building blocks of our society, and our very understanding of consciousness. Our mission is to bring people together from all walks of life to educate about these gifts of nature and build a more sustainable world

We do this by hosting forages, festivals, and feasts across the Northeastern United States and beyond

2020

2021

2022

2025

2024

Volunteers hold first video call to contact Somerville City Councilors together after meeting via LinkedIn

We successfully pass our first measure in Somerville, which becomes the first city to decriminalize mushrooms east of the Mississippi. Shortly thereafter, we decriminalize Cambridge too

Our group successfully ended arrests for growing and sharing mushrooms in Northampton in April and again in Easthampton in October

As pandemic measures loosen, we began holding in-person cook outs and grow trainings

Bay Staters events grow in scope with its Party Against Imperialism and Plant Medicine Palooza, bringing hundreds of people into our growing, decentralized education movement

We successfully pass a measure in Worcester, the second largest city in New England, as well as Amherst

2023

Our coalition files eight state bills to legalize psychedelic treatments, allow home growing, and roll back the "War on Drugs," building on our legacy as the first to ever file such legislation in Massachusetts in 2021

We successfully pass a measure in Salem, securing the right to grow and share mushrooms in our sixth city. This is shortly followed by successfully passing our coalition measure in Portland, Maine and Berkeley, California as well

Bay Staters Festivals and Forages continue to grow and we officially recieve notice of our nonprofit status

We successfully pass another measure in Medford, decriminalizing our tenth community across the U.S.

Bay Staters officially celebrates its 100th event, commemorating four years of bringing together over 5,000 people to learn about plant medicines & nature

Bay Staters launches its facilitator network, mentoring thousands in the safe and reverent use of plant medicine

Our Timeline

James, Board Chair, MPA

As a citizen scientist, James cofounded Bay Staters to accelerate education that will improve the sustainability of our food, our roads, our homes, and our healing. His professional background is in economics and public policy, and he loves playing blues guitar, learning Mandarin Chinese, learning Spanish, and watching classic and foreign films

As a mom to two kiddos, Megan joined Bay Staters to build a more sustainable and healthful world. A long-time advocate for survivors and foster care youth, after growing up in that system, she has successfully co-led efforts to improve services for at-risk youth. She loves playing with her cat, hiking, dancing, and asking AI about the meaning of it all

A debate educator, Tyler joined the Bay Staters Board to help build a sustainable future for youth. In his work out of Taipei Taiwan, he has helped introduce innovative cash transfer policies similar to Universal Basic Income. He loves reading self-help books, dancing with friends, travelling the world, and finding cheap, delicious, and nutritious eats

A Chilean muralist and fine artist, Colomba helps lead Bay Staters to protect our ecosystems and all the animals who call our planet home. She loves plant-based cooking and baking, hosting thrift and clothing swaps, growing oyster mushrooms, listening to psychedelic rock, and painting endangered species

Our Board

Megan, Board Advisor

Tyler, Board Member, PhD

Colomba, Comms Director