CONSTELLATION OF LIVING MEMORIALS SYMPOSIUM

The Constellation of Living Memorials Symposium is a first-of-its-kind gathering that unites leaders in conservation, education, public policy, and community engagement to reimagine forgotten historic cemeteries as living memorials—places where remembrance, biodiversity, and civic pride flourish together.

Hosted in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, this one-day symposium brings together Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, 4-H youth, preservationists, philanthropists, and city leaders to explore how environmental stewardship and cultural restoration intersect.

Attendees will gain insight into how local communities across Texas are transforming sacred spaces into ecological sanctuaries and outdoor classrooms that heal, inspire, and endure.

Film Screening – Building Constellations, a short documentary chronicling the two-year pilot of the Constellation of Living Memorials initiative

Panel Discussions include: Reimagining Historic Cemeteries: From Sacred Grounds to Community Spaces

Collaborative Sessions – Conversations with state and local leaders on expanding the CLM model across Texas

Lunch & Texas A&M Water & Land Resources Building Tour – Build relationships with civic, academic, and environmental partners

Closing Reception – Networking as the sunsets

Tickets:
$45 – Members (Texas A&M AgriLife, NPSOT, Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners) + Eventbrite Fee
$55 – Non-members + Eventbrite Fee
(Lunch and refreshments included)

FULL PROGRAM:

8:30 am Doors Open, Check-in, Tea & Coffee

9:00 am Welcome & Schedule Overview Melanie Ferguson

Introduction CLM Film & CLM Co-Creator Julie Ann Fineman

9:05-9:20 am Constellation of Living Memorials Documentary: Building Constellations

9:20-9:25 am Introduction Dallas County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Partners

Xiomara Diaz, Dallas County Director

Matthew Orwat, Extension Agent

9:25-9:30 am Welcome to the Water Building & Summit Overture

For the first time, the full breadth of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension programs—Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, 4-H, and master wellness program participants of Dallas County—have been invited together under one roof, along with Native Plant Society of Texas leadership and members, to inspire a new pattern of collaboration. This gathering is intended to spark new interdisciplinary connections, to enhance networks of shared knowledge, to highlight applied skills, and to inspire passion for honoring history, restoring nature, and valuing life in all its forms through the Constellation of Living Memorials model. Together, we celebrate the power of collaboration to turn forgotten places into living memorials that heal, inspire, and endure.

9:30 - 10:30 am Guiding the Constellation: Lessons from the Front Lines of Cemetery Renewal

Over the past two years, dedicated CLM volunteer leads have transformed forgotten burial grounds into living landscapes of history, ecology, and community. Together, to share their hard-earned insights from the Constellation of Living Memorials pilot. Hear candid reflections on challenges, successes, and the creative strategies that are shaping the future of this growing movement, as well as the positive impacts in Dallas neighborhoods.

Moderator: Julie Ann Fineman, Co-creator Constellation of Living Memorials

Panelists:
Councilwoman Paula Blackmon, City of Dallas

Kim Cole, Albert Carver Cemetery

Selena Cinecio, AIA, Beeman Memorial

Van Johnson, Western Heights Cemetery ​​

Preservation Texas Preserving Churches & Cemeteries Summit 9/25/25 ~ Video of Lynn McBeeregarding Oakland Cemetery
Kathy Ann Reed, W.W. Glover Cemetery

10:30 - 10:40 am 10 MINUTE BREAK

10:40 - 11:40 am Green Growing Edges of Becoming: Youth Native Plant Propagation Initiative

How education, greenhouse capacity, and community investment come together to train youth, support local restoration projects, and strengthen all organizations as partners.

Moderator: , Texas Native Seeds Program

Panelists:

Laura Legett, Native Plant Society of Texas President

Casey Phillips, The Walls Project CEO

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, Paul Quinn College President

Jonathan Soukup, Southwest Perennials

11:40 – 12:40 pm LUNCH (Graciously sponsored by the Native Plant Society of Texas)

12:10 pm Optional 30-minute tour of TAMU AgriLife Extension Water &

Land Resources Building with Dr. Faoud Jaber

12:40 - 1:40 pm Reimagining Historic Cemeteries: From Sacred Grounds to Community Spaces

This dynamic panel explores how historic cemeteries are revitalized as vibrant community assets—places where cultural heritage, ecological restoration, and public engagement intersect. Panelists will share strategies, challenges, and inspiring examples of transforming the sacred landscapes into living spaces that honor the past while serving future generations.

Moderator: Ian Seamans, Environment Texas City Hall Advocate

Panelists:

Dr. Jennifer Blanks, Texas Department of Transportation Environmental Planner & Cultural Resource Expert

Corrin Breeding, Landscape Architect

Rosa Fleming, City of Dallas Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention & Event Services Director

Gus Hinajosa, AIA, Mexican American Museum of Texas Founding President

1:40-1:50 pm 10-MINUTE BREAK

1:50- 2:40 pm Illuminating the Constellation: Voices of Our Benefactors

Join the generous visionaries whose support has fueled the Constellation of Living Memorials as they share why they believe in our mission. As increasing urbanization diminishes natural places, we honor the ability to see neglected historic cemeteries as unrealized green infrastructure in our urban midst. Hear how Constellation cemeteries, where remembrance, biodiversity, and community thrive together inspire their investment in CLM’s expansion.

Moderator: Melanie Ferguson, Creative Strategist & Founding Director Dallas Water Commons

Panelists:

Garrett Boone, City of Dallas Green Czar, Boone Family Foundation,

Co-founder, Container Store

Melinda Garde, Former Dir. Corporate and Community Development, EarthX

David Preziosi, President & CEO, Texas Historical Foundation

2:40 - 3:30 pm Closing Remarks, Drinks, Appetizers & Networking

________________________________________________________________________________________

“Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is an equal opportunity employer and program provider. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides equal opportunities in its programs and employment to all persons, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.”

Please Contact the Dallas County Extension Office by November 25 2025 at 214-904-3050 if special accommodations are needed.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Viki Hall Staffing, Food Service

Southwest Perennials Nursery, Breakfast & Networking Reception Appetizers

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery Board Members

Texas A&M AgriLife personnel

North Texas Master Naturalist Volunteers

Info: The Constellation of Living Memorials Symposium on Dec 2, 2025, at the Texas A&M Water & Land Resources Building in Dallas, unites community leaders, educators, and conservationists to explore transforming forgotten spaces into living memorials that honor history and restore nature. Through film screenings, panels, and discussions, participants share lessons from cemetery renewal projects, youth native plant initiatives, and efforts to reimagine historic cemeteries as community assets. Featuring voices from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension including the North Texas Master Naturalists and Dallas County Master Gardeners, the Native Plant Society, and civic partners, the event celebrates collaboration, biodiversity, creative stewardship, and native plant and pollinator habitat restoration.

Info: Whether you are a preservationist, educator, naturalist, or community builder, this event offers a rare opportunity to be part of a movement transforming how we honor the past while cultivating a sustainable future.
✨ Together, we celebrate remembrance, biodiversity, and community as guiding lights in the Constellation of Living Memorials.

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Host or Publisher Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Dallas County