Maya Iona Nuñez is a Bronx native with a background in sociomedical sciences (B.A., SUNY Geneseo) and urban and environmental policy and planning (M.A., Tufts University). With over six years of experience in public health policy, she has focused on the intersection of health and housing, exploring how social and physical environments shape community well-being to inform policy change.

Maya currently works co-leading a coordinated, city-wide Community Health Assessment to better understand and support the health and well-being of Boston residents, particularly those most impacted by systemic racial and economic injustices.

In 2023, she and her friends embarked on a journey to become land stewards through the Southeastern Connecticut Community Land Trust (SE CT CLT). As part of Ceiba Arbor, a collective of multidisciplinary QTBIPOC artists and urban farmers from NYC dedicated to food sovereignty, arts education, and native ecosystem care, they are in the process of acquiring 16 acres of land. This year, they are launching their first farm production, cultivating an acre of diverse fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers—rooted in the needs and traditions of local communities in the Salem and New London regions.

Committed to sustainability and collective empowerment, Maya and her team are actively fundraising, hosting community events, and creating spaces for learning and engagement. Their mission is clear: to reclaim land, foster self-determination, and build a future where Black and Brown communities can thrive in harmony with the land.