Community Food Systems Fellowship
About the Fellowship
The Community Food Systems Fellowship is a leadership pipeline that increases opportunities for diverse leaders to build skills, capacity, and networks. Leaders who are committed to food justice and equity should consider the Community Food Systems Fellowship. The fellowship is an opportunity to contribute to developing a roadmap for community-powered food systems and to learn how to better document impact. The Fellowship is a good fit for those who are committed to:
- Working to develop resilient and equitable local food systems
- Community leadership, engagement, and the leadership of caregivers and families
- Food justice, nutrition justice, racial equity and social transformation
- Developing skills to measuring impact and success of local food systems
- Developing collaborative leadership skills
2026 Community Food Systems Fellows
Vital Village Networks is thrilled to announce the eleven local leaders that have been selected to participate in the 2026 Community Food Systems Fellowship program. 2026 fellows include:
Cami Fredericks (they/them)
Epiphany School Gardens
Boston, MA
Grant Gliniecki (he/they)
Giitigan
Lansing, MI
Norma Gonzalez (she/her)
Corbin Hill Food Project
New York, NY
Angel Hammon (she/her)
Growing Gardens
Portland, OR
Carl Harrison Jr. (he/him)
St.Roch Community Garden
New Orleans, LA
Kiara Jackson (she/her)
Illinois Food Justice Alliance
Chicago, IL
Paradyse Oakley (she/they)
Moonwater Farm
Compton, CA
Shediah Palmer (she/her)
Reclamation FARMacy
Raleigh, NC
Dulce Porras (she/her)
Semilla de Vida
Asheville, NC
Taylor Ryan (she/her)
Change Today, Change Tomorrow
Louisville, KY
Alexandra Sosaa (she/her)
Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project
Chicago, IL
Advisory Partners
Thank you to our advisory partners for their continued guidance and support of this program:
- Kimberly Arnold, Black Church Food Security Network
- Bing Broderick, Haley House
- Lori Dorfman, Berkeley Media Studies Group
- Kate Fitzgerald, Fair Food Network
- Reann Gibson, Conservation Law Foundation
- Nick Hernandez, Makoce Agriculture Development
- Geri Henchy, FRAC
- Katherine Jacobs, FRAC
- Megan Macaraeg, Beloved Community Incubator
- Xavier Morales, The Praxis Project
- Vivien Morris, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition
- Krystal Oriadha, National Farm to School Network
- Paige Pokorney, Share Our Strength
- Ciara Segura, Mandela Partners
- Maureen Silva, Mandela Partners
- Patricia Spence, Urban Farm Institute
- Lacy Stephens, National Farm to School Network
- Sha'Von Terrell, Black Church Food Security Network
- Amy Quichiz, Veggie Mijxs