Fresh Ideas Blog

From the Digest

Unapologetically Black and Green

The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network was founded by members of Detroit's African-American Community interested in working together to promote greater access to healthy food, sound food policies, and community self-determination.
By Malik Yakini

Previous classes

Meet the Fellows

Brahm Ahmadi

Brahm Ahmadi, CEO of People’s Community Market, is a social entrepreneur redesigning food retail to better engage, serve and support food desert communities.

Jane Black

Jane Black is a food writer who covers food politics, trends and sustainability issues.

Don Bustos

Don Bustos is a traditional farmer working on issues of land and water rights using community-based approaches and farmer to farmer training.

Cheryl Danley

Cheryl Danley of Michigan State University engages with communities to strengthen their access to fresh, locally grown, healthy and affordable food.

Nina Kahori Fallenbaum

Nina Kahori Fallenbaum, the food and agriculture editor of Hyphen magazine, uses independent media to engage Asian American communities in local and national food policy.

Kelvin Graddick

Kelvin Graddick manages a Georgia-based farmers cooperative that seeks to reclaim and expand opportunities in food and economic security.

Haile Johnston

Haile Johnston, a Philadelphia-based social entrepreneur, works to improve the vitality of rural and urban communities through food system connectivity and policy change.

Jenga Mwendo

Jenga Mwendo, a community organizer based in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, focuses on strengthening community through urban agriculture.

Raj Patel

Raj Patel, a writer, academic and activist, works in support of food sovereignty in the US and the Global South through advocacy, analysis and protest.

Kimberly Seals Allers

Kimberly Seals Allers, an award-winning journalist and author, is a champion for children through her work advocating increased breastfeeding in the black community.