Meet The Cohort
Vanessa Abundiz
Vanessa currently lives in Compton and grew up in Los Angeles. She was first introduced to urban agriculture by her mother who gardens in their backyard. As she pursues her studies in nursing, Vanessa plans to expand her knowledge of holistic plant and herbal remedies. Her favorite thing about being outdoors is the sound of nature. The birds chirping, roosters crowing, and the pond waterfall at Moonwater farm bring her peace.
Marilyn Alberto
Marilyn is a gardener from Bell, CA who was first introduced to growing plants by her grandmother. She hasn’t found a permanent space for her garden yet, but strives to carry her connection and gratitude for the land into every space she’s a part of. She wants to become proficient in the medicinal use of plants, and is interested in creating opportunities for people to upcycle their clothing with natural dyes. Her favorite fruit is mangos with lemon, salt, and tajin.
James Arreola
James is a chef-in-training from Los Angeles who believes that nature is for everybody, no matter their background. During his fellowship he has gained skills in communication, timeliness, and collaboration. Though this is his first experience with urban agriculture, it has reinvigorated his dreams of being a chef, and he plans to pursue a culinary apprenticeship after the program. His favorite fruit is bananas because of their nutritional value, and because they taste great in milkshakes!
Josue Bermudez
Josue lives in Los Angeles and loves playing sports in nature. He was first introduced to plant care through construction–specifically through the removal of plants. The Seed to Shelf markets have surprised him by introducing him to communities that are enthusiastic about growing plants and buying plant products. His goal is to use the fellowship to improve his communication skills. His favorite fruits are mango and dragon fruit.
Christopher Castanuj
Chistopher is from Echo Park and gardens regularly with his mom. He’s using this fellowship to grow and explore what he likes within urban agriculture and get to know the person he is becoming. Since participating, he has learned about the possibilities of using farm grown plants in beverages and the importance of taking inventory. His favorite part about nature is taking walks and sitting in his special spot at Bellevue Park.
Kathleen Chuc
Kathleen lives in Los Angeles and is passionate about the environment. She gardens at home and founded a gardening club at her school. Learning about the medicinal benefits of plants fuels her interest in becoming an entrepreneur who sells fragrant soaps and skincare products using all natural ingredients. Through the Seed to Shelf Program, Kathleen has learned how to talk to people about the benefits of plant products, and she aims to continue growing her skills as a vendor. Her favorite fruits are pomegranate and mango with lemon, salt, tajin, and chamoy.
Itzel Corrales
​Itzel lives in Long Beach and loves to be close to the water whether that’s hiking by a creek or listening to ocean waves. Itzel’s goal is to create strong connections with other creators in the cohort and learn about plant properties. After the program, she sees herself continuing her studies and expanding her knowledge of cooperative market economies. Itzel has several favorite fruits and vegetables including rambutan, asparagus, and onions.
Alan Cristobal
​Alan is from Los Angeles and his favorite outdoor activities are fishing and camping. He’s never participated in a program like this before, but it has opened his eyes to what he wants in life, which is to own his own farm and nursery. He plans to focus on learning about land tending and plants for the rest of the program and beyond. Alan’s favorite fruits are apples, oranges, and strawberries.
Mark DeLeon
​Mark lives in Los Angeles, near Echo Park, and he enjoys playing basketball outside. After learning how to make quick bread in the program, he has made it a goal to learn how to cook well for his friends and family. Ultimately, he sees himself contributing his dishes to family holidays like Thanksgiving dinner. His favorite fruit is blueberry.
Zahira Eaves
Zahira is from Southern California. Her favorite thing about Nature is its harmonious ecosystem that operates apart from the governments humans have created. The program is out of her comfort zone, but since joining the fellowship she has discovered a dream to build her own market and apothecary. As a multi-hyphenate, she’s grateful for the opportunity to learn about collaboration and plans to focus on growing her skills while building community. Her favorite fruits are mango and grapefruit.
Mahogany Ferrell
Mahogany Ferrell is from Compton, CA and she loves being outdoors because it makes her feel free, limitless, and adventurous. Seed to Shelf has taught her about how to organize and run complex systems that serve the needs of communities. She’s comfortable cooking, but since being on the farm she has become curious about how to cook foods she wouldn’t normally eat. She plans to continue studying different kinds of breads, and how to navigate the land in a way that doesn’t hurt it. Her favorite fruit is cherry.
Yulu Fuentes
Yulu grew up in Echo Park and cherishes the outdoors. She sees the outdoors as a teacher, a home, and a space to gather in gratitude. Her goal for this fellowship is to create a sustainable and ethically-sourced product that meets community needs. She has had the chance to participate in several cohorts with the intentions of building land-tending skills, and sees herself using those experiences to co-create a co–operative with her friends. Her favorite fruit is guava and her favorite vegetables are collard greens.
Jaleah Harris
​Jaleah lives in South Central Los Angeles. Her favorite things about being outdoors are laying in the grass and watching the clouds. Being in the fellowship has shown her that hard work gets you a long way, and she plans to dive all the way into developing more culinary skills. Her favorite fruits are mangos, and her favorite vegetables are potatoes.
Jayden Jiles
Jayden lives in Los Angeles and enjoys playing sports outdoors with his brothers. This program has supported his growth as a budding entrepreneur by giving him the chance to practice his sales pitch and marketing skills. He plans to continue studying non-profit models and develop real-world skills with the goal of one day starting his own business. His favorite vegetable is cucumber with lemon and Tajin.
Jesus Limeta
Jesus lives in Los Angeles and likes cold weather, especially rainy and windy days. This is his first time in an urban agriculture program, and since joining he has discovered an interest in gardening. Though he’s still exploring, he knows that he enjoys the manual labor of tending to a garden and plans to focus his studies on plant kingdoms. His favorite fruits are banana and mango.
Arianna Martinez
​Arianna is from Los Angeles and loves to play sports outside. The Seed to Shelf program has given her more opportunities to explore collaboration, socializing, and being outgoing. Learning about farm animals and interacting with them has been memorable. After her fellowship, she sees herself pursuing studies in animal science. Her favorite fruit is green grapes.
Melanie Martinez
Melanie lives in Los Angeles and enjoys going to the beach with her friends. Since joining the fellowship she has learned how to communicate and work with others. She is eager to learn more about financing, product development, and marketing. She is grateful for the new experiences she’s had on the farm and how they are helping prepare her for college. Her favorite fruits are mangos and watermelons in the summertime.
Emily Shaw
Emily is from Torrance, CA and loves swimming in the ocean. She has been involved in community building programs before, but wants to use this fellowship to learn new skills that promote sustainability. Since joining, she has learned about the benefits of plant and land products. She plans to continue her studies with the intention of building spaces for community learning through a mutual appreciation of outdoors and nature. Her favorite vegetable is bok choy.
Alaia Thomas-Brown
Alaisi is from Los Angeles and her favorite thing about the outdoors is the feeling of the sun. She had visited the farm previously as a girl scout. As a fellow, she has developed culinary skills and goals to cook more complex dishes for herself. In the future, she sees herself continuing to study business or culinary arts. Her favorite fruit is mango.
Aryelle Tucker
Aryelle lives in View Park and loves the full sensory experience of being outdoors. She has experience volunteering at farmers markets, but until the fellowship, she did not have the opportunity for interactive learning and developing hands-on skills with market vending. She plans to use this fellowship to grow her communication and customer service skills which she sees as applicable to her everyday life. Her favorite fruit is persimmon – dried or fresh.
Amari Weeks
Amari lives in Los Angeles and admires the beauty of the outdoors. She has experience working with small businesses and has grown her skills adapting to fast paced environments since joining the program. Amari wants to continue her studies by growing her own plants and developing plant-based recipes for community health. By deciding to go vegan, she hopes to inspire others to see the importance of eating fresh food. Her favorite fruit is yellow dragonfruit.
Alaunn Wells
Alaunn is from Los Angeles and his favorite part of the outdoors is the fresh air. His goal for the fellowship is to find his niche within agriculture and use that knowledge to either continue his studies in college or build his own business. Being on the farm has opened his eyes to the possibilities of market spaces that value connection and community over profit. His favorite fruit is mango.