Makhei is from Woodland Hills, CA and enjoys swimming in the ocean on hot days. Prior to Seed to Shelf, Makhei learned to garden and care for chickens at Moonwater Farm’s summer camp. He joined the Seed to Shelf program to learn the fundamentals of running his own business, and he is interested in making connections with other cohort members pursuing entrepreneurship. Strawberries and watermelon are Makhei’s favorite summer fruits.

Brayan enjoys inspecting plants, smelling flowers, and learning the scientific names of the plants in his hometown of Los Angeles, CA. He is excited to be part of a cohort that is invested in helping their communities physically and mentally. Brayan hopes to make many friends through Seed to Shelf, and store knowledge that can one day be helpful to his loved ones. His favorite fruits are strawberries and his favorite vegetables are carrots.

Yamary is an optimistic, open-minded person from South Los Angeles, CA. Her favorite thing about the outdoors is listening to the sounds of wildlife. Yamary is very interested in herbal remedies and the science of plant medicine. She sees this fellowship as a primer to her future studies in the nursing field. Her favorite fruit is strawberry, because even when it is sour, it has a great aftertaste.

Abigail is a home cook from Los Angeles, CA. Her favorite outdoor activities are animal watching, tree gazing, and nighttime nature walks. Abigail’s #1 goal is to acquire as much knowledge and experience as she can in order to share what she’s learned with her community. Her favorite vegetable is potato.

Allison is from Bell Gardens, CA. Her favorite outdoor activity is sketching landscapes. Being outside helps her notice small details she would normally miss, and it inspires her to savor those connections through art. She has experience in other youth education programs, but has never studied the culinary arts in this way. Her #1 goal as a fellow is to develop a deeper relationship with nature and grow as a person. Allison’s favorite fruit is strawberry.

Lauren is originally from Sacramento and currently resides in Long Beach. Her favorite thing about the outdoors is how it grounds her by allowing her to release the stress of everyday life. Though this fellowship is her first time learning anything land related, her main goal is to cultivate a home garden full of thriving plants. Lauren’s favorite fruit is gold kiwi.

Nathally is from Los Angeles, CA and enjoys nature walks. She is excited to learn more about her cohort’s life stories and how they landed in the Seed to Shelf fellowship. She sees herself becoming a better cook and expanding her knowledge of the environment. Nathally’s favorite fruit is watermelon.

Isis is from Los Angeles, CA. She loves plants, parks, and play time. The best thing about getting outdoors is quality time with her loved ones. Isis is excited to share knowledge with her cohort members, and to learn all their tips and tricks for keeping plants healthy. Though this is her first experience on an urban farm, she sees future herself thriving as a grower. Her favorite fruit is mango.

Cesar is from Compton, CA and likes the feeling of serenity that plant-filled spaces have to offer. He enjoys learning to identify edible and medicinal plants for foraging. By being in the Seed to Shelf program, he hopes to deepen his relationship with plant life, understand their cultural and ecological context, and learn how to create remedies in a way that honors the people who carried this knowledge before him. Cesar’s favorite fruit is dragonfruit. 

Akemi thinks gardening is lovely. She has prior experience working outdoors and at a food bank through the Pacific Gateways Program which provides job training for local residents. Her ultimate goal as a fellow is to learn how to cook something without using a recipe. She sees a future where she is helping and feeding people, and she hopes to be inspired by her cohorts aspirations. Akemi is from Paramount,CA and her favorite fruit is pomegranate. 

Cameron is new to urban farming and herbal remedies, but eager to absorb as much as he can. As a plant-identification enthusiast, his favorite activities are tending to outdoor flowers, and learning what makes them unique. Cameron’s goal as a Seed to Shelf fellow is to expand his knowledge base by learning about the medicinal properties of plants. His favorite vegetable is cucumber.

Danny enjoys playing sports outside as long as they don’t involve water. He joined the Seed to Shelf fellowship because he loves to cook and bake at his home in Gardena, CA. Throughout the course of the program, his goal is to become more conscious of what he eats and where it comes from. Danny’s favorite fruit is mango.

Noel’s favorite outdoor activity is riding bikes and rollerskating throughout Compton, CA. She was previously exposed to environmental education through EmpowerHer, an organization dedicated to gender equality, girls’ education, and uplifting women from all backgrounds. She joined Seed to Shelf to get in touch with her roots, and to be able to better understand her loved ones who live in rural areas. Noel enjoys pineapple, apples, oranges, and strawberries.

Uma’s favorite thing about the outdoors is the variety of colors found in both plants and animals. Her favorite thing to do at the farm is to pet the goats. Seed to Shelf is the first experience she’s ever had with urban agriculture, but she’s loving  it so far, and is determined to learn how to keep plants healthy. Uma is from Compton, CA. Her favorite vegetable is jicama with lemon juice and tajin.

Mariel likes to play soccer and help her family tend to their home garden. Mariel hopes to deepen her relationship with nature through hands-on learning. She sees nature as a guiding principle for her budding future, and hopes to connect with other fellows who feel the same. Mariel’s favorite fruits are watermelon and strawberries.

Santiago lives in South Gate, CA and loves to get lost in observing small creatures. He brings extensive gardening knowledge to the program from his own home growing practice. His primary goal is to make friends with other nature enthusiasts and expand his sense of like-minded community. Santiago’s favorite fruit is the prickly pear.

Josue is from Los Angeles, CA. He enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring. He joined Seed to Shelf to learn more about how herbal medicine can help his loved ones. He is curious about plant culture and wants to connect with other practitioners. Josue is excited about memorizing recipes and developing the practiced skill of herbal remedy production. His favorite fruits are mangos and apples. His favorite vegetable is broccoli.

Lilly is a gardening whiz from Long Beach, CA. She is the president of her school’s gardening club and is passionate about learning to properly care for plants so they can thrive. Lilly joined the Seed to Shelf fellowship to learn how to build her own garden from the ground up and increase her crop yield. Her favorite outdoor activity is a nature walk around her neighborhood, and her favorite fruit is mango.

Day lives in Compton, CA. She likes watching birds and taking a long time to complete short hikes. Before Seed to Shelf, Day did an urban farmer internship at an organic farm next to the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. She also runs the community garden at Mount Saint Mary University. Day hopes to gain a better understanding of everything that goes into maintaining a regenerative and/or permaculture style garden. Her favorite fruits are nectarines, and her favorite vegetables are mushrooms due to their unique biology.

Tristan’s favorite way to enjoy the outdoors is on his skateboard. He was previously exposed to urban agriculture through school in his hometown of Compton, CA. Tristan joined the Seed to Shelf fellowship to learn how to heal people with plant remedies. He also hopes to make friends with other gamers in the program. Oranges are Tristan’s favorite fruit.

Mariana lives in Wilmington, CA and loves to play outside with her dog, Ruby. During her undergraduate years at CSU Dominguez Hills, she was a College Corps fellow for 3 years where she worked on addressing food insecurity in the community. Her goal in joining Seed to Shelf is to learn what plant remedies can offer the communities she works with as an MSW graduate student. Mariana’s favorite fruit is mango.