Illinois Hunger Coalition

The Illinois Hunger Coalition (IHC), founded in 1988, is the only statewide membership organization that works to end hunger and … Read more

Laura Yepez

Laura was born and raised in East Los Angeles. At the University of California, Berkeley, Laura majored in American Studies, an interdisciplinary major which allowed her to learn about communities, policy, and planning. Laura also has a minor in Landscape Architecture. While at Berkeley, Laura fundraised for several organizations and … Read more

Maria Cristina Chicuén

Born in Havana, Cuba, María Cristina was raised in Miami, FL, and graduated from Stanford University in 2017 with a B.A. in Human Biology and a concentration in Sustainable Food System Development. While at Stanford, she centered her studies on obesity prevention, food waste reduction, and health policy, working closely … Read more

Margot Nitschke

Originally from Rochester, New York, Margot graduated from St. Lawrence University with a combined degree in sociology and environmental studies. While at SLU, she interned for a food recovery and community meal program, and was responsible for coordinating all facets of a weekly meal, including procuring and preparing food, organizing … Read more

Anne Marie Buron

Born and raised in Oakdale, Minnesota, Anne Marie studied environmental studies and anthropology at Macalester College. Through the Bonner Scholars Program, a program committed to community service and social justice, she developed a citizenship curriculum and free childcare program at a local community organization in St Paul, Minnesota. She also … Read more

Milanes Morejon

Milanes was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up in Roxbury, Massachusetts. She graduated from Smith College with a degree in Latin American studies and sociology focusing on the experiences of Latin@ immigrants in the U.S. On campus, Milanes worked with the administration and student government to develop inclusive … Read more

Ashley Blackwell

Ashley Blackwell graduated from the University of Virginia in 2015 with a degree in urban and environmental planning. At UVA, she founded an organization dedicated to creating a comprehensive support structure for low-income students. She also worked as a research assistant on education reform issues, developed a high school social … Read more

Erika Inwald

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Erika graduated from Brown University with a degree in environmental studies in 2014. At Brown, Erika wrote a senior honors thesis about how food cooperatives in New York City can address issues of low-income food access. She also helped build a coalition of … Read more

Emily Duma

Emily was raised in Dousman, Wisconsin, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison with degrees in political science and international studies. Emily developed and facilitated an anti-racist food justice seminar, supported the development of Growing Power’s Madison hub, and helped start and grow a Slow Food campus chapter that served … Read more

Rosana Carranza

Originally from Long Beach, California, Rosana graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2013 with degrees in anthropology and Latin American literature. Through the University of California Washington Center, she interned at Farmworker Justice, a national advocacy organization for farmworkers. At Farmworker Justice she developed curricula for pesticide safety … Read more