[Video] Mid-Atlantic Urban Agriculture

"My name is Ketty Eberepou. I was born in the Central African Republic and moved to the United States when I was 11 years old. I am about to graduate from the University of the District of Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a Concentration in Global Studies. During school, I was active in the African Students Association. I also worked at the US National Arboretum - Washington Youth Garden, where I served as a Green Ambassador on various efforts to promote access to fresh produce and healthy eating in poor sections of D.C. My post-college goal is to work in the policy arena to find ways to reduce poverty and inequality in my native Africa. This summer, I hope to gain the skills I need to advocate for people who experience hunger and poverty in Africa."

London DeJarnette is from Oberlin, Ohio, and attends Allegheny College where they study Environmental Science and Sustainability and Community and Justice Studies. At Allegheny, London serves as a Bonner Scholar where they engage with food justice work at the Meadville Markethouse. At the Markethouse, London works with SNAP and WIC recipients to secure access to fresh foods. Additionally, London works at the Allegheny Carrden, where they use regenerative farming methods to grow fresh food for the broader community. At Allegheny, London holds leadership positions on the Bonner Advisory Board and QPOC Leadership Board. London is interested in advocating for localized agriculture and mutual aid initiatives as a means of supplementing communal nutrition needs. This summer, they hope to develop a stronger understanding of urban food apartheids and the systemic structures that contribute to them. London looks forward to applying their internship experiences to future anti-hunger endeavors.

Cristina Castillo is from Biglerville, Pennsylvania, and attends Gettysburg College where she studies Health Sciences. Her advocacy focuses on aiding those experiencing homelessness and poverty. She has volunteered for D.C Central Kitchen, The Patricia Handy Shelter, and Gettysburg College’s Campus Kitchen. She has also has volunteered for her local emergency weather shelter and works at a shelter for those experiencing homelessness.This past winter, she worked remotely with a physician in a rural low-income area in Kentucky to create patient education materials that suggested how to properly store food, read nutrition labels, and how to eat healthy on a budget. She hopes to gain knowledege on food assistance programs to navigate individuals in her community to appropriate resources. She is also interested in learning about how mental health is affected by food insecurity.

Kyle Pico is from Frederick, Maryland, and attends Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, majoring in Information Science with a minor in Law & Society. At Cornell, Kyle is a student manager at the student-led Cornell Food Pantry, the secretary for Cornell Hunger Relief, and the Alumni Relations chair for Cornell University’s Rugby Football Club. Kyle is interested in identifying hunger issues in the community and implementing meaningful change. This upcoming summer, he hopes to apply his skills in policy analysis and advocacy to alleviate hunger issues in his community.

Fernando Gaxiola is originally from Mexico City, but has been living in the DMV on and off for most of his life. He studies Communication and Social Influence, as well as Community Development at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is the president of Temple’s Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) chapter where he works on hunger and environmental issues. He is passionate about helping create a society that strives to provide basic human needs to everyone. This summer, he hopes to learn how to work effectively as part of an organization focused on addressing hunger issues.