CFPAC is excited to welcome the 19th Annual Food Justice Summit Leaders. This team comes from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences. Over the next few months, this team will be working to plan and develop an inclusive, intentional, and unique summit. The Summit Leaders will support all of the opportunities and obstacles that come with hosting online and in-person events. Each Summit Leader will support a key working group. The working groups are:

Programming and Logistics - What types of sessions do we host? How do we structure this year’s content?
Flavor and (Re)Imagination - How do we integrate the arts into our virtual summit? Music? Cooking demos? Maybe even more?
Strategies for Accessibility - How can we make this virtual event accessible to all who wish to attend? How can we structure programming in a way that offers every single attendee the same knowledge and benefits?
Communications and Engagement - How do we spread the word? How do we make this event as engaging as possible in both the virtual and in-person platforms?

We are so excited to welcome these talented and unique individuals to our planning team. We know that their involvement will lead to an enriching and more fruitful summit. None of us individually know everything, but together, we know a lot! Keep reading to learn more about the individuals who make up our Summit Leaders team!

SUMMIT SUPPORT STEWARDS

Keith Winn, M.S. is currently a Public Health Educator in the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Unit with CCDPH (Cook County Department of Public Health). Keith’s assist the Director of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control with implementation of program activities associated with CCDPH ISPAN (Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program) grant. ISPAN focuses on promoting the adoption and of food service guidelines and improved physical activity by connecting everyday destinations with active-friendly routes through built environment.

Keith is responsible for preparation and submission of ISPAN quarterly reports. He also routinely meets with key representatives various Cook County governmental departments, the Chicago Food Action Council, Illinois Public Health Institute, South Mayors and Managers Association and South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium to collaborate on implementation strategies related to the Good Food Purchasing Policy, Food Service Guidelines and the active friendly routes/ built environment within Cook County government and municipalities throughout suburban Cook County.

Stef Funk is a multi-racial Chicagoan who has worked with various institutions and non profits to support Chicago's local food system. After earning her degree in Environmental Science from Clark University, she went on to work with several organizations to improve their STEM curriculum, manage Plant Chicago’s and McKinley Park’s farmers markets, became one of the leaders of the Chicago Farmers Market Collective, and now sits on the board of the Illinois Farmers Market Association. Stef leads the Productive Landscapes task force, co-leads the planning of the Chicago Food Justice Summit, and cares for 13 backyard chickens on the southwest side of Chicago.

Stephanie Zarco-Jimenez is a native Chicagoan dedicated to elevating the welfare of her beloved Chicago communities and beyond. Her family’s background in farming has framed her perspective on what food, water, and land access mean to not only the rural farmer but the urban farmer as well. She has planted roots in many Chicago neighborhoods searching for opportunities to stay connected to local communities, while also striving to learn more about food equity issues across the city. Her education at Loyola University served as a platform to now explore the intersections of racial equity work and food systems work in her position as Program Associate with CFPAC.

PROGRAMMING AND LOGISTICS

Njeri is thrilled to be joining as one of the Summit Leaders for the 19th Annual Chicago Food Justice Summit. Njeri has spent the last 10 years working in the nonprofit sector and has cultivated her passion for food justice in the last few years by working with various organizations to mobilize resources for food access. Most recently, Njeri led a team of fundraisers in supporting individual donors in deepening their connection to food justice and transforming food systems beyond their annual contribution. Njeri is excited to bring her extensive experience in conference planning, which dates back nearly 20 years when she served as a youth organizer for the Free Minds, Free People's conference, to help make this year's summit a safe, community-building space. When Njeri is not working, she can be found reading a good science fiction novel or hiking/snuggling with her dog, Biscuit.

Caitlyn is passionate about advocating for food sovereignty, environmental and food justice, and food waste/rescue and believes that building capacity within and between individuals, especially teachers, is key to building a more equitable and sustainable food future. As the Food Education Fellowship Director, Caitlin oversees the Food Education Fellowship, including its professional development and evaluative impact, and works alongside Fellows to develop partnerships within their school and local communities with food professionals and community leaders and organizations. She also serves on Pilot Light’s DEIA Committee. Throughout her career working in hotels, restaurants, cooking schools, and farms in Chicago, New York, and abroad, she set out to make food accessible to communities by working to connect folx (young and seasoned) in the education, farming, and food spaces.

She holds a B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, an AOS in Culinary Arts from The Culinary Institute of America, and was a member of the inaugural 22-23 LEAFS Fellowship run by Mercy for Animals. When she’s not figuring out how to use up an ingredient in her pantry or fridge (or canning a seasonal goodie), you can find her playing guitar, gathering around a table with friends and family, or spending long days outside exploring and camping with her dog, Carrigain, and her partner Sam.

FLAVOR AND (RE)IMAGINATION

Alexandra Antoine is a Haitian-American multidisciplinary artist, lover of food and cultural apprentice originally from Florida and now based on Chicago's West Side. Growing up in a very Haitian home in Miami, FL and visiting her parent's native country as a child during the summers deepened her love for Haitian cuisine, storytelling and art. She moved to Chicago in 2012 to complete her undergraduate degree in Visual Arts and Arts Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has since collaborated and exhibited her artwork with several organizations throughout the city. When she's not tending to various community gardens she grows food in, she travels throughout the African diaspora connecting with chefs, farmers and artists learning about indigenous crops and cultural recipes. She is super excited to be joining the Flavor and Reimagination Team for the upcoming 19th annual Chicago Food Justice Summit.

Joel M. Luciano (He/Him) is originally from Puerto Rico. He moved to Chicago in 2016 and instantly fell in love with the city. During his time here he has tried to bring communities and neighborhoods together using environmental education and programming. He graduated with a Master's degree in Environmental Science from DePaul University in 2022. Joel has worked for the Chicago Park District's Outdoor Environmental Education (OEE) department for over 3 years. He focuses his time on finding ways to be more inclusive, as well as find ways to break down barriers and unify BIPOC communities, organizations, and overall individuals with nature. Currently he leads an early childhood development program called Little Naturalists, where he created the first OEE bilingual learning program, and has translated, implemented, and created multiple Spanish environmental education curriculums within the department.

In his free time he loves to cook, write, watch anime and play dodgeball. His favorite food is Piñon (a Puerto Rican dish made with Sweet plantains, and also his favorite dish his mom makes). He likes pineapples on his pizza, and absolutely loves nature.

Camila Giraldo (she/her) is a proud Chicagoan, artist, and farmer with a background in community development and outreach. She is a mixed media and ceramics artist and an advocate for accessible art programming for youth. She volunteers at her local park district ceramics studio where she first started ceramics, working with middle and high schoolers.

She has a BA from the University of Illinois in Chicago in Urban Planning and Sustainability, where she became passionate about researching emergent and regenerative strategies in feminist environmentalism. She believes in urban farming and local coalition building as tools for decolonization and working toward community food sovereignty; as well as radical acts of resistance, mutual aid, agency, and community care outside of capitalist food system paradigms.

Camila spends most of her free time creating, cooking, gardening, spending time with family and friends, and being outdoors as much as possible.

STRATEGIES FOR ACCESSIBILITY

Daniella Mazzio (she/hers) is a communications and accessibility consultant, writer, and performer whose work focuses on providing accessible services and community engagement through cultural experiences.

Daniella was a 2021 Disability Lead Fellow and is a member of the organization’s professional network. She is a Plant Chicago Board Member and a member of the Chicago International Film Festival's Accessibility Advisory Committee. She previously worked at the Chicago Humanities Festival in Audience Engagement and served on the Urban Gateways Associate Board. Her audience experience background focused on event accessibility and conducting outreach with underrepresented audience groups, including youth in Chicago and the disability community. She has been featured on Vocalo's This is What Chicago Sounds Like series for her work in disability access, has guest written about her experience with disability for Access Living's blog, and has been featured as a culture writer and commentator by WBEZ, The Boston Globe, and Slate. Daniella currently lives in West Town with her husband, their two beautiful gray cats Stanley and Marlowe, and a beautiful full-sun container garden. In her spare time, she is a passionate baker, crafter, gardener, and avid cinephile, and as of this past summer, has begun raising Black Eastern Swallowtail butterflies.

Mike Ervin is a writer and disability rights activist living in Chicago. His play The History of Bowling was produced at the Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago in 1999 and 2000; by the Know Theater Tribe in Cincinnati in 2001; by Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis in 2002; by Circle Theater in Omaha in 2004; by Hot City Theater in St. Louis in 2005; by NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood, California in 2008 and by the University of Redlands in Redlands California in 2009. It also appears in the anthology Beyond Victims and Villains: Contemporary Plays by Disabled Playwrights (TCG, 2006). He also received playwright's fellowships from the Illinois Arts Council in 2001 and 2006.

His other theater productions include The Plucky and Spunky Show, which he co-wrote with Susan Nussbaum. It was originally produced at the Remains Theatre in Chicago (1990). His play for children, The New Clown in Town, was produced by Express Children’s Theater in Houston, Texas in 2018.

By day he is a free-lance journalist and has published over 1,300 articles and essays - mostly on disability topics - in more than 50 newspapers, magazines and websites, including the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Miami Herald, Downbeat and the Progressive. He created the blog Smart Ass Cripple in 2010. He has published three books, Smart Ass Cripple’s Little Red Book, Smart Ass Cripple’s Little Yellow Book and Smart Ass Cripple’s Little Chartreuse Book.

Currently, Mike is a columnist for The Progressive magazine. From 1992 to 2019, Mike directed the Access Project, a comprehensive initiative to make live theater accessible for people with disabilities, at Remains Theatre and Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago. Mike is a founding member of the Chicago chapter of the direct-action disability rights organization ADAPT. He is proud to have been arrested over a dozen times for civil disobedience. Mike is also founder of Jerry's Orphans, which organized annual protests against the Jerry Lewis telethon. His telethon protests are the subject of the documentary The Kids are All Right.

Dhamar Magdaleno (they/he/she) is a born and raised Southwest Chicagoan whose goal is to decolonize food, community, and well-being. They have earned their bachelor's degree in Gender, Women's, & Sexuality Studies. Dhamar has experienced food apartheid first-hand and is determined to alleviate this issue for the Black and Brown communities within and surrounding the Chicagoland area. In their spare time, they enjoy watching horror films with their siblings and dog!

COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT

Sunitha Palat (she/her/hers) has become an advocate for sustainable food systems in Chicago (and beyond) through her varied experiences with organizations like CFPAC, Plant Chicago, and UMich SFP. Raised with a deep appreciation for food, and the cultures and communities that create its healing and grounding experience, Sunitha has developed a passion for food policy and reform.

After her recent move to Chicago, Sunitha joined CFPAC in an effort to use her business-oriented education to advance social and food related issues she is passionate about. She is excited to work on organizing the Summit for her second year in a row! Sunitha was also involved with the University of Michigan’s sustainable food program, specifically their anti-racist working group, to promote equitable discourse and action on campus in relation to food systems. Additionally, Sunitha is a member of the Plant Chicago Auxiliary Board, where she volunteers with like-minded peers to support community-oriented initiatives advancing food and economic access. In her free time, Sunitha enjoys trying new restaurants (and ranking them on Beli!), movement and exploration, reading and writing, and spending time with her loved ones.

Joe Engleman is a Chicago-based writer, urban planner, and communications specialist. He has a BA in history from Grinnell College and a Master’s of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Joe grew tomatoes, sunflowers, and little bluestem on his porch this summer.

Communications Support Team

Alexandria Jackson is a Graphic and Web designer from Southern Illinois with a Bachelors degree in Studio/Digital Art from DePauw University. Her passion for design started at a very young age and has continued to grow and flourish in a multitude of directions that reflect her interests in art, community and eduation. After graduating in 2020, she lead a freelance Graphic and Web design career working with small businesses across the U.S. Alongside this, she worked with a non profit organization as a community art instructor and violence-prevention educator for Chicago Public Schools.

In 2022 she began freelancing full time and is now a part of the CFPAC team as the Communications Manager while also pursuing a certificate in UI/UX Design from The Flatiron School. In her spare time, she enjoys being in community with friends and family, doing yoga, and trying new restaurants

Dia Barno is an organizer, educator, and creative based in Chicago. For the past three years Dia has been dedicated to community organizing and has been working with students at Hyde Park Academy as part of the #CopsoutCPS campaign. He, alongside of students and staff at Hyde Park are working to reimagine what safety looks like in the school and to and get funds divested from the remaining SRO (police officer) and invested back into the students for alternatives like: restorative justice conflict resolution programs, mental health programming, and more in and after school programs for students!

In his free time, Dia is a budding herbalist, who is a part of the Herbalism Apprentice at Urban Grower’s Collective, and a farmer who is focused on building community and is determined to help build out intentional and extensive local food systems for Black communities across Chicago.

CFPAC Welcomes 19th Annual Food Justice Summit Leaders!