CFPAC Welcomes 18th Annual Food Justice Summit Leaders!
CFPAC is excited to welcome the 18th 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 virtual 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?
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!
The 18th Annual Chicago Food Justice Summit is organized in partnership with the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE).
Summit Support Stewards
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.
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.
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.
Stephanie works on the Productive Landscapes Taskforce and also co-organizes the Chicago Food Justice Summit. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Chicago’s green spaces, practicing guitar, cooking with loved ones, and connecting with local growers.
Enrique Orosco (he, him) is a Bolivian immigrant, activator, and organizer. He earned his degree in Database Administration and joined AmeriCorps to the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County in ESOL programming. After moving to Chicago, he supported collective impact initiatives and volunteer-led rapid response projects with Chicago Cares aimed at challenging narratives centered on white volunteerism . He returned to Bolivia in 2021 to support indigenous-led WASH projects in rural Amazonian communities, and now returns to CFPAC as a co-organizer of the 2022 17th Annual Chicago Food Justice Summit. He urges you to call your elected officials and the aging folx in your life.
Programming and Logistics
Madison Evans is an urban agriculture advocate, anti-capitalist, and overall people-person raised on the North Side, and Chicago will always be her home. She earned her bachelor's degree in Biology and Anthropology from Lawrence University, where she first started working on small, organic farms and became interested in local food ways and identifying solutions for farms to be sustainable within an urban environment. She currently holds positions at the Urban Canopy, a company working to bridge and lessen the access gap between the growing, consuming, and composting of food within Chicago. She loves being a part of the food justice community and is thrilled to continue to learn and share a space that puts community care, meaningful conversations, and intentional actions to the forefront of the advocacy for a just, sovereign, and sustainable food system. On any given day, you can find her cooking for friends, daydreaming about unpasteurized cheese, or simply just pondering the meaning of it all.
Kathleen Valdez, the daughter of two hard-working immigrants from Bolivia, grew up in Cochabamba, Bolivia and later Coral Springs, Florida. While earning her degree in Architecture, alongside a minor in Art History from Florida Atlantic University, she focused her thesis on the lack of urban housing for youth aging out of foster care programs, and equitable access to food in an automobile reliant city.
After moving to Chicago she earned a certification in Urban Horticulture from Chicago Botanic Garden’s horticultural branch: Windy City Harvest Apprenticeship Program. As an urban grower she wanted to have further impact on Chicago’s issues with food injustice, so she co-founded and managed Bridge and Bloom Farms LLC. Currently, she works at Plant Chicago as Program Manager where she focuses on the engagement with community residents and partner organizations on the concept of circular economy, while coordinating market programs and supporting education initiatives, special events, and workshops.
In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys a good nap, a perfectly warm cup of tea, and going out for long walks to find a cozy bench to sketch. She enjoys hosting friends and crafting fun cocktails all while discussing good food, life, & the next wild adventure.
Alexandrea Wilson (she/her) identifies as an abolitionist whose approach to racial justice is rooted in community and empathy. Alexandrea was born and raised in Chicago Illinois where she earned her masters degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago. Prior to graduate school, Alexandrea worked on health related projects in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps where she began to understand the importance of food access in improving community health outcomes. In the past year Alexandrea completed a fellowship with the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington D.C where she conducted higher education policy research and led a diversity, equity and inclusion evaluation that helped to inform a strategic plan initiative.
Alexandrea’s previous work also includes program development, healthcare research & equity and qualitative analysis and evaluation. In 2020 she consulted the Chicago Food Policy Action Council on designing their Equitable Food Pathways Fellowship. Alexandrea believes in uplifting the lived experience of individuals who have experienced racism, poverty and other forms of social inequality as an essential source of knowledge toward eradicating harmful systems. Alexandrea also creates and hosts a podcast - Healing the Land where she aims to create dialogue that highlights BIPOC voices on the topic of racial and environmental justice.
Communications and Engagement
Paul Gordon is an environmental journalist and conservationist. His pieces appear in The Nation, The New Lede, Grist, Belt Magazine and In These Times and he has field experience working for the Forest Preserves of Cook County, National Park Service and National Audubon Society. Paul has a degree in International Studies with a minor in Journalism from DePaul University. Through an US State Department fellowship, Paul worked as a Junior Correspondent at Clean Energy Wire and studied at Freie Universitat in Berlin. Now back in the Chicago area, Paul works at the Morton Arboretum with the Chicago Region Trees Initiative and continues to report on the intersection of public health and environmental justice.
Sunitha Palat (she/her/hers) is a lifelong lover of food with a passion for people, culture, and communities, and making all of these equitable, safe, and happy for all. 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. Throughout her time at the University of Michigan, Sunitha was involved with the University's sustainable food program, specifically their anti-racist working group, to promote anti-racist discourse and action on campus in relation to food systems. Additionally, for her capstone project at the Ross School of Business, Sunitha completed a semester-long research project focused on advancing social, economic, and environmental equity for local farmers through pre-existing distribution outlets. In her free time, Sunitha enjoys spending time with her loved ones, cooking and trying new foods and drinks, long walks all around the city, and reading.
Dearra Williams is a Digital Marketer and community advocate born and raised on the west side of Chicago. She graduated with a degree in Marketing and Advertising from Aurora University. Dearra's passion for food justice and equity began after moving back to the city after college. She noticed the Austin community's accessibility to a healthy diet was limited from other towns she lived in. This issue ignited a light to join forces with the Austin Eats Collaborative to help bring food access and education to the Austin community.
Flavor and (Re)Imagination
Isabel Galic (she/her) is from Oak Park where she grew up growing food. After graduating with a BA in Sociology/Anthropology from St. Olaf College, Isabel worked as a research coordinator at Northwestern University where she focused on "food is medicine" programs which work to integrate food access and clinical care. Volunteering at various urban farms around Chicago, she became drawn towards urban gardening as an entry point to community care, cultivating well being and collective imagination. Isabel is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at University of Illinois Chicago in the community health sciences program and working as a graduate assistant in the UIC Community-led Health Equity and Food Access Research Group. During the week she enjoys hanging out in the garden, working at the farmer's market, and dancing with Dollop Dance Theatre Company.
Alex Knapik is a Chicago-based emerging arts administrator, curator, and creative with over 6 years of experience working in the visual arts industry. She currently holds an AA from the College of DuPage in Business, a BA Magna Cum Laude from Columbia College Chicago in Visual Arts Management, and an MS from Northwestern University in Leadership for Creative Enterprises. Professionally, Alex is connected throughout Chicagoland and beyond as a museum worker and activist. She has spoken at the Death to Museums conference, co-facilitated the 17th Chicago Food Justice Summit (& am excited to be returning this year!), hosted the "Honest Museum Labels" activist art project, and more. Alex is passionate about sustainability in human, civil, and equitable rights; specifically in labor, environment, the arts, and everything in between. Her focus is in arts non-profit leadership and she looks to one day lead an arts organization that would serve the Chicagoland community. In contrast, Alex does not support "the grind" and practices care through community, creative pursuits, and continuous organic learning and rest. More at alexknapik.com.
Azra Sungu is a designer and researcher from Turkey, who is in search of creative ways of tackling systems change. Growing up with parents working for social justice in a region of conflicts, she dedicated her work to social impact. After co-founding the social startup Joon, she moved to Chicago to join the PhD program of the IIT Institute of Design. Azra is currently part of the emerging Food Action Lab of the Institute of Design and explores ways to counter the dominant narratives of food systems change and decolonize our collective visions for the future of food. Since her first day in Chicago, food has been a path for her for connecting with people, fighting against oppression, finding a new home in Chicago and building an extensive spice pantry. She is a lover of plants (live or roasted) and likes to paint whenever she gets to disconnect from a screen.