Who We Are
Our work involves creating educational pipelines to agriculture for Black and BIPOC youth, Land Stewardship, Regional Food Security response, and economic prosperity as a means of gaining sovereignty for Black Oregonians.
Meet the Staff
Elle (they/ them) to the team as the Ancestral Liberation Architect: I am a reflection of my Nigerian ancestors whose strength, endurance, and survival breathes life into my soul. I pay homage to my ancestors for the guidance they give me and the paths they continuously create for me. I’m guided by their hands as I practice my full spectrum doula, reproductive justice, and land stewardship work.
I believe it is a human right to know the teachings of our ancestors. Through my work with Northwest Reproductive Justice Collective, we are helping to reclaim, uplift, and affirm ancestral traditions of the past while weaving in creation and liberation now and for our future generations to come. For me, liberation comes in the form of food equity, climate justice, land back, and body sovereignty.
I mirror the visible and invisible souls that were not given the right to show their gender fluidity. I adore human diversity and the variances in nature that are provided.
I’m proud to say I am queer with a uterus and comfortable in my gender non-conforming skin. I believe that every human should be embraced and should feel safe in experiencing the world in a matter that is right for them. My desire is to create positive experiences in reproductive care for Black, Brown, Native, and Indigenous birthing individuals who embrace gender fluidity within our communities.
I believe that when we are community we are stronger than when we are alone. Community is the key to success for black and brown bodies.
Asè,
La La (she/they) Director of Generational Wellness
Meet Lala, a soul whose name resonates with the Swahili essence of "to rest." Born in the heart of California, my journey unfolds against the backdrop of a childhood wrestling with the shadows cast by systemic oppression and racism. In those formative years, the mirror reflected not just my image but a distorted narrative that emphasized struggles over authenticity.
Amid this struggle, a transformative encounter with nature during a sixth-grade outdoor camp awakened a profound connection. Nature, like a benevolent mirror, embraced my true self, affirming my emotions and offering a sanctuary of acceptance and love. This pivotal experience set the stage for a life dedicated to intertwining the threads of nature, wellness, and self-discovery.
Venturing into the realms of agriculture, social justice, food systems, and nutrition in my academic pursuits, I found fulfillment in tending to the heart's garden. Understanding the profound impact of one's connection to the land on self-perception and care for others, I became a champion of fostering positive self-images through the nurturing embrace of nature and its abundant offerings.
Being a good ancestor, for me, is a timeless dance—an ethereal commitment to casting a reflective light for those who tread the path after me. It's about intentionally unveiling the incredible authenticity buried beneath the weight of systemic oppression and dissolving the intergenerational energies that no longer serve the collective good.
In this dance, I am driven by a deep-seated desire to make the journey to well-being smoother—for those currently navigating the complexities of societal challenges and for the generations yet to come. My mission is to weave a narrative that unravels the complexities, illuminates the authentic self, and paves a path to rest for the soul, echoing the profound meaning of my name—Lala.
Alexandria (Zandi) Saleem is a first generation Palestinian Egyptian artist, florist, and farmer. Zandi is a regenerative flower farmer dedicated to cultivating right relationship with the ecosystems she cohabits. A wedding & events florist by trade, she is intimately humbled by the ways flowers hold space for ritual in life’s most important moments, from joy to grief. Zandi has witnessed how flowers take the place of words when there are none to be said. She began to integrate her social Justice work and floristry in 2020, working with local BIPOC mutual aid orgs to support in community gatherings from grief to celebration across cultures. In 2022 this dream grew even more when she began as a flower farming apprentice through Mudbone Grown. With the support of Feed'em Freedom Foundation, Zandi now runs Flowers to the Folks, and grows flowers at the cooperative farms.
Meet the Board
Shante Johnson Executive Director
Shantae Johnson is a certified community health worker, doula, breastfeeding peer counselor, farmer and food justice warrior. She is a cultural bridge builder with strengths in community organizing, project management, and program creation with a public health lens. She is a parent, healer, chef, and referee to their six beautiful children.
Shantae is the Co-Founder of Mudbone Grown and Feed'em Freedom Foundation. She also sits on Oregon Board of Agriculture and Oregon Food Bank, is the Co-Executive Director of BOLT (Black Oregon Land Trust), Co-Creator of the Black Food Fund, advisor on the Vivian Barnett Fellowship, and sits on the Racial Justice Council of Oregon.
Aurthur Shavers, Jr President
Arthur Shavers is the Co-Founder of Mudbone Grown and Feed'em Freedom Foundation. He is a farmer with a passion for creating infrastructure. He is also a community organizer, idea implementation generator and professional leather smith. He is a native Portlander with strong ties to the black community. He is creating foodscaping paradises using landscaping and structural innovation.
Matthew Edwards Board Memember
Matthew Edwards. He carries on a long tradition of Black soil scientists from George Washington Carver to Plater T. Campbell.
Matthew is a native of Nashville TN, graduate of Tennessee State University, and proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Mr. Edwards has always had a passion for conservation of the environment, farming, food equity, and serving his community.
Dr. April Murphy Vice President
Dr. Murphy is a Portland, Oregon native who has worked 14 years in Environmental Services with the City of Portland. She attended Bethune Cookman in Daytona, Florida and graduated Jacksonville Theological Seminary where she earned her doctorate. She also went to dental school and knows a thing or two about maintaining a great smile. April enjoys coordinating and organizing events that bring groups together. April serves on the board of the NAACP northwest chapter and is a strong advocate of HBCUs.
Last December, April and her daughter, Heaven, moved to Houston with plans to provide tele-health therapy to patients locally. She enjoys long afternoons in the Museum District and discovering what the city has to offer.
Jami Thanos Secretary
(Multnomah County)
Alexander Rhodes Secretary
Alex Rhodes is an environmental professional who works with youth to understand their own connection with nature. He believes in public service and empowering those who are struggling with systemic inequities and that everyone deserves access to quality food and housing. Working at several non-profit organizations throughout the years in Portland, he hopes to bring skills picked up along the way to support the Board of Directors of the Feed'em Freedom Foundation. He is the Co-Secretary for us. We are excited to have Alex on board and what he brings to the table.
