Profile
LaToya M. Meaders is co-founder and CEO of Collective Fare and Collective Food Works. The non-profit Collective Food Works creates, collaborates on, and sustains equitable initiatives surrounding community food systems, food security, workforce development, and changes needed for food sovereignty. Previously, Meaders co-founded Collective Fare, a chef collaborative, food production and catering business, which developed Meals for All BK to address COVID-19 pandemic-related food access and nutrition security issues in East Brooklyn. Over 1.2 million healthy meals have been served and over 100,000 pounds of fresh produce and food items distributed. Meaders’ earlier food initiatives include co-founding Southern Ethos, a consulting firm that helps BIPOC food services and restaurants implement systems to become profitable and sustainable, and writing a 10-week culinary workforce development curriculum to help empower budding culinarians in the East Brooklyn Community.
LaToya Quote: The power and the solutions to fix our broken and overburdened food system lies in the community itself, especially the younger generation. Through empowerment, education, application of agriculture technologies, and reinvestment, we can change our food deserts into a thriving oasis and unveil the true power of the community as a collective.
Sessions