Aasia Mohammad Castañeda

Aasia (she, her) identifies as a South Asian Chicana, born and raised, Chicagoan. She is a mother, daughter of immigrants, descendant of farmers, and a determined organizer focusing on food cultures and self-care. She is a natural community weaver, always making links, and finds joy in the fruition of radical ideation. She was part of the inaugural Multicultural Leadership Academy, currently on the Leader’s Council for People of the Global Majority in Outdoors, Nature & Environment, a Network Architect for Vital Lands Illinois and serves on the Board of Directors for the Advocates for Urban Agriculture as well as the Advisory Council for the Environmentalist of Color Network. At the Chicago Food Policy Action Council she co-leads the Urban Steward Action Network and is part of the governance structure for the Illinois Worker Cooperative Alliance. As a southwest side resident and parent of a student at the Academy for Global Citizenship, Aasia is excited to lend her expertise and passion for sustainable food systems to the Strategic Advisory Council.