Iyeshima (eye-she-mah) started her mark in the food justice movement over 10 years ago. As a Jamaican native, she struggled with the process of assimilation into a new culture. Through farming she found great comfort in her community. Throughout her involvement in the food justice movement, Iyeshima has taught food justice, advocated for universal free school lunch as part of Community Food Advocates’ Youth Food Policy Council, as well as designed and facilitated youth-led programs. These exposures ignited Iyeshima to further her dedication to integrating youth empowerment and leadership into adult dominated sectors. 

As Equity Advocates’ Policy Manager, she is responsible for implementing organizational policy goals and campaign strategies, leading government relations efforts, hosting advocacy and policy workshops to educate and engage food systems partners on policy issues and advocacy strategies, including EA’s youth organizing.  

Prior to Equity Advocates, Iyeshima spent six years with East New York Farms!, first as a Farmers Market Manager and then as Project Director. Previously she was the organizer for the Youth Food Justice Network (YFJN), a shared learning space for youth organizations involved in the food movement. During her leadership of the YFJN, Iyeshima organized youth-led regional summits and local exchanges among youth food justice organizations. In 2019, Iyeshima co-founded the Youth Empowerment Pipeline. The purpose of the program is to create an intentional pipeline for youth and young adults phasing out of high school and transitioning to college to continue building on their professional development skills for future careers. The program lives at Green Guerillas, where Iyeshima will continue to oversee its operation.

Presently, Iyeshima serves on the Board of Directors for BK ROT, the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming’s Accountability Council for the Food Sovereignty Fund and is a member of the Community Gardens Task Force for the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. In 2022, Iyeshima was recognized as one of North American Association for Environmental Education’s EE 30 Under 30, acknowledging leaders who are making a difference through environmental education across the globe. With a double major of Political Science & Sociology, and current studies in Public Administration, Iyeshima wishes to combine her passion for food justice and her knowledge of American politics to drive the importance of food in people’s everyday life.