East New York Farms! Staff
Sarah (Sol) Bacio
Assistant Project Director
[email protected]
Sol is originally from Los Angeles and moved to NY in 2017 to pursue a bachelors in Public Health and Sociology from New York University. Sol’s introduction to food justice was in 2020 when they co-founded the Los Angeles-based mutual aid collective, Farm2Power, which continues to distribute free CSA produce boxes to Angelinos in need of food support. After realizing their passion for food justice and community organizing, Sol began exploring the urban agriculture field and is a recent graduate of the New Roots Horticulture Urban Farm and Garden Training fellowship. Sol is excited to be a part of the important work at ENYF and hopes to continue learning and connecting with the ENY community!
Sra Feigelman
Compost Program Manager
[email protected]
Mo Liguer-Laubhouet
Assistant Farm Manager
[email protected]
Mo was born and raised in East New York and began their journey in urban farming as a youth intern with East New York Farms in 2016. After working jobs in food service and retail, they found their way back into land stewardship through their role as Pink Houses Farm Education Junior Staff in 2023. They have a passion for agricultural therapy through community building and ancestral connection. Outside of ENYF, Mo has completed agriculture programs with Soul Fire Farms and the Land Based Healing Project. Through their current position as Assistant Farm Manager, they aspire to actively grow as a farmer and community member and radically spread love and compassion.
Brianna Joy Lue
Youth Program Coordinator
[email protected]
Brianna is studying Creative Writing at Hunter College. She is an East New York native with Southern and Jamaican roots. Her love of the Earth led her to a career in environmentalism. She has previously held a land stewardship with Nyc H20, where she was introduced to environmental conservation by planting native species and trees in various parks across New York City. Her interest in food justice is informed by her involvement in The Reducetarian Fellowship, where she was introduced to the film, The Smell of Money, which follows Elsie Herring’s fight against the factory farms that were illegally placed on her family’s ancestral land in North Carolina. She looks forward to nurturing the minds of East New York’s youth and contributing to the beauty that is ENYF.
Ari Riapos
Project Director
(718) 649-7979 ext 12
[email protected]
Ari is the project director of East New York Farms! They graduated from Pace University in 2018 with a bachelor's in Political Science, are an alumni of Soul Fire Farm's FIRE Immersion program, and have since received certificates in beekeeping, composting, and horticulture. Since graduating, Ari has had a very winding path leading them to their current position which includes a background in social services, community organizing, urban farming, and informal education. Ari is really excited to be on the team for ENYF! and looks forward to using all the skills and knowledge they've picked up along the way to be of the best service to the East New York community.
Alexx Caceres
ENY Youth Farm Manager
[email protected]
Alexx Caceres (They/Them) is a land steward, artist, and animal lover born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn, with ancestral roots in Honduras. Alexx's journey in reconnecting to land and beings across the ecosystem has led them graduate from Farm School NYC's Citywide Certificate Program, apprentice at Hattie Carthan Community Garden & Market, and become an alumni of Rocksteady Farm's queer farmer-centered Pollinate Training Program. Alexx is a seed keeper with Reclaim Seed NYC & a consultant with Cultivemos Queer Farmer Cohort with National Young Farmers Coalition. Their path continues as they steward the land at East New York Farm's UCC Youth Farm site where they're currently the Farm Manager. Some of Alexx's other passions include rescuing animals, painting, and making plant medicine such as salves and tinctures.
Elli Sol Strich-Zambrano
Market Manager & Outreach Coordinator
(718) 649-7979 ext 14
[email protected]
Elli Sol is from Albany, New York, where she saw the importance and impact of community activism growing up. She studied Environmental Studies and Food Systems at Tufts University, while working for environmental education and food distribution efforts in the Boston area. Prior to joining ENYF, Elli Sol was working on a coffee and plantain farm in Colombia, where she was connecting with her ethnicity and family, and learning about regenerative agriculture. Elli Sol is grateful to work with everyone at ENYF, and she is excited to learn alongside and from the ENY community!
Dontez Shack
Garden Educator
[email protected]
Dontez Shack has been in the East New York Farms internship for 4 years. Throught the internship program, Dontez gained a passion to be able to give back to the community and provide the younger generation with his own knowledge. As a Junior Staff, Dontez learned about community engagement and how to confidently speak to large groups. Being a part of the ENYF internship made him realize how important gardening and taking care of green life is and inspired him to want to start his own garden.
Contact Us
East New York Farms!
United Community Centers
613 New Lots Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11207
(718) 649-7979
