daniel@epnifarm.org

Daniel (he/him) writes grants and speaks with philanthropists and investors; while also striving to protect the neighborhood from predatory financial interests. Read more.

alexia@epnifarm.org

Lexi Ward (she/her) is a resident of South Minneapolis. As a Black woman in Finance, Lexi has held numerous DEI positions. Prior to becoming a CPA, Lexi spent a decade working for non-profit organizations. Read more.

forest@epnifarm.org

Forest Hunt (they/them) is Turtle Mountain Anishinaabe. They have years of experience teaching youth ages 4-18 as a preschool teacher, summer camp counselor, guest educator, lecturer, and teacher’s aid. Read more.

joi@epnifarm.org

Joi (she/her) was first introduced to EPNI in the fall of 2024 through the herbalism workshop and hopes to increase access to and knowledge about sustainable food systems and holistic wellness for all people, specifically marginalized populations. Read more.

eddy@epnifarm.org

Eddy (they/he) joined EPNI in Spring 2026. Since early 2025, they have worked in East and Midtown Phillips with Tamales y Bicicletas, the Semilla Center, San Pablo, NACDI, and the East and Midtown Phillips neighborhood associations. Read more.

priscilla@epnifarm.org

Priscilla (she/her) joined EPNI in Spring 2026. She came into movement work as a hydroponics researcher, food sovereignty organizer, Line 3 pipeline resistance member, and child of Vietnamese refugees/immigrants. Read more.

alejandro@epnifarm.org

Alejandro (they/he) joined EPNI in Spring 2026. They are a Minneapolis-based arts organizer, creative strategist, and community-focused cultural worker. Read more.

Cassandra (Niiwin Muck-Wa Ikwe – Four Bears Woman) was born and raised in East Phillips at Little Earth and is part of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe. After losing her eldest son, Trinidad, as a result of toxic pollution in East Phillips, Cassandra is doing everything she can to stop the destruction of the Roof Depot building. Read more

Clarence is the founder of Blue Water Farms and a community organizer who is focused on sustainability. He is currently one of the founders and president of the Minnesota Aquaculture Association. He serves as secretary of EPNI. Read more

Karen Clark, a resident of East Phillips Neighborhood for more than 40 years, is a former State Representative, and the Activist Executive Director of the Women's Environmental Institute, a volunteer position.

A longtime supporter of East Phillips, Dean founded DJR Architecture in 1985 in the East Phillips Neighborhood with an emphasis on affordable housing and community development. Read more

Abah is the founder and executive director of South East Homes (SEH), the first East African focused program in North America specializing in chemical dependency and mental health. Abah has helped hundreds of individuals by providing resources and a supportive cultural community for their recovery journey. Read more

In 2024, Brad was voted to fill his late wife Carol’s position on the role. For the last 30 years, Carol and Brad dedicated their lives to improving the East Phillips neighborhood. They have raised children, overseen housing developments, mentored youth, and managed neighborhood beautification within East Phillips. Read more

Steve has been a neighborhood activist and community organizer for decades, supporting racial and environmental justice in East Phillips. He is focused on reducing harmful pollution in East Phillips and growing community participation in local government. Read more

Sharon Buckanaga is a resident of Little Earth Housing in the East Phillips neighborhood and is from the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She joined the board because she loves the mission and wants to see her community become safer and healthier, especially after seeing her daughter develop bad allergies since moving back to East Phillips.

Bruce Ferguson-Augustus is a strategy leader at Ernst & Young (EY) with 10 years of experience advancing sustainability, manufacturing, energy, and industrial policy. A University of Minnesota graduate in Applied Economics, he champions just, regenerative economies by bridging public and private sectors. As a board member of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute, he advocates for community-led solutions rooted in cultural resilience and environmental justice. Bruce is passionate about transforming industrial systems to serve people and planet over profit.

Carlos grew up in East Phillips where he was deeply rooted and cherished in community. For years, he worked at Tamales y Bicicletas, connecting youth to the life affirming nature of urban farming. While leading biking tours of East Phillips, Carlos would share the story of East Phillips as a place of imposed pollution that and community resilience. He joined the EPNI board in high school, where he fostered the community’s vision with care. His contributions will forever be woven into the fabric of this project, and the neighborhood of East Phillips.

Founding Board Member Carol Pass advocated for environmental justice in the Phillips neighborhood for decades. She is sorely missed by her family and friends, but her work lives on in the unprecedented political power and economic opportunities that the East Phillips community now wields against oppressive forces. Read more