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WHERE THE PASSION BEGINS
It all starts with a seed
Co-Founder
Lindsay Smith
Driven by a passion for sustainability, community, and education, Lindsay left her career as a special education classroom teacher to co-found Sowing Seeds of Change (SSC) in 2020. Aside from her continued dedication to education, Lindsay remains deeply involved in her community and local food system, forging strong relationships that drive positive change. She serves on the advisory board of Long Beach Fresh, is a member of the LB Beekeepers Club, an alumna of Leadership Long Beach and the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS), and a Horticultural Therapist. Lindsay's vision is to continue leveraging her passions and skills in collaboration with like-minded organizations to cultivate a healthier and more equitable community in Long Beach and beyond.
Erin Harris
Over the last 15 years, Erin has planted, maintained and harvested gardens throughout Los Angeles County on behalf of Heart Beet Gardening, Santa Monica Unified School District, Palos Verdes School Gardens and Vanguard Community Garden. She is the Program Director for Grow2Zero Farms, a certified Master Gardener through UCANR, and a Certified Native Plant Landscaper through the Theodore Payne Foundation. Erin spent several years developing and teaching garden curriculum at the elementary, middle and high school levels before moving on to manage LA County's Smart Gardening program and helping to develop and launch Long Beach's Future Urban Farmers Academy. Erin is passionate about agroecological growing methods and the intersection of agriculture, nature and philosophy. In addition to continuing to support urban agricultural education in Long Beach, Erin is currently growing in the Ojai Valley and working with the Ojai Valley Green Coalition and other partners to expand regenerative gardening efforts in Ventura County.
Co-Founder
Dina Feldman
Dina is an immigrant of Mexico, a graduate of UCLA, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) turned social entrepreneur and community builder. Dina is the founder of Feel Good Salsa (her former food brand) and Feel Good Kitchen LB. Her love for cooking led her to walk away from her career of over 20 years and starting her farmers market business in November of 2017. After experiencing a myriad struggles and challenges with securing a commercial kitchen for her business, she was inspired to help other businesses. This led her to starting the first shared commercial kitchen facility in Long Beach, Feel Good Kitchen LB, where she helps other small food start ups grow their food business. Her passion for doing good led her to co-founding Sowing Seeds Of Change Urban Farm where she can use her entrepreneurial spirit and network of connections, as well as her skills as a BCBA to enrich the lives of Sowing Seeds of Change participants.
Alicia Duarte
Alicia is a public servant and advocate for people impacted by systemic injustice. She works in homeless services to bridge gaps between the homelessness response system and the people who need it. Alicia learned of Sowing Seeds of Change after joining one of Long Beach’s Community Gardens during the quarantine, and was so moved by their mission that she reached out and offered to volunteer immediately. She has supported SSC off and on with grant seeking and looks forward to getting more involved with other aspects of the organization this year. Alicia lives in downtown Long Beach with her husband, nephew, two cats, and one Crested Gecko. Alicia likes to consider herself a gardener but has probably killed too many Calatheas to earn that title.
Ehsan Zaffar
Ehsan Zaffar is a civil rights attorney, social entrepreneur, and proud Long Beach resident. He serves as Founding Executive Director of The Difference Engine: Arizona State University's Center on the Future of Equality, a venture studio that builds practical tools to combat inequality. He also holds faculty appointments at ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and School of Social Transformation.
Before launching The Difference Engine, Ehsan spent a decade as Senior Advisor on Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he worked to protect the rights of vulnerable communities nationwide. He currently serves as a Commissioner on the California Commission on the State of Hate and sits on the boards of the ACLU of Southern California and Human Rights Watch's Los Angeles Committee.
Ehsan is passionate about affordability, food access, and the belief that communities are not problems to be solved but entrepreneurs who see possibility. His connection to Sowing Seeds of Change grew from a shared conviction that equitable futures are built from the ground up … literally. He was drawn to the organization's hands-on approach to youth empowerment, food justice, and neighborhood transformation in Long Beach, and is honored to support its mission as a board member.
