FOUNDER

Davíd Toledo (he/they) is a queer Xicano, ecofeminist, a native Illinoisian, and has been growing food organically for seven years. He has a degree in Sustainable Community Development with minors in Sociology and Social Justice from Northland College in Ashland, WI. After school he was a teacher through City Year and volunteered at a community farm which led to the idea of starting a business himself. He founded Contemporary Farmer, Inc. in 2019 with the goal of connecting urban, rural, and suburban farming initiatives and fostering intergenerational education around regenerative agriculture.

In the long-term, he plans to help others start businesses that build equity locally. When Davíd isn’t volunteering with other local farming initiatives, he spends time cooking, gathering with friends and family around food, biking, and being intentional about personal time through self-care routines.

CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS + PROJECT COORDINATOR

Case McCullough (they/them/theirs) has been a back-yard gardener since 2020, growing squash, zucchini, lemon cucumber, strawberries, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and more in raised redwood beds on Wiyot homelands. They studied Sociology and Social Justice, and Gender and Women’s studies at Northland College, and most recently completed their Masters degree in Sociology.

In winter 2022, Casey began working with CFI to support clients, develop workshops, and oversee projects between CFI and community partners. They are excited to be part of CFI and to keep sowing, learning, and growing.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Mabel (they/them) manages the website, newsletter, and helps with copywriting, branding, and editing endeavors. They’re also a farmer and participant of CFI’s pilot Citizen Scientist program.

They are farming at OTIS Fresh Market in Back of the Yards, a worker cooperative that runs a CSA match program and coordinates weekly food distribution with neighbors and volunteers with the #LetUsBreathe collective. Also co-founder of non-profit Grow-Op, Mabel helps with grantwriting and marketing services for other urban agriculture initiatives and created the Home Growers Program, a seed-starting initiative mobilizing volunteers to start seeds at home for local comunity gardens and capacity building gardens.

Mabel is also a musician, performer, and producer with Glad Rags and SUPERFUND and helps run Chicago label Sinkhole Sounds.