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.

BILINGUAL CLIENT & GARDEN ENGAGEMENT STEWARD

Born in Southern California, Tulio Hernandez moved to Chicago in 2020 and has since been a steward of the McKinley Park Community Garden. They bring an array of experience from their time as a student gardener at UC Santa Cruz Class of 2020 and working for nonprofit organizations such as Gardeneers and The Morton Arboretum. As a Spanish bilingual ----- at Contemporary Farmer, they empower garden clients and students through a lens of care and curiosity. They are instrumental in building communal trust and bringing folks together through education, community organizing, and growing food with love and care. 

SEEDLING STEWARD

I’m excited to be part of the Contemporary Farmer, Inc. team. I’ve always had an interest in growing food efficiently and learning about innovative farming methods. In the past, I’ve gained experience working with hydroponic and aquaponic systems, which helped grow my passion for sustainable agriculture.

I’m looking forward to continuing to learn more about modern growing practices while working with Daviiid and the team. Outside of work, I enjoy reading and currently have a growing interest in stationery.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Alondra is a proud Mexican-Belizean-American and holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She serves as the Administrative Assistant at Contemporary Farmer Inc., where she works closely with David to support the daily operations that help empower home growers and strengthen connections to local food systems. In her role, she manages scheduling and calendars, supports client communication via email and phone, assists with tracking expenses and profits, and provides administrative support through document management and organization—helping ensure the team’s work remains efficient, organized, and responsive. Outside of Contemporary Farmer Inc., Alondra is also a full-time Personal Trainer who is passionate about helping people see what their minds and bodies are capable of. When she’s not working or training clients, she enjoys staying active and spending time binging shows, movies, and books.  

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.