Meet Our Board 

Jah’lan, a Bloomfield resident and vital member of the Cultivating Justice leadership, is a 2025 Pathways2Agriculture intern. His internship includes hands-on experience with planting and harvesting in grow beds, complemented by outreach and community organizing training. He is currently a student at Prince Tech High School in Hartford, set to graduate in 2025, where he's pursuing a career in plumbing. As part of Pathways2Agriculture, Jah’lan is also creating educational materials to empower teenagers and families with children to advocate for themselves.

As a co-founder of Single Mothers on the Move and a former board member of Hartford Organizing for Power & Equality, Susan Reynolds has devoted a substantial portion of her life to community organizing and leadership development. In retirement, she is enthusiastically embracing this new chapter and maximizing each moment. This period is dedicated to personal fulfillment, exploration, and realizing life's full potential, while upholding the values and experiences that have informed her trajectory as Sus joins Chicks Ahoy Farm’s board.

Sasha Allen-Walton holds the position of Editor-in-Chief at the Northend Agent’s Newspaper, the second oldest Black-owned community newspaper in the United States. She assumed leadership from her father over ten years ago. As proprietor of Sasha’s Whole Earth, she manufactures tinctures and holistic health remedies for distribution at local markets and through direct sales. A strategic leader, she guides the publication's editorial direction, enhances reader participation, and ensures organizational stability within the current competitive media landscape. Ms. Allen-Walton is a founding member of Cultivating Justice and provides strategic communications advisory services to Chicks Ahoy Farm. Presently, she is engaged in a collaborative effort with Chicks Ahoy Farm to develop customized and corporate communication materials for BILPOC individuals and women launching agribusiness enterprises in Connecticut.

Karin Williams, a dedicated high school student, demonstrates a strong commitment to academic achievement and community engagement. Possessing a 4.2 GPA, she consistently pursues academic excellence and embraces intellectual challenges across her educational pursuits. Furthermore, Ms. Williams is the proprietor of Tiki's All-Naturals LLC, an enterprise focused on the cultivation of diverse plant and flower species. She also maintains a small poultry flock of five laying hens, to which she is deeply attached. In 2024, Ms. Williams was elected Secretary of the Board of Directors for Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc. She actively participates in FLOC, a CAF initiative designed to support BIPOC individuals throughout Connecticut in their pursuit of agricultural endeavors and sustainable practices. Additionally, she is a member of Cultivating Justice, an organization advocating for social justice and equity within communities.

Lorenzo Jones stands as a seasoned and dedicated organizer within the state of Connecticut, bringing years of experience in community mobilization and advocacy to his current endeavors. In 2022, a new chapter began for Lorenzo as he delved into the world of agriculture, embarking on a journey that saw him not only embrace chicken keeping but also strategically invest in farmland. This marked the inception of Chicks Ahoy LLC, a venture driven by his vision to foster greater Black participation and ownership in agriculture and sustainability. Securing a CT Farm Tax Number Certificate was a crucial step in legitimizing the operation, laying the groundwork for future growth and compliance. Furthermore, Lorenzo initiated the rigorous process with the USDA, setting his sights on achieving official recognition as a Connecticut-based US Farmer by the year 2025, a testament to his commitment and ambition. The foundation of Chicks Ahoy Farm is deeply rooted in collaborative efforts. Lorenzo played an instrumental role alongside the Cultivating Justice Leadership Team and Diana Martinez, bringing together a diverse coalition of business owners, experienced farmers, social workers, emerging young activists, supportive allies, and committed landowners. This inclusive approach reflects a strong belief in collective action and shared responsibility. For the past three years, Lorenzo has channeled his energy into a specific and vital mission: to empower Black individuals and communities by creating pathways for increased involvement in the agricultural and sustainability sectors. This involves providing comprehensive support, including entrepreneurial training and community organizing skills development, to foster sustainable businesses and leadership. His work aims to rectify historical disparities and create a more equitable and representative landscape in agriculture, ensuring that Black voices and contributions are not only recognized but also celebrated and amplified.

For the past three years, Mimi has functioned as a youth leader within Cultivating Justice. Her duties have encompassed the creation of enrichment programs for children and the provision of childcare services for families, including outdoor agricultural activities at Miller Street Community Farm. In the previous year, Mimi collaborated with a design team to establish and execute the Pathways2Agriculture initiative. She is currently enrolled in the inaugural cohort of P2A Interns, where she is gaining expertise in agricultural and organizational procedures. This engagement with P2A will facilitate her advancement towards becoming an artisan. She intends to launch her own design business in 2025.

Diana possesses multifaceted qualifications, including her role as a parent of a student at Middletown High School, former Associate Director of the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships at Wesleyan University, Founder of Cultivating Justice, and Proprietor of Dee's Crafty Bees. Diana offers substantial community leadership, program management, and development expertise. Her proficiency in local political campaigns is complemented by her dedication to public service. As a community organizer, she has successfully established relationships with public and private entities, leading to enhanced access to affordable healthcare, harm reduction resources, essential supplies, and nutritional provisions. Utilizing her network of alliances, she facilitates the execution of pioneering programs for Middletown families, organizations, and residents. Since graduating from Wesleyan University in 2007, Diana has devoted herself to enhancing the institution's interaction with local residents, the business community, and community-based organizations. Over the course of her 15-year tenure, she has developed significant collaborations between Wesleyan and various Middletown communities, particularly the North End.

Richard Hayles, an employee of the Hartford Courant and an individual with personal experience within the criminal justice system, is a parent and a long-term resident of Hartford. In 2022, he partnered with Lorenzo Jones to found Chicks Ahoy LLC, a poultry husbandry venture, in Bloomfield. Subsequently, in 2023, Mr. Hayles co-established Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc., and concurrently commenced composting and agricultural endeavors at his Hartford domicile. Following the recent granting of a pardon, he now dedicates his efforts to expanding business development resources for prospective agricultural entrepreneurs. As a progeny of Jamaican immigrants with a familial tradition of agriculture and sustainability, Mr. Hayles guides the initiatives of Chicks Ahoy Farm in locating and supporting individuals affected by the Connecticut correctional system in the foundation of their own agrarian businesses.

Elizabeth Williams, mother of a student with notable academic distinction and co-owner of Tiki's All-Natural alongside her daughter Karin, is a founding member of Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc. She was instrumental in the development of Chicks Ahoy Farm's programs during its inception and currently participates in the mutual aid project CoOp2Kitchen and the Farmers & Leaders of Color (FLOC), an initiative involving students, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) agriculturalists, and families with a focus on domestic agriculture. Ms. Williams creates public educational materials on the establishment of poultry husbandry, cultivation practices, indoor horticulture, and organic waste decomposition. Additionally, she is a member of Cultivating Justice, an organization committed to community engagement and local activism for systemic change in Connecticut.

Chiedza Rodriguez, Esq., is a Human Rights Attorney for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of GARO Consulting LLC. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Puerto Rico, a Master's in Human Services from Springfield College, and a Juris Doctorate specializing in Public Interest Law and Gender and Sexuality Law from Western New England University School of Law. Her professional interests encompass the eradication of oppression and injustice, with particular emphasis on their impact on vulnerable populations and youth. Following a period of volunteer service at Chicks Ahoy LLC and Chicks Ahoy Farm Inc., Ms. Rodriguez joined the Chicks Ahoy Farm board.

Kevin Campbell, proprietor of Campbell IT Consulting, provides organizations with robust and reliable technology infrastructure. It is acknowledged that a meticulously designed and expertly implemented technology platform is fundamental to the success of prosperous enterprises, and a commitment to fostering this success is maintained. Mr. Campbell's expertise is substantiated by over thirty-five years of experience in managing the intricacies of network, computing, and storage solutions. This extensive tenure has facilitated the development of best practices, particularly within the financial services and retail sectors. His primary focus is the provision of tailored deployment solutions utilizing the Microsoft Nonprofit Hub offerings. He provides instruction on the utilization of Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365 to equip clients with advanced and efficient tools. By integrating these Microsoft solutions, Kevin Campbell delivers the experience necessary to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and achieve sustainable growth in a digital environment.