Who We Are
Laura Carisa Gardea
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER
A sonic & movement artist turned sustainability designer— Laura is the founder of the Southside Food Forest aka @southsidefoodforestwsnc in Winston-Salem, NC USA. The Southside Food Forest serves as a prototype for urban sustainability & corporate social+environmental responsibility. Exploring themes of ecology, re-indigenization, environmental awareness, ecological displacement, food sovereignty & innovation in sustainability, advocacy & community, the Southside Food Forest is an inclusive greenspace & hub for community, education, arts, culture, environment & human scale climate action.
Laura is the founder of ‘Food to Fashion’ an educational platform in the form of a sustainable fashion showcase that brings ethical, sustainable fashion brands & community partners together on the outdoor runway of the Southside Food Forest! This platform was piloted in the fall of 2021 with the Winston-Salem Fashion Week & Sustainable Fashion Week US, along with International Human Rights Consortium & Ms. United States Cosmos.
Mason Stevens
BOARD MEMBER & CO-FOUNDER
Mason is a greenspace enthusiast in Winston-Salem, NC & Co-founder of the Winston-Salem Permaculture Cooperative. Mason comes from a background of electrical engineering, application, website development, & project management. He came to understand & deeply care for good city design, & he continues to advocate for it in Winston-Salem by encouraging walkability & bikeability of the city. This is largely how he came to work with Laura & other members - by ensuring the city stays green & maintains a sense of “place,” the city can continue to buy in to reduced car-dependency & healthier communities!
Joce Grayson
BOARD MEMBER & YOUTH DIRECTOR
CPR & First Aid Certified for youth & babies! Joce is a professional doula & youth care provider with over 8 years experience working as a nanny & full spectrum doula in Forsyth County, NC with Birds, Bees, Babies & often serves as a community youth volunteer with the local area non-profits like the Piedmont Environmental Alliance. Joce oversees youth programming & supports wellness alongside community care initiatives at the Southside Food Forest.
Kat Torres
BOARD MEMBER & ASSISTANT YOUTH DIRECTOR
Reconnecting Taino ‘two-spirit’, Kat brings their indigenous roots & perspectives to the team; an artist, musician & local entrepreneur passionate about sustainability & arts. Kat has over 8 years experience working with diverse K-12 youth across many sectors.
Pasquale Caccavella
BOARD MEMBER & SOIL SCIENTIST
Owner & Founder of Salem Soil Solutions, Pasquale is a Winston-Salem Permaculture Cooperative board member, former eagle scout badge recipient & scout troop leader for local Boy Scouts #934. Soil Consultant and Volunteer of the Soil Food Web, Pasquale is passionate about soil health in urban communities & sharing the knowledge & tools to improve conditions for urban sustainable agriculture & permaculture!
Liz Santis
BOARD MEMBER & EVENT COORDINATOR
Liz is a visual artist, musician & writer, & crochet designer based in Winston-Salem. Since being a part of many collaborative creative projects & learning to grow food herself, she has developed a strong passion for discovering resourceful ways of sustainability & harmonious solutions for community strengthening. She loves working with the plants in the Southside Food Forest, helping coordinate events, & artistic designing & directing projects.
Dr. Morgan Cox
BOARD MEMBER & EVENT SUPPORT
Dr. Cox is passionate about the intersections of human health with sustainability & enjoys growing their own food, cooking for friends & loves supporting local urban farmers in Winston-Salem, NC at both the Cobblestone & Liberty Street Urban Farmers Markets.
Riley Oakes
BOARD MEMBER & TREASURER
Riley Oakes is a Winston-Salem Permaculture Cooperative board member, treasurer & friend of the Southside Food Forest where he often volunteers in support of the arts, Soil Saturdays open volunteer days as well as on-site events. Riley also has a passion for community building & bridging the gap between sustainability & affordability.