Bianca Mikahn is an emcee, poet, digital composer, cultural activist and educator. She is Executive Director of youth mental health-based organization Check Your Head and has been a Teaching Artist with leading creative educators, Think360, Creative Strategies for Change and Youth on record. A TEDx alum, Mikahn’s writing style addresses themes of self-awareness, mental health and deepend community engagement. Explorations in music production garnered Mikahn the title of “Best Avant Garde Band” from Denver Westword. She has shared stages at Regis University, Denver University, Wyoming University, La Napoule’s renowned Chateau in Nice France and Stockholm Sweden’s historical Fylkengin (Fill-ken-gin) Theatre. Currently Mikahn is honing social embodied social justice facilitation to encourage trauma informed care and somatic wellness as a Satya Yoga Instructor in marginalized communities.

Alexis has been with FrontLine Farmign since 2021 helping in various ways such as tending crops, implementing IPM, expanding our mushroom growing, and providing our CSA and markets with top notch customer service. She is such a valued part of the heart-centered work we do at FrontLine, always working to grow food and relationships within our community. Alexis is an indoor and outdoor farmer with additional experience with parks and recreation.

Saleema received her Masters in Conservation Ecology with a focus on agroecology and social justice from University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability in 2018. She has been urban farming for 6 years in the Midwest and Southwest in the form of apprenticeships, running her own business, and co-founding a women of color farming collective. She comes to the field of agriculture with diverse experiences in ecological research, education, and social justice all of which informs her land and people ethics. Her passion for growing plants, her love of agroecology, and her drive to feed her community motivates her to continue to develop as a farmer and land steward.

Fatuma Emmad is the CO-Founder, Executive Director and Head Farmer of FrontLine Farming. She serves as President of Mile High Farmers and is a Co Convener for Project Protect Food Systems Workers. She is a lecturer in the Masters for Environmental Studies Program at CU Boulder. Before becoming a farmer, Fatuma was a political scientist who engaged in issues affecting farming communities such as the push for genetically modified seeds across Southern and Eastern Africa.

I have been an educator forty-one years. I started as a first-grade teacher and learned what it means to be an educator from spending countless days with six and seven year olds. I recall hatching chicks in the classroom as well as working in the school vegetable garden with my students. We ate a salad from the garden before we had cupcakes at our class party. I grew up in Nogales on the US-Mexico border where my family has resided for generations. On the border, my family’s foodways included wild plants such as verdolagas (purslane), quelites (greens), and nopalitos (prickly pear). We also drank refreshing summer beverages made from melon, papaya, jamaica (hibiscus), cebada (barley), or tamarindo. As kids we foraged in the nearby hills for kovenas (wild bulbs), pechitas (mesquite pods) and bellotas (acorns). The borderlands is ranch county and we all had relatives that still lived on ranches in Mexico. I am an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado at Denver. I currently teach two classes that I developed on topics that define our times. Both classes are centered on equity and social justice. One class is on undocumented immigration and the other is on food justice. The food justice class examines food in the city (food waste, food disparities/iniquities, & food co-ops), urban agriculture, and land ethics. My students and I regularly volunteer at Sisters Garden and Celebration garden during the semester. My connection to Frontline Farms is based on years of working alongside the founders on urban farms and in community events.

Kourtnie Burse, Vocational Education Lead, is a passionate urban farmer from New Orleans, LA with a deep love for the outdoors, fishing, and continuous learning. Kourtnie holds a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Colorado, Denver and an Associates of General Studies from Colorado Mountain College. She joined FrontLine in 2024 after a year of experience at Denver Urban Gardens as a Youth Education Coordinator. Kourtnie is skilled in teaching, gardening, sustainability, classroom management, permaculture and curriculum development. Navigating the intersection of being Black and an urban farmer has afforded her a unique perspective that she uses to empower young minds with practical skills while fostering a sense of inclusivity and representation.

Emily is an embodiment of dedication and diversity. Born and raised in Mexico, she blends her rich cultural heritage with a multifaceted professional journey. Holding a Bachelor's in Nursing, Emily brings a healthcare perspective that underscores her innate desire to nurture and support those around her. At FrontLine Farming, she serves as the SNAP Outreach Coordinator. In this role, Emily applies her passion for helping others, especially in ensuring access to nutritious food and education. Her immigrant background provides profound insight into the challenges faced by many families, fueling her advocacy and empowerment efforts.

Jessica Caouette is the Business Operations Manager. Jessica finished her BSBA with DU's Hospitality Management program in 2010 and back in Denver in mid 2011, she started The Denver Bicycle Cafe with an old friend and owned and managed it for 8 years until November 2019. Her skills in budget management, bookkeeping and business systems come in handy as FrontLine grows with its community.

Jon Rodrigues is the Special Programs Coordinator. He attended Santa Clara University for undergraduate and graduate. He is passionate about farms and supporting farm workers. In addition to 9 growing seasons as a farmer, Jon brings sales, business strategy, and operations management experience. He is leading FLF’s seed saving, foodways, and mushroom cultivation programs. Jon is a father of 2 young ones and spouse of an amazing mother and pediatrician. He enjoys spending time in the mountains and exploring Denver parks and recreation centers. Travel is a passion for Jon with extended stays in Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Senegal.

Jenifer Rodriguez is the Managing Attorney of the Migrant Farm Worker Division (MFWD) of Colorado Legal Services. Prior to becoming the managing attorney in 2013, Jenifer was a staff attorney in the MFWD since 2007. The MFWD provides comprehensive legal services to agricultural workers throughout Colorado, including survivors of labor trafficking. In addition to assisting agricultural workers who are survivors of trafficking or other types of criminal workplace abuses on applications for immigration relief, the MFWD also litigates wage and hour, discrimination, trafficking, and other employment claims in civil lawsuits and administrative agency proceedings.

After completing FrontLine's beinning farmer training in 2023, Stacy joined the FrontLine farming team as the Assistant Farm Manager at Sisters Gardens in North Denver. Stacy was born and raised in Denver, CO. Before coming to Frontline, she had 10 years in veterinary medicine and 10 years in healthcare. Stacy has a Bachelor’s in Communications with an emphasis in Sustainability. Outside of wrok, you can find stacy hiking, cooking, kayaking, traveling, and exploring Colorado.

Alicia is a proud bilingual Latina from Peru with a BS in Business Administration/ Management and attended MSU for her MA in Accounting. Her vibrant personality helps her navigate the professional landscape with expertise, enthusiasm and grace. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Alicia is a vibrant individual who exudes passion for life. Her infectious enthusiasm extends to inspiring others to laugh and embrace their best selves. Alicia's diverse interests span the outdoors, fashion, and food, reflecting a dynamic and well-rounded individual who thrives on the richness of life's experiences.

Damien Thompson, PhD the Co-Founder and Director of the Center for Food Justice and Health Communities. He also is the Sustainable Food Systems Specialization Lead for CU Boulder’s Masters of the Environment Program. In addition to his training in anthropology, Dr. Thompson also holds a certification in Permaculture Design, an Advanced Permaculture Design certification and a 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teaching Certification.

Dr. Genene Duran grew up in northeast Denver in the Montbello community and is an alumna of Montbello High School. She holds a Doctorate in Human Services, Master’s in Healthcare Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. In addition, she is also a certified Mediator and has a certification in Public Relations as well. She plans to take her exam for her certification in Public Health in May, 2025. Dr. Duran has subject matter expertise in the fields of healthcare policy, managing federally qualified health centers, human services, community outreach and engagement, health systems change and cultural competence in health care which includes social determinants of health, health disparities and health equity. Dr. Duran is an Affiliate Professor in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Metropolitan State University working with the Masters of Social Work students to complete their final Capstone thesis projects. In addition, she is the Founder/CEO of her own nonprofit organization Ducks in a Row Human Services Inc. From 2021-2023, Dr. Duran simultaneously served as the Chair of the Board of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, the Advisory Board Chair for the City and County of Denver’s Agency on Human Rights and Community Partnerships and as the Co-Chair for the City and County of Denver’s African American Commission. She still serves on the Board of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment as well as the City and County of Denver’s African American Commission. In addition, she serves on the Colorado Advisory Panel of Local Board of Health Members. Over the past six years she has held memberships on the Family Advisory Council for Every Child Pediatrics, the Board of Directors for Womxn’s March Denver, the Doctoral Advisory Board for the University of Arizona Global campus, as a Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Denver Moves Everyone Steering Committee Advisory Board member, and as the National Association for Career and Technical Education Region Representative. In her spare time she is a mentor to a young lady in her community. Dr. Duran first came into contact with Frontline Farming in 2018 when she met co-Founder Fatuma Emmad as they both served on the Denver African American Commission. Throughout the years she was kept abreast of the wonderful work they did and supported Agricultural legislation which positively impacted Frontline Farming. In the summer of 2024 she had an opportunity to receive the amazing CSA boxes and attended the Farm to Table event in the Fall of 2024 which further cemented her love for the organization. Although she has accomplished a great deal, she remains most proud of her new granddaughter who was born on Christmas day, 2024, 22-year-old son and 21 year old daughter, who both graduated from Colorado State University in May 2024, and 18-year-old daughter who is in her second year at the Community College of Aurora. Dr. Duran’s greatest passions include providing a voice for underserved communities and affecting positive change through leadership, strategic planning, relationship building, effective change management, conflict management, advocacy, social justice, and organizational training.