ABOUT US
MISSION
to create a regenerative food system that holistically advances health, education, and cooperation.
VISION
We envision a food system that holistically cultivates nourished communities and restores harmony with nature.
Athena S. McKay, MSA is a nationally recognized community engagement strategist and research scientist whose work focuses on the connection between health, food systems, technology, and community participation. With more than 15 years of experience partnering with communities across Michigan, Athena serves as a bridge between academic institutions, public agencies, and local organizations working to strengthen food access and community well-being.
As Program Manager for Community Engagement at the University of Michigan’s Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research, Athena helps guide statewide initiatives that support community-informed research and practical solutions to complex health challenges. Her work includes designing and implementing community-based research, supporting multi-site projects, and translating data into action that benefits local communities.
Athena is also the Executive Director of Flint Innovative Solutions, where she has led more than $1 million in funded initiatives focused on food systems, technology access, maternal health, and community capacity-building. She co-leads regional food policy efforts and is a founding member of the Multicultural Food Sovereignty Network, where she works alongside growers, organizers, and residents to advance locally driven food strategies.
Athena brings a grounded, systems-focused perspective on how food ecosystems, health, and technology intersect—and why authentic community engagement is essential for lasting impact. She draws on real-world experience, research, and collaboration to inspire audiences to rethink how partnerships, data, and local leadership can shape healthier, more resilient food systems across Michigan.
Devon Wilson
Devon Wilson is a farmer, entrepreneur, and food systems strategist committed to expanding food access and strengthening local agriculture. He is the founder of Sunlight Gardens and Farmacy, Co-Founder and Chief Strategist of MFSN, and Vice President of the Michigan Farmers Union.
Dazmonique Carr is a cultivator of access, a guardian of health equity, and a pioneer of urban agriculture. She delivers more than groceries and organic produce—she delivers dignity, destiny, and divine disruption to food injustice.
Dazmonique Carr is a creator, a homesteader, a mother, an artist, and a world traveler. In her career she has made way as a food broker, land steward and land acquisition enthusiast, and advocate for self empowerment & facilitation of group
economics through her work as a changemaker in the Detroit food system. Dazmonique has been participating in Track & Field since she was 8 years old and her relentless work ethic afforded her a Track & Field Scholarship to Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where she has earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Education in Kinesiology Exercise & Sports Science in 2017. In the midst of her collegiate studies, she created a zero-waste mobile grocery store called Deeply Rooted Produce. The business has evolved into a model that increases access to high quality groceries in innovative ways. In 2019, she earned a Master’s of Arts degree in Sports Administration with a concentration in Community Health.
As of August 2026, she will have obtained a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University. To date she is focused on her freedom and creating a more sustainable food system with farmers nationally & internationally
with the intention to provide resources, training programs and land access to marginalized farmers & artisans of color.