Lauren Gibson

Farm & Nursery Co-Manager

Hello! I’m Lauren Gibson, an earth dweller who loves learning and teaching about our plant relatives. While I was studying to become an educator, I began to listen and connect with the local ecology around me. I then decided I wanted to share with others the beautiful things the plants were teaching me. While earth is the real teacher, I hope to guide others into finding joy in connecting to place. Today I am walking the path to share that our relationship between self and the earth is reciprocal. My work is rooted in uplifting diversity and community, with the belief that as we collectively work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.

Cyn Freeman
Farm & Nursery Co-Manager

Aloha I am Cyn Freeman, a Pinay/Chinese island Wahine with roots in Hawai’i and a multi-dimensional artist. In my former life, I was a Graphic Designer for Textiles & Apparel and I gave up fast fashion and pushing pixels for planting aloha in the earth and the indigenous farm life. I am a practitioner who teaches others to heal thy self thru wellness bodywork, sound, and plant medicine in community by connecting to the land thru body, mind, & mana among the BIPOC & LGBTQ communities for humans and animals. Owner of Hina Waters Wellness and a founding Spirit Sistah of the Babaelan Collective. Honored & blessed to be a part of the Sarvodaya Tribe.

Ann-Marie Castaneda
Farmer

Hello! My name is Ann-Marie, I am a Pomona native. My family moved from LA to Pomona in the 70's when there were still dirt roads and orange groves. Some of my earliest memories were playing in my great grandma's garden on Grand Ave that she started when she first moved to Pomona. Although I am a novice gardener, I am filled with gratitude to Learn, grow, and cultivate with my community, especially with such an awesome team. I have also been a avide Roller Skater for 7 years now. I am a active member of All Wheels Pomona a grass roots collective for safe skate spaces in Pomona, The Basics of Happy a movement and wellness company based in Long Beach, Unmodern Industries a skate shop in Santa Fe Springs keeping the stoke for skateboarding and Roller Skating alive for the next generation. Ive learned alot from these experiences and I am excited to bring 'em to the farm and see what the farm has in store for me!

Lola Salgado
Beekeeper

My name is Lola Salgado and I’m the daughter of two beautiful Mexican immigrants. In a field that has been predominated by older white males, I’m excited to have space at Sarvodaya to introduce and teach other people of color about bees and beekeeping. I have learned how to care, love, and listen to bees from the Sweetest Man of El Sereno, he’s a 97 year old Mexican Winnie the Pooh.

Every time I see a bee I thank them, they do so much, and are so small, it makes me feel evermore inspired and encouraged to protect and educate about them.

Delaney Bucker (she/her)

Membership Communications

Delaney is a teacher, learner, connector, and creator. She combines gardening and the arts to create hands-on learning experiences that allow individuals to take agency over their learning while embracing cultural identities and uplifting diversity. Motivated by her wonder, joy, and curiosity, Delaney seeks to inspire these feelings through her work.

Meli Remborn

Documentarian

Meli is a travelling filmmaker most noted for her narrative work in films like "Catrachos and Kings." She balances her passion for cinema and advocacy for the environment through documentary work, giving as much knowledge to the general public as possible. Her freelance photography highlight her nature invested artistic influences, and in time she hopes to use her art work to introduce decolonized perpectives to many.

Farmer Rishi Kumar
Executive Director

Evelyn Wu (she/her)
Chairperson of the Board

Evelyn  has a decade of nonprofit and startup leadership experience building systems to scale marketing, technology, and teams in high-growth, fast-paced environments. She is currently a Program Manager at the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge, where she delivers evidence-based mental health programs to underserved communities. In her spare time, she enjoys playing taiko drums and planning the downfall of capitalism.

Arthi Radhakrishnan (she/her)
Board Member

Arthi is a longtime gardener and professional software engineer.  She is passionate about decolonizing spaces that have long been antagonistic to people of color and women. She currently works at Community.com. For moments of joy, Arthi loves to cook fresh food, play with alpacas and goats, and going on hikes in the San Gabriels and Santa Monica Mountains.

Abhishek Arora
Treasurer

Abhi is an entrepreneur with a passion for gardens and beauty.  After working in the high-tech industry for a decade, Abhi co-founded HyreCar, a NASDAQ listed company.  He recently co-founded Healing Gardens, a company dedicated to helping urbanites find healing in the beautiful gardens maintained by people in cities across the globe.

Jason Jia
Board Secretary

Jason studied engineering at Stanford University and then went to Harvard Law School, going on to practice corporate law and intellectual property litigation in Los Angeles. He's grateful to have an opportunity to advise Sarvodaya Institute on corporate governance issues and other legal matters to ensure that the organization continues its rewarding work.