Who We AreHOPE is a collaborative of public agencies, community-based organizations, and Oakland residents. Leadership bodies and individuals within the collaborative work together to pursue our vision of a healthier, more vibrant Oakland.
The Steering Committee is responsible for the leadership of the collaborative and for making all major decisions. HOPE staff is responsible for the overall coordination of HOPE’s work. |
Staff
Contact Asia at
[email protected] |
ASIA HAMPTON
Asia Hampton comes to the table with 9 years of experience working in all areas of the food system to increase equitable access to food and opportunity. From working food service in Southern California to facilitating Food Justice Education workshops in Oakland and Brooklyn, she is intimately familiar with the challenges so many communities face not only in accessing fresh and affordable products, but also in building stable lives and livelihoods in the face of an ever-widening gap of inequality. She believes in creating localized safety-nets that strengthen community and are locally responsive. As the former Director of Phat Beets Produce she invested heavily in staff and leadership development and is excited to continue this work with HOPE Collaborative. She currently serves on the board of Oakland Communities United for Equity and Justice, leading them through the process of developing a board that is accountable to self-directed programs. Asia is also a Member of the Oakland Food Policy Council actively working on the development of a new organizational structure and the implementation of The Good Food Purchasing Policy within OUSD. Originally from San Diego, Asia moved up the California coast to attend UC Santa Barbara where she earned a B.A. in Sociology. She traded in warm beaches for long bridges when she moved to Oakland in 2012 and traded moderate weather for four seasons with a brief stint in New York while she worked on her Master’s in Food Systems at NYU. She now happily lives in Oakland with her partner and dog, making frequent trips out of town to maintain the amazing friendships she’s made along the way. |
Contact Citlalli at
[email protected] |
CITLALLI OROZCO
Citlalli Orozco, a visionary, facilitator, community organizer, and artist. Citlalli is involved with Hope Collaborative's as the Youth Engagement Fellow, she embarked on her journey into food justice and activism at the age of 15. Inspired by the wisdom and poetry of Aja Monet, she views advocacy as a canvas for creative expression, intertwining storytelling and activism. As Aja Monet says "Our world is our canvas, and we have the power to paint it with the colors of justice and equality." Citlalli is committed to building accessibility and pushing towards the liberation of all people. With a strong belief in our responsibility to care for the land and understand our history, she bridges representation, art, activism, and social justice in her impactful work with youth. |
Contact Elizabeth at
[email protected] |
ELIZABETH ESPARZA
In her almost five years with HOPE, Elizabeth has loved having the opportunity to work on so many different programs and projects. Now, as the Co-Director overseeing Food Justice and Youth Engagement Programs, she is excited to help guide the strategic direction of HOPE Collaborative and continue to grow our food justice work, along with youth and community engagement. Having worked to ensure equitable access to food for all in various capacities over the last decade, Elizabeth has a passion for education and making information about how to address systemic injustice accessible to everyone. She is committed to breaking down the barriers that have kept marginalized folks out of policy and planning spaces for so long, empowering those most affected by food and environmental policy to have a voice in shaping their community's futures. Originally from Fullerton, Elizabeth has moved up and down the state in pursuit of her B.A. in English Literature from Sonoma State University and Master's of Public Policy at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a stint in the East Bay between the two. From Southern California to the North Bay and the Central Coast, Elizabeth is glad to have made her way back to East Bay. In her free time, you can find Elizabeth doing absolutely everything with her senior rescue dog Seymour, reading as much as she can, learning the ukulele, spending time outside, and trying to write a dystopian climate fiction novel that doesn't come true. |
Contact Janina
[email protected] |
JANINA TURNER
Janina Turner is the Environmental Justice Co-Director for HOPE Collaborative. Janina graduated from Sonoma State University with a BA in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Energy Management and Design. Before working at HOPE, she worked at The Climate Center, focusing on energy programs and communications. Throughout the pandemic Janina volunteered with the Sonoma County chapter of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led movement working to stop the climate crisis while creating millions of good jobs in the process. Originally from Los Angeles, Janina now resides in North Oakland. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, reading, and attending concerts. One day she hopes to learn at least one magic trick. |
Steering Committee
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BETH TEPER
Descended from Eastern European Jews, Beth was raised by a queer single mother in the unceded Ohlone territory of Yelama (San Francisco). Beth has worked for social and environmental justice over the past 40 years. Dedicated to living joyfully with her wife and in right relationship with the many communities in Huichin Ohlone (Oakland, CA), Beth loves to eat seasonably, explore local watersheds and garden to regenerate local habitat. EMPRESS XIE NEI (SHANAI CHUNG)
Empress Xie Nei is a Chef, Farmer, Forger, and educator. She is an Oakland native whom is owner of Third Eye Soul Kitchen and one of the owner of a local collective in west Oakland. She provides the community with health food from the farmer markets as week as already prepared meals throughout the week. With in the space they offer information on mushroom cultivation, mushroom workshops, educational workshop, body work classes and events to bring community together. JENNY WANG
Jenny is the Director of the Alameda County Public Health Department's Nutrition Services Program. Family is top priority, followed by work family, where she sees her role as supporting the success of others. |
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JOSUE CHAVEZ
Josue Chavez became a Youth Action Board member in his freshman year for HOPE Collaborative. With that same year, he was able to balance another non profit, AIA (Alternatives in Action), where he co-taught, focused, and incorporated lessons to a film class of 20 students. During the 2017-2018 school year, Josue Chavez served as an active member of the Student Nutrition Advisory Council, assisted in lifting student priorities to improve students’ experiences with school food, collaborated with California School-Based Health Alliance, District’s Nutrition Services, and the District’s Health and Wellness. During his sophomore year, Josue Chavez was elected to run as Student Director under OUSD’s Board of Education for the 2018-2019 school year. During his term, he has been one of the primary All City Council youth leaders in the initiative to bring student voice to the revisions of the District’s Physical Education and Policy. Currently, Josue Chavez takes great pride in being a student of color, and believes that Oakland has allowed him to be a person effecting positive change for all people with the Youth Leader position HOPE Collaborative has to offer. |
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TEA SLATER
Public health nerd passionate about health communities, environmental justice, empowering youth, and making radical change. |