Meet this Summer's Program Facilitators!
Isyss Graves (she/her)
Program Instructor: Sustainability and Nutrition focus
Hey Isyss! Tell us about yourself and what your day looks like at Plant Chicago?
I love hiking and reading. I am an Instructor at Plant Chicago through my science professor at UIC. Helping youth learn how to cook and have better nutritional values. Yes, a lot of the planting and composting is new to me as well as working with teenagers. We come in at 9am and plan for the day, the students come in at 10 and start their group work until 10:30, then food prep and lunch until 1pm, then cleaning until 1:30, and lastly workshop for the day or group circle until 2:30.
What have you learned in your time being at Plant Chicago?
I've learned patience and a lot of new recipes. Plant Chicago has taught me the correct ways to recycle and compost by teaching me about what foods should be composted and what items should be recycled as well as what food can be reused and fed to the animals. I like that all of the workshops are interactive and exciting. With Daviiid (Contemporary Farmer, INC), we got to take the micro-greens home and eat them. With Dulce (Cedillo's Fresh Produce), we learned a unique style of cooking. With Alex Galvan, MSW, LCSW, we made weaving work we could hang at home. Each workshop has been very engaging and interactive.
Sofia Espinosa (she/her)
Program Instructor: Growing Focus
Hey Sofia! Can you tell us about your work at Plant Chicago & how you got to know us?
I started as a Grassroots Solar Educator, which means informing community members about Illinois Solar for All, a statewide program that helps income-eligible residents with affordable solar panel installation. My role has mainly consisted of planning and attending tabling events or workshops. This summer, I took on an additional role supporting PC’s After School Matters program, which aims to teach teens about sustainability and culinary techniques.
My first experience at Plant Chicago was right after the 2024 presidential election: I was a farmer at the time, and my friend and coworker Megan, told me about the event, Healing & Harvest, hosted by the Community Navigator. It was a gathering focused on communal healing, with a special meal honoring growers in both the Levant and Chicago. We were both interested, and I’m so glad we attended because the night was full of wonderful energy!
How's your summer with Plant Chicago been so far?
With After School Matters (ASM), I come in at 9 am to solidify the day's plans, including recipes and activities: the teens start arriving at 10 and then take care of their morning checklist items. After that, we usually start cooking together, which takes a while since we have a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of cleanup to do. We usually end our day with a workshop or have a guest speaker present. A lot of my energy has been focused on helping the teens grow through teaching them fun recipes, leading them on gardening tasks, and supporting workshops. I’ve found myself growing alongside them while learning a lot through the program as well!
I’ve learned that fostering a place where young people can creatively learn about our world while also taking care of
it is very important. David Sobel’s quote has stuck with me a lot when creating the curriculum: “Give children a chance to love the earth before we ask them to save it.” For example, teaching our teens about the importance of bugs in ecosystems and engaging with pollinators in the garden have made them less afraid of them.
I’m excited to give a presentation about prairies, especially because I’m currently installing a native plant garden at my house. Even though prairies once covered a lot of our land, we’re not really taught about them in school. I hope I can pique their interest enough to visit a prairie and maybe even plant some of their own native plants!
What's one of your highlights from your time with us?
The mercaditos have definitely been a highlight, with good music, cooking demos, and cool products. Seeing the work being done at PC has made me hopeful that other communities– not only in Chicago but around the world– can become circular hubs. Being part of such a cool mission has made me so grateful for my time here!
