We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephanie Gomez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephanie below.

Hi Stephanie, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Shift Our Ways Collective was born from a deep understanding that access to fresh, culturally relevant food is a human right—not a privilege. Our mission is to nourish and empower Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities through free organic produce, regenerative urban farming, and community-led education. But the story behind our mission is deeply personal.
Many of us grew up in communities where green spaces were rare, fresh food was expensive, and systemic barriers made it difficult to reclaim traditional foodways. We saw firsthand how food insecurity, environmental racism, and a lack of investment in community well-being disproportionately harmed communities of color. Rather than accept this reality, we built a solution—one rooted in ancestral knowledge, sustainability, and collective care.
Since our founding, Shift Our Ways Collective has connected thousands of families with fresh produce, free workshops and connected young people with pathways to sustainable careers, and transformed underutilized spaces into thriving urban farms. But more than that, we’ve created a movement. A movement that not only feeds people but restores dignity, builds community power, and reimagines what’s possible when we shift our ways—together.
Our mission is meaningful because it’s not just about food; it’s about justice. It’s about creating a future where every community has the resources to grow, nourish, and sustain itself—on its own terms.

Stephanie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

About Shift Our Ways Collective

Shift Our Ways Collective (SOW Collective) is a women-led nonprofit rooted in regenerative urban farming, food justice, and environmental education. We exist to empower Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities by providing free organic produce, hands-on learning opportunities, and access to green spaces that honor cultural food traditions. Through a combination of community-driven farming, sustainable land stewardship, and collaborative programming, we address systemic inequities in food access, environmental justice, and climate resilience.

How We Got Started

Our journey began with a simple but powerful realization: many of our communities lack access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant food. Instead of farms and gardens, we see food deserts, over-policing, and disinvestment. As individuals with deep ties to urban farming, education, and community organizing, we knew that we could help shift this reality by creating spaces where people could reclaim their food sovereignty.

What started as small backyard garden projects quickly evolved into a collective movement. We transformed underutilized spaces into thriving EcoHub farms, where community members could not only access free organic food but also learn about regenerative agriculture, climate-resilient gardening, and traditional ecological knowledge. Over time, our work expanded to include educational workshops, native plant restoration projects, youth mentorship programs, and advocacy for food and environmental justice.

What We Offer & The Problems We Solve

We provide a range of community-centered programs and services that help address food insecurity, lack of access to green spaces, and environmental injustice, including:

Free Organic Produce – Every year, we provide fresh, culturally relevant vegetables to over 200 families, prioritizing those most impacted by food apartheid.

Volunteer & Paid Internship Opportunities – We offer hands-on experiences in urban farming, regenerative agriculture, and environmental stewardship to young people, community members, and students seeking sustainable career pathways.

Workshops & Community Events – From herbal medicine-making and composting to sustainable landscaping and food justice advocacy, our workshops create space for people to reconnect with the land and their cultural food traditions.

EcoHub Farms & Green Spaces – We transform neglected urban spaces into thriving community farms and pollinator gardens that serve as hubs for food production, education, and environmental restoration.

Strategic Collaborations & Advocacy – We work alongside grassroots organizations, educators, and policymakers to push for food sovereignty, equitable access to green spaces, and climate resilience in historically disinvested neighborhoods.

What Sets Us Apart

Unlike traditional urban farms or food banks, Shift Our Ways Collective is built on a foundation of community participation, cultural preservation, and long-term sustainability. We don’t just provide free organic and locally grown produce—we cultivate relationships, honor Indigenous and ancestral knowledge, and empower people to reclaim agency over their health and environment. Our approach centers the voices and experiences of those most impacted by food insecurity and environmental racism, ensuring that solutions are community-led and culturally relevant.

We also recognize that food justice is deeply interconnected with broader social and environmental issues, which is why we advocate for policy changes, engage in mutual aid, and foster intergenerational knowledge-sharing. Our EcoHub model isn’t just about growing food; it’s about growing resilience, connection, and systemic change.

What We’re Most Proud Of

Scaling Our Impact – In just a few years, we’ve gone from a grassroots initiative to a recognized nonprofit, diverting over 10,000 pounds of food scraps from landfills, and growing/donating over 2500 lbs of free food. We have taken 2 underutilized spaces and turned them over 10,000 squarefeet of land into community backyard farms. We secured funding that allows us to expand our work, provide paid internships, and invest in long-term sustainability projects.
Community Leadership & Collaboration – Our work is driven by the community, for the community. We’ve built strong partnerships with organizations like the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, LA Compost, Valley Views, and local schools to amplify our impact.
Fostering Future Leaders – Through paid internships, workshops, and mentorship, we are actively cultivating the next generation of BIPOC environmental leaders, farmers, and advocates.
Healing Through Food & Nature – We’ve witnessed firsthand how growing food and restoring native ecosystems can be a source of healing, cultural connection, and empowerment, particularly for historically marginalized communities.

What We Want People to Know

At Shift Our Ways Collective, we believe that everyone deserves access to fresh, nutritious food and a healthy environment. Our work is about more than farming—it’s about shifting the way we think about land, food, and community. We invite people to join us in this movement, whether by volunteering, attending a workshop, donating, or simply learning more about food justice and sustainability.

Together, we can build a future where land, food, and knowledge are shared resources, not commodities—where thriving, sustainable, and culturally rich communities are not the exception, but the norm.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I had just left my career as an educator, stepping into an unfamiliar but deeply personal path. Though I had spent my entire life in Los Angeles and always considered myself a city girl, my connection to the land ran deep—rooted in the memories of my grandparents, who came from beautiful ranches in Mexico. They managed to stay true to their culture and grew fruits and vegetables, raised chickens, all in tiny spaces here in the U.S. and instilled in me an understanding that tending to the earth is a way of life.

When I left the classroom, I knew I wanted to work in the environmental nonprofit sector. I didn’t have a degree in environmental science, but I had always been a steward of the land, volunteering with environmental organizations throughout high school and college. My first opportunity in this new chapter came when I was hired to plant trees in South LA. That’s where I met Haley, my direct supervisor and, unknowingly at the time, the first person I would pitch my “crazy” idea to.

In February 2020, just a month after starting my job, I found myself with a big vision and a sense of urgency. I knew about an available plot for over 10 years I watched it be underutilized serving as a dump zone, of land near my home in Arleta and saw its potential to become something transformative for the community . But I was nervous to share this idea—especially with Haley, who was about to leave the organization. I had to act fast.

When I finally told her about my vision, she didn’t hesitate. She immediately thought of someone who could be the perfect additional partner: Madison, a dedicated volunteer who had been working with the organization for the past year. Haley introduced us, and from the moment we met, it was clear that we all shared the same passion and drive.

By March 8th, we were already developing an action plan—mapping out fundraising strategies, setting milestones, and laying the foundation for what would soon become Shift Our Ways Collective. What started as a bold idea quickly turned into a five-year (and counting) journey of building community, reclaiming land, and reimagining food systems together.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Before we officially registered as a nonprofit, we relied on grassroots fundraising to bring our vision to life. In April 2020, we launched a GoFundMe campaign called “Garden Girl Gang,” and with the support of our community, we raised $3,000—our first seed money.

With a modest budget, we had to get creative. We stretched every dollar by sourcing materials in unconventional ways—dumpster diving for recycled wood, borrowing tools from friends and neighbors, and accepting in-kind donations. But what truly made this possible was the overwhelming love and support from our community.

Neighbors showed up for us in ways we never expected. One family built and gifted us a wooden bench—a project created by a grandfather and grandson, a symbol of generations coming together to support our vision. Friends lent their skills, helping us with marketing and filming our online fundraising campaigns. It was a true collective effort, proving that this space was never just ours—it belonged to the community.

That first round of funding wasn’t just about starting a garden; it was about building something bigger than ourselves. It showed us that with resourcefulness, collaboration, and a shared dream, we could turn an empty plot of land into a thriving space for connection, growth, and resilience. That same spirit continues to drive Shift Our Ways Collective today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sowcollective.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftourways/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiftourways
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z56qBtiebA&t=1s