Alita Kelly

Alita Kelly is a food systems alchemist with over a decade of experience innovating better food futures. She is also one of the leaders of West Michigan Young Farmers, which supports emerging growers through the Farmer of Color Land Fund, a seasonal Freedom School, ongoing farmer technical assistance, and a new beginning farmer incubator. Through her project design and agricultural experience business, Jade Rabbit, Alita helps communities and institutions integrate local sustainability practices around food. She has led multiple community garden developments across Grand Rapids through partnerships with the city of Grand Rapids parks and the downtown development authority. She is currently restoring a 10 acre apple orchard in Northern Michigan and cultivating a 20 acre farm sanctuary near South Haven focused on decolonizing land relations to return to the sacred Mother, ecological stewardship, and deep communal rest and remembrance.