Castanea Fellowship
Mariela Cedeño is a Partner & Co-Founder at Manzanita Capital Collective, a Fellow at Castanea Fellowship, and the Community Investment Committee Chair at EFOD Collaborative. With a background in community development, economic opportunity, and social enterprise, Mariela has a proven track record of supporting BIPOC entrepreneurs and marginalized communities. With previous roles at organizations such as Mandela Partners and Kiva.org, Mariela has extensive experience in shaping strategies that uplift and empower those in need. Their educational background includes a Master's degree in Latin American and Iberian Studies from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and Economics from the University of California, Davis.
Castanea Fellowship
The Castanea Fellowship is a multi-sector collaborative that creates opportunities for transformative leadership to thrive. It is a new, two-year fellowship for diverse leaders working for a racially just food system in any of the areas of: health, environment, agriculture, regional economies, or community development. Castanea Fellows will build power to shift structures and culture towards the creation of a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy food system for children, families, and all communities. We give Castanea Fellows the time, space, and resources they need to connect and innovate on long-term solutions that can foster vibrant communities. Castanea Fellowship is nurtured by a stellar Steering Committee, supported by a powerhouse advisory council, informed by hundreds of conversations with food system change-makers, and inspired by a decade of successful alumni from the W.K. Kellogg Food and Community Fellows. The Castanea Fellowship is supported by a larger community. This includes our powerhouse Steering Committee, as well as a phenomenal set of advisors. Advisors are a set of national partners with diverse expertise who serve as Community Advisors and on the Selection Committee. We also value our connection to alumni of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Food and Community Fellowship. We are grateful to these incredible advisors and their guidance to the Castanea Fellowship. Learn more about them by visiting our website. Our name comes from the Castanea, or chestnut tree family. We are inspired by the symbolism of Castanea, a species that is native to North America that is resilient, innovative, and abundant. Our organization reflects our core values: racial equity, diversity, and impact. Our inaugural cohort, the 2019 Castanea Fellows, will be announced on June 12th, 2019. Our 2020 cohort will be announced in December 2019. Follow us on social media: #Castanea2019 Twitter: @castaneafellows Facebook: Castanea Fellowship Instagram: Casta