Castanea immersions are a unique combination of playground and laboratory, spaces where leaders fine tune the balance of rigor and joy in their work. Immersions are the soft ground onto which fellows can collectively settle, take a deep breath, and …
We put out an invitation: come play a game with us! And folks showed up. We had a great time as Cohort 4 Fellow Duaba led us through the game – we strategized and dreamt together, with wrenches thrown into …
By Mahfam Malek, Program Director Last August, Castanea staff found ourselves landing in Puerto Rico (or Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name) just hours before the arrival of a hurricane. We were on a scouting trip to help us prepare for …
By Kamal Bell We are living through a defining moment. The world feels unstable socially, economically, and environmentally yet most public conversations remain stuck on critique. We talk about what’s broken, but rarely about how to rebuild. That observation raises …
Oppression feeds on exhaustion. Freedom takes root in rest. The 16 leaders awarded this year’s Castanea Fellowship are keeping alive a bold vision for how we should farm, fish and feed society. But they do so under unprecedented attack on …
Register Here!A virtual conversation series on re-building systems for our collective liberation As a fellowship rooted in supporting the power and movements of leaders in the food system, one of our main mandates is to cultivate and uplift the good …
by Krysten Aguilar An hour before sunrise on the island of Kauai, two dozen food and farming justice leaders gathered in the inky twilight of March’s new moon, wading silently, waist-deep into an ocean bay tucked alongside a sacred salt …
Join us for an informational webinar about Castanea Fellowship’s open applications for our fourth cohort (2025-2026). We will share general information about Castanea, our application process and timeline, a sense of the fellowship experience, and have time for Q&A. We …
Applications are now open for the next cohort of Castanea Fellows! If you’re looking for an opportunity to deepen your leadership and root your work for food justice in joy and community, this opportunity is for you. Applications are open …
