Leadership Team

  • Image of shiny flanary, a Black woman holding a large pepper plant

    shiny flanary

    Executive Director
    (she/her)

    shiny flanary comes to BFSC with more than 20 years of community organizing experience, including a degree in community studies with an emphasis on nonprofit management. shiny is also a farmer and farmers market manager, managing BFSC’s Black and Indigenous farmers market, Come Thru Market.

  • Etse Ayele

    Director of Development and Strategy
    (she/her)

    Etsegenet Ayele (Etse) is a systems thinker, resource mobilizer, and community-rooted strategist raised in Ethiopia and based in Portland. She brings a deep commitment to Black liberation, collective care, and relationship-based work. Etse supports BFSC by leading fundraising strategy and development operations, and strengthening internal infrastructure.

    Her ideal morning is quiet and unrushed — stretching on the floor with Bojack, her dog, while Cookie and Beauty, her cats, circle in and out. Then a walk down the block to feed the neighborhood goats, chickens, and the resident pig.

  • Image of Mirabai Collins, a Black woman smiling and working on a farm

    Mirabai Collins

    Director, Black Futures Farm
    (she/her)

    Mirabai Collins is a founding Director of Black Futures Farm. Black Futures Farm is an independent project that is currently housed at BFSC. Please contact Mirabai directly for all inquiries.

  • the image shows a smiling Black genderfluid person with a yellow bandana on their head. They are wearing a tan blazer and a cream colored shirt can be seen underneath.

    Michelle Molokwu

    Manager, Food Sovereignty Programs
    (they/she/he/alien)

    As a Queer, Nigerian, genderfluid individual, Michelle brings a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives to their work.

    Michelle manages the Black Resilience Food Hub, the After Market Purchasing Program (AMPP), and supports a variety of food and wellness oriented community outreach efforts within Portland’s Black and Brown communities.

BFSC Board Members

  • Image of Board member Jamese Kwele, a Black woman wearing an aqua colored shawl and smiling

    Jamese Kwele

    Acting Chair
    (she/her)

    Jamese is a shaper of change, a strategic pattern weaver, and a mama of two, with over twenty years of experience in building community and facilitating transformation. She currently serves as VP, Organizational and Food Systems Equity at Ecotrust, a nonprofit organization that works in partnership towards building towards an equitable, climate-smart future. In addition, she serves as a board member of the Black Oregon Land Trust, the Black Food Sovereignty Coalition, and the National Farm to School Network. In 2023, Jamese joined the Just Economy Institute Fellowship, an influential and innovative network of financial activists (180+ strong) that’s working to shift capital and power in service of a more just economy. She believes in the power of Black people reclaiming our connection to the land and feels deep gratitude for the love, wisdom, and fortitude of our communities and ancestors who make this work both joyful and possible. She is fueled by authentic connection, subversive humor, and deep joy.

  • Image of Board member Alisha Howard, a Black woman holding compost and worms in her hands

    Alisha Howard

    Acting Secretary
    (she/her)

    Black ✊🏾 Vermicomposter, Urban Ag, Farm2School, Food + Land + Climate Justice 💚connecting & convening Black folks + POCs

  • Image of Board member Malcolm Shabazz Hoover, a Black man holding a large head of green lettuce

    Malcolm Shabazz Hoover

    Acting Treasurer
    (he/him)

    Malcolm Hoover is a father, grandfather and third generation community organizer. He is a co-founder of Black Futures Farm, in SE Portland.

    Malcolm holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology from University of California Santa Cruz. He grew up bi-coastal between unceded Ohlone and Lenai Lenape lands, East Palo Alto, CA and Philadelphia, PA.

    His many jobs have included: assembly line worker making Doppler radar rigs, journalist, tech writer, High School and Elementary School teacher, counselor, US Navy Weatherman, video game tester, and book peddler. He loves motorcycles, plants and people.

    Malcolm’s first book, “144 Poems and Essays for God, Love, Truth, Justice, Peace and Hip Hop,” was published in 2015 by Tayen Lane Press and he is currently working on “Love Poems for War Times: A Practical Handbook for Community Organizing”