The Incite Institute at Columbia University
(2025 - 2026)
Mississippi and the Future of Food Sovereignty
In collaboration with the National Young Farmers Coalition, the Incite Institute at Columbia University, and the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity of Mississippi, this presentation was delivered to the 2026 cohort of Progressive Youth of Mississippi’s fellows. This interactive presentation and art project focuses on providing a historical and social justice-centered analysis of current and past efforts by Mississippi farmers and activists to preserve agricultural land and create a path to food sovereignty. After the presentation, fellows created art collages from recycled materials of how they envision a future where food is accessible and affordable, where Black and Brown people have equitable access to land, and one free of overbearing data centers.
Selected as a 2025-2026 Assembling Voices Fellow by the Incite Institute at Columbia University, Juan is assembling a coalition to bridge resource, network, and capacity gaps among farmer-led organizations and farmers in Mississippi through his work. The initiative connects nonprofits and farmers to share resources and build collective power through a centralized newsletter featuring agricultural jobs, grants, and programming opportunities, along with regular convenings. By breaking down silos, the project aims to create a healthier, more resilient network of Mississippi farmers. You can sign up for the Mississippi Farmer-to-Farmer Newsletter here!
