Meet the Interns: Introducing the 2023-24 F.I.R.E. Cohort

Hosted by the North Carolina Local Food Council, CEFS, and Community Food Strategies, the Food-Inspired Resilience & Equity (FIRE) Internship is excited to introduce the 2023-2024 interns! FIRE interns will support community-based food organizations across North Carolina with their local food, community, and equity work. Get to know the new cohort below!

Sarah Beck

Hometown: Pittsboro, NC
University: UNC Chapel-Hill (Political Science & Environmental Justice)
Host site: N.C. Cooperative Extension – Lee County 

Recently returned from studying abroad in Scotland, UNC Chapel-Hill senior Sarah Beck will be partnering with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Lee County Center to help foster flourishing local food systems in the county. Sarah’s study of Political Science, Environmental Justice, and Spanish are fundamental to her interest in food justice, health equity, and local food systems, and she is excited to get hands-on experience through this internship. Specifically, Sarah is looking forward to learning more about health equity work as she works with the county Local Foods agent to lead the Sanford Agricultural Marketplace (SAM) project. 

In between classes and study sessions, you can find her cooking and practicing with her fellow a cappella enthusiasts in the Tar Heel Voices.

Emerald Ifunanya Izuakor

Hometown: Raleigh, NC
University: UNC Chapel-Hill (Nutrition)
Host site: Just Foods Collaborative

Emerald Izuakor (she/her) has been passionate about food and nutrition from a young age, so it’s little wonder that she found herself studying Nutrition – as well as Hispanic Linguistics – at UNC-Chapel Hill. Emerald is particularly interested in the intersection of food, culture, nutrition, medicine, and agriculture, which perfectly suits her talents for food writing and storytelling. She looks forward to furthering these skills during her partnership with Just Foods Collaborative, where she will work to conduct outreach to local farms, chronicle the organization’s mission, and recruit new stakeholders into the collaborative. 

When not engaged in her studies, Emerald can be found reading, playing tennis, traveling, and exploring nature (especially when muscadine grapes are in season)!

Reva Kodre

Hometown: Chantilly, VA
University: UNC Chapel-Hill (Nutrition)
Host site: People for Equity

Virginian-turned-Tar Heel Reva Kodre (she/her) will be joining People for Equity in Durham – a perfect match for her food science and policy passions. A fourth year student studying nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill, Reva is on a pre-med track and has been bolstering her experience working in an immunology lab and as a part-time Orange County EMT. She anticipates putting this knowledge and experience to work, as well as learning more about food systems and policies. At People for Equity, she will research policies around local food and health equity work, guide the work of the Youth Food Council, and engage in community outreach.

In her free time, Reva loves to read, play tennis, travel, and try new foods. She is particularly looking forward to doing the latter two during her gap year in Spain upon graduation.

Minerva Martinez

Hometown: Wilmington, NC
University: UNC Pembroke (Biology & Spanish)
Host site: A Better Chance, A Better Community (ABC2)

UNC-Pembroke senior Minerva Martinez (she/her) will be uniting with A Better Chance, A Better Community (ABC2) to strengthen community bonds and local food systems in Halifax County. During the school year, she will be balancing her internship with her studies in Biology and Spanish, with which she hopes to launch a career in surgery. Minerva is excited to support ABC2’s youth programs and help create a novel northeast NC food work database, and we’re equally excited to see the results! 

In addition to being a NC certified EMT, Minerva is an enthusiastic traveler and animal lover, and frequently dotes on her 3 cats and betta fish.

Sophia Norris

Hometown: Raleigh, NC
University: Western Carolina University (Environmental Science)
Host site: WNC Farm to Table

Originally hailing from Raleigh, Sophia Norris (she/her) now lives in the mountains, where she studies Environmental Science at Western Carolina University. Fortunately, she won’t have to travel far to reach WNC Farm to Table – a local food organization also based in Jackson County.  Sophia is most excited to get a behind-the-scenes perspective of community-based organizations and engage in community outreach efforts – a passion that will help her fit right in at WNC Farm to Table. 

When not busy with schoolwork, Sophia is an avid artist, traveler, hiker, and budding acrobat (try to beat her 3-minute headstand record!).

Hope Ostane-Baucom

Hometown: Miami, FL
University: Mitchell Community College (Agribusiness Technology)
Host site: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council

Miami-raised Hope Ostane-Baucom is passionate about a lot of things; food freedom, pollinators, plants, and agriculture are just the tip of the iceberg. Her enthusiasm led her first to the vice presidency of the Mitchell Community College Agriculture Club – where she majors in Agribusiness Technology – and now to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council (CMFPC). Hope’s desire to explore marketing methods for increasing farmer, community, and environmental outcomes will serve her well as she works with CMFPC to establish a social media presence for local farms and coordinate farmer outreach initiatives. 

Despite her busy schedule, Hope still makes time for cultivating her backyard garden and volunteering at local schools and community centers.

Alaina Shields

Hometown: Germantown, MD
University: UNC Chapel-Hill (Environmental Studies, Public Policy, & Food Studies)
Host site: Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute

UNC-Chapel Hill junior Alaina Shields (she/her) may have a lot on her plate, but she’s not afraid to go back from second helpings. In addition to her studies in Public Policy, Environmental Studie, and Food Studies, Alaina will be collaborating with the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute this upcoming academic year, and plans to put her passion for government policy and law to good use as she expands the institute’s capacity to support rural North Carolinians. 

While Alaina hopes to continue on this track post-graduation – aiming to either pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration or attend law school – she doesn’t forget to stop and smell the roses – literally! Alaina is an avid gardener with a special interest in pollinator preservation and apiculture, as well exploring new culinary experiences.

Preina Prashant Surti

Hometown: Cary, NC
University: UNC Chapel-Hill (Nutrition)
Host site: Fertile Ground Food Cooperative

As a Wake County native, it’s particularly fitting that Preina Surti (she/her) will be partnering with the Raleigh-based Fertile Ground Food Cooperative. Preina has deep roots in her southeastern Raleigh community, where she learned about food equity work through local organizations. These experiences led her to her interest in public health, which informed her decision to major in Nutrition at UNC-Chapel Hill. Upon graduating next spring, Preina plans to continue her nutrition education and become a registered dietitian so she can continue to explore nutrition policy and engage with communities through outreach. She enjoys working at the intersection of nutrition education and community advocacy, which makes her the perfect fit for Fertile Ground Food Cooperative’s mission of fostering a food-centered community gathering space. 

When not engaged in her studies, Preina volunteers with the Carolina Hunger Initiative, runs, and bakes increasingly ambitious desserts.