Meet Our Staff
Helga Garcia-Garza , Executive Director of Agri-Cultura Network and La Cosecha CSA
Helga Garcia-Garza has a vision for equity and food justice for underserved Hispanic and Native communities in her Central New Mexico region. Helga’s lived experience as a member of a marginalized Native and Indigenous community, more than two decades of experience with cooperative organic farming, and her long history as a community organizer and environmental justice activist all inform her work as Executive Director of Agri-cultura Network and La Cosecha CSA. She has worked at ACN member farms, worked on tracking, quality control, and distribution of the network’s produce. For the last 30 years she has been dedicated to community health initiatives on both sides of the US/Mexico region organizing and educating communities on Right to Know Right to Act regarding water, land and air contamination. She bases her work in a from-the-ground-up approach to building an environmental economy, as she believes the nutritional needs of her community are best served by local farmers who grow healthy, culturally appropriate food using organic and sustainable practices. Helga is the New Mexico Food & Ag Policy Council Chair, Castanea Fellow 2020-2021 and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader Fellow 2018-2021.
“As a Native woman in agriculture I am guided by our ancestral calendar, and I share this knowledge through an intergenerational process. As a farmer myself, I know first-hand the challenges of farm to market. I have experience and lessons learned through development of farm cooperatives in Brownsville, Texas and in Central Mexico. This inspired my strong commitment to protecting the environment and to building a healthy, sustainable, local economy through agricultural practices. ‘
helga@agri-cultura.org
Rebecca Grashuis – Agroecology Director
Rebecca is a passionate advocate for environmental activism, food justice, sustainability, and community health. With a background in education, outreach, and program development, she has worked extensively to empower communities through equitable food systems work and culturally aware educational opportunities.
Previously, Rebecca was deeply involved in school-aged, land-based education and community programming, focusing on holistic learning and access to resources. She has worked with organizations to support families, develop educational initiatives, and foster stronger community networks.
Now at Agri-Cultura Network/ La Cosecha, she continues her commitment to sustainable agriculture, resource building in community, supporting local farmers and ensuring fresh, local, and culturally sustainable food is accessible to all. Rebecca believes in the power of collaboration and grassroots efforts to create lasting change in food sovereignty and health equity.
rebecca@agri-cultura.org
Agri-Cultura Cooperative Network Kitchen Staff
The hardworking ACN kitchen staff receive, process, and pack the produce that arrives at the ACN kitchen on a daily basis. With 5,000 pounds of produce coming into the kitchen in an average week, the staff moves at least 20,000 pounds as the food passes through their hands multiple times. Their dedication is the powerhouse that ensures New Mexican food can feed New Mexicans who need access to high quality, nutrient dense, affordable produce.