Our Founder
Erika Allen
Founder & CEO
Erika Allen (she/her) is the founder and CEO for Urban Growers Collective; president of Green ERA Educational NFP; and co-owner of Green Era Sustainability Partners. Allen founded and served as the director of Growing Power – Chicago from 2002 to 2017. She co-founded the Chicago Food Policy Action Council; serves on the board of Grow Greater Englewood and Leadership Council for Growing Home; and is an advisor for the Community Food Navigator project. Allen was appointed to the Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education (ICAE) from 2022-2024. The former Biden administration appointed Allen to the Farm Service Agency Committee for Illinois. She is also co-chair of the Food Equity Council for the City of Chicago.
Allen received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her MA in Art Psychotherapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She uses her experience as a visual artist to support individuals and organizations in realizing their vision of social and economic changes. She is passionate about social justice and working with multicultural groups in the elimination of racism, related oppressions, and the root causes of poverty by integrating creative and therapeutic techniques alongside food security and community development.
Executive Assistance: execassistant@urbangrowerscollective.org