Yolimar Rivera Vázquez

Yolimar was a member of Ecotrust’s staff from 2018-2023.

I am Ecotrust’s connector to food systems work in Washington State. My focus is building relationships and trust with Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) producers, leaders and communities in Western Washington. With a decade of experience in program management, I leverage my systems thinking, qualitative research and programmatic support experience with opportunities to uplift existing BIPOC efforts, as well as new developments towards equitable systems transformation in food systems in the Pacific Northwest. My experience in food systems include producer business development support and farm-to-institution and food infrastructure work.

I’m a native Boricua (Puerto Rican) who transplanted to the Pacific Northwest in 2012. Coming from the oldest colony in the world, access to decision-making power and self-determination is important to me. Empathy, connection, joy, food, medicinal herbs and healing practices are the things thatI put energy toward outside of Ecotrust