Kelebohile “Kele” Nkhereanye is a food justice advocate who champions access to healthy food in low-income communities and combats health disparities. A native of Lesotho, Southern Africa, Kele’s global lens informs her work with diverse communities. Through interactive workshops and cooking demos, Kele works with corporations, nonprofits, and individuals to teach others how to make easy and healthy adjustments to traditional meals. As a certified nutrition coach, Kele helps clients unpack their history with food and lead a more active lifestyle. As co-owner of Brooklyn Born, a community enrichment food vending service, Kele teaches food entrepreneurship and a path to street vending. With over a decade of experience in food advocacy, Kele believes in providing foods and education that celebrate the diverse cultures in Brooklyn and around the world. Her approach is grounded in fostering connection and creating a sense of community.
Background
Since 2008, Kele has overseen the success of Brooklyn Born with her partner Renee Boyd. The social enterprise provides residents with traditional African and African-American dishes through its food truck, which sources ingredients locally; makes fresh produce accessible and affordable through its mobile green cart; and offers quality snacks and beverages with its vending machines.
A highly respected public speaker, for over 10 years, Kele has represented East New York Farms, a pioneer food justice program, at grassroots organizing conferences such as Growing Power, Inc. and the U.S. Social Forum. She has also served as a community educator and led chef proficiency trainings. Additionally, Kele has worked with the NYC Green Cart Initiative to conduct community outreach, raise awareness around healthy eating habits, and advocate for more licenses for street vendors.
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What could be more important than food justice in a food desert? Kele has dedicated herself to fighting this injustice on many fronts in East New York, Brooklyn. This includes, but is not limited to, mobile food vending, fruit and vegetable carts, and urban agriculture.
/ Bill Wilkins, Director of Economic Development, Local Development Corporation East New York /
Experience
Kele is trained in Technology of Participation (ToP) facilitative leadership by the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) and Popular Education facilitation methods by Highlander Research and Education Center. She has also been trained by Just Food, Inc. to preform engaging community cooking demonstrations and educate underserved communities about Community-Supported Agriculture. She received her coaching certification from Integrative Nutrition, the world’s leading nutrition school.