Erika Allen is the Co-Founder, CEO - Operations Director for Urban Growers
Collective and the President of Green ERA Educational NFP and Co-Owner of Green
Era Sustainability Partners.

Erika Allen founded and was the Director of Growing Power – Chicago for 15-years
prior to the closing of the organization in 2017. Erika served as Commissioner for the
Chicago Park District from 2012 – 2017 and serves on the board of Chicago Food
Policy Action Council, and recently served on Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker’s transition
team for Agriculture.

She 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.

Erika is a visual artist and urban grower who speaks publically, consults with individuals
and organizations to support visioning and planning of social and economic change
objectives through food, agriculture, and green energy. She uses a racial equity
framework in all of her practices. Integrating the creative and therapeutic techniques
with food security and community development enabled Erika to establish multiple
urban farms and agriculture training and education programs in Chicago. She is
passionate about social justice and working with multicultural groups in the elimination
of racism and oppression. /////