Born and raised between Denver and Ethiopia, Fatuma’s roots in farming and political science have uniquely positioned her to engage deeply with the land and its communities. With her work ranging from managing acres of organic heirloom vegetables to advocating against single-solution narratives for crop productivity, Fatuma brings over two decades of dedication to environmental stewardship and a profound commitment to social equity, with extensive experience in environmental advocacy, combined with leadership roles in promoting sustainable practices.
As the Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Head Farmer of FrontLine Farming, and through various leadership roles, including serving on the Denver African American Commission and the Colorado Water Equity Commission, her life's work is dedicated to reframing ideas of good security and environmental stewardship. Drawing upon her work with various environmental commissions and her firsthand experience as a steward of the land, she is uniquely positioned to help navigate the challenges and opportunities in creating inclusive, equitable outdoor recreation spaces as well as exploring the complex interplay of social, economic, and political factors that shape our outdoor spaces.
When not teaching or working, you can find her reading The Rubayat by Omar Khyyam or anything science fiction. She loves rice, especially yummy spiced Arabian basmati rice and is currently listening to language apps as she works to further improve her Spanish and Arabic.