After much anticipation we are excited to announce that People’s Grocery’s Board of Directors has chosen Nikki Henderson as our new Executive Director. Nikki comes to People’s Grocery at a perfect and exciting time as the organization begins to take bold steps towards scaling its work and deepening the impact of its mission of building a community food system that improves the health and economy of the West Oakland community.

Nikki has been an active social justice and sustainability advocate since 2002, and comes to People's Grocery from Slow Food USA in Brooklyn, NY. While at Slow Food USA, Nikki designed the executive team for Josh Viertel, Slow Food's President. Before Slow Food USA, Nikki worked very closely with Van Jones and Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins at Green for All on the executive support team. She has also worked extensively with the Southern California Foster System, state-wide sustainability organizations and education organizations.

It's an honor and a privilege to be coming to People's Grocery as its new Executive Director. I look forward to continuing the organization's legacy of community-based and self-empowerment driven work in the West Oakland community.” — Nikki Henderson

Nikki’s selection as People’s Grocery’s new leader was partly based on her impressive track record and experience as a manager, fundraiser, strategist and advocate for health and social justice. We also chose Nikki because her work with national-scale organizations linking to local grassroots movements has given her a healthy respect and understanding for the necessity and mechanics of maintaining a space in both worlds. Nikki presents a new kind of leadership for People’s Grocery that will take the organization into exciting new arenas of the national food justice movement.

In addition to leading People’s Grocery, Nikki will also be collaborating closely with out-going Executive Director Brahm Ahmadi as he creates a new company that will work to realize People’s Grocery’s goal of opening a community grocery store in West Oakland. Because this new company will be an expansion of People’s Grocery vision and mission, and because People’s Grocery will be working very closely with this new company to provide education, training and agricultural products to West Oakland residents, it was vital that the People’s Grocery Board of Directors select someone as People’s Grocery’s new Executive Director who could work well with Brahm. Without a doubt Brahm and Nikki are going to make a dynamic duo as they set out to realize the next stage of People’s Grocery’s future.

Listen to an audio message from Brahm and Nikki about this collaboration. Nikki Henderson Interview (Will take a few seconds to download.)

Before Brahm leaves at the end of January, he will be working to train and support Nikki as he hands her the reins of People’s Grocery and connects her to the many relationships that have been at the foundation of People’s Grocery’s work for the last seven years. Brahm and Nikki have already been working together to develop a transition plan and have identified many key steps they will take to ensure a stable and momentous leadership transition. They are also pulling in a number of executive coaches to assist in the transition and are already having a blast working together. A public handing over of the leadership from Brahm to Nikki will take place at People’s Grocery’s annual Harvesting Justice fundraiser brunch on January 30, 2010.

The People’s Grocery Board of Directors is also playing a central role in supporting and guiding this leadership change. The Board has formed an Executive Director Transition Support Committee that is chaired by the President of the Board, Jose Corona. On November 13, 2009 People’s Grocery held a strategic planning retreat that was attended by the Board of Directors, management staff, Brahm Ahmadi and Nikki Henderson. While still underway through the end of February, this strategic planning process will define the next three years of People’s Grocery’s direction and will set the stage for what Nikki will be focusing on and leading the organization toward.

It is an incredibly exciting time at People’s Grocery. While a new leader will invariably bring new changes and directions for any organization, it’s already clear that Nikki is going to make a very positive impact in leading People’s Grocery future as a key organization and thought leader in the food justice movement.

Nikki Starts on January 11, 2010

Contact Nikki: nikki@peoplesgrocery.org

Nikki’s Background Highlights

• MA Degree in African American Studies where she researched political ecology and environmental justice.


• Over 10 years experience mentoring and directing programs in the foster system and with inner-city youth.
• Experience in grassroots organizing, event production, strategy development and policy.


• Worked with Green for All founder Van Jones and Executive Director Phaedra Ellis Lamkins in developing national programs for people of color in the environmental sector.


• Spent the last year and a half developing the Real Food Alliance, a national student coalition.


• Worked under Slow Food USA’s President gaining deep exposure to the politic and dynamics of national food and farming movements.

Click here to read Brahm’s blog post about why he’s stepping down as Executive Director and what he will be doing next to create a food retail store in West Oakland and to advance People’s Grocery’s mission.

Click here to learn more about People’s Grocery’s 2010 Harvesting Justice fundraiser brunch on January 30, 2010 where a public “changing of leadership” between Brahm and Nikki will take place.