The Co-op Q&A with Willa Sheikh
By Aly Miller
Our Inventory Operations Manager (and former General Manager) Willa’s passions for nature, social justice, and cooperatives are just a few things that led her on the path to our Co-op community. We’re so glad to have Willa as part of the Greene Hill Co-op family.
Q: Where are you from and how did you find yourself here in this corner of Brooklyn?
A: I’m from Southern Maine and grew up on my mother’s permi-homestead where minimalism, living outside as much as possible, contributing to building community and revering nature was the natural fit. My love for the outdoors and permaculture inspired me to invest my time into exploring one hike after another, snowshoe excursions, always on the lookout for epic mountain vistas, wild food foraging, birding, and so on. I became especially drawn to climbing mountains; they challenge me, reward me and most importantly require the utmost respect from me. I combined my love for nature and food, and studied food policy and international development in a rural town in Northern Maine. My most memorable moments in graduate school included guiding backpacking trips on the Appalachian Trail and wwoofing. Before moving to New York I was working on diversity and inclusion initiatives in higher education, which was fulfilling, but I needed a new canvas to explore. I wanted to work on community-driven food — and Brooklyn met the standard.
Q: How did you discover the Co-op?
A: I first heard about Greene Hill at the Park Slope Food Coop, and then discovered that Greene Hill’s old location was around the corner from my apartment in Bed-Stuy.
Q: What attracted you to the general manager position and co-op models in general?
A: As long as I can remember, my family and basically everyone I knew growing up were part of a food buyers club. According to my mother, this way of shopping made the most sense for working-class folks and anyone who loathes big agriculture and supermarket chains. The idea of members of a community — not outside investors — working together to meet the needs of their community, along with the spirit of cooperation, sustainability, ethical sourcing, community ownership, strong farm-to-store relationships, and deep gratitude toward farmers are all aspects of the model I value. The general manager position combines my experiences, skills and love for social justice, sustainability, and project management, with my active lifestyle, creative nature and appreciation for community building, into this awesome role.
Q: What do you like about working at the Co-op so far? Is there anything you’re looking forward to here?
A: I really love how warm, vibrant, and interesting the community is. It’s diverse and filled with great storytellers, artists, co-op kids, educators and more. It’s been a blast meeting everyone and collecting members’ visions for the Co-op. I am super-impressed and inspired by how dedicated members are, and how tirelessly committee members work to support my role, working members, and the sustainability of the store. I look forward to meeting all member-owners, growing with the community, and supporting the successful expansion of the business.