35 Innovators Under 35: Meet Gina Bell

Credit a cross-cultural, international move for Forest Grove Farmers Market Manager Gina Bell’s interest in sustainable agriculture.

"Before I joined the Peace Corps, I had done some gardening, but then my interest in agriculture just sort of exploded,” Bell said. “I really feel that this is where I am meant to be.”

In Paraguay, Bell worked in a program that helped small farmers get their products to a market. The Pacific University graduate recalls that, many times during her two-year Peace Corps stint, friends back home in Forest Grove kept reminding her about the local organization Adelante Mujeres.

Adelante Mujeres takes a holistic approach to empowering Latino communities by encouraging small business development, teaching agriculture to new immigrant farmers, and offering an afterschool program for young girls, as well as other educational and cultural activities.

“The Forest Grove Farmers Market grew out of an Adelante Mujeres program as an outlet for new farmers to sell produce,” Bell said.

In 2005, Bell began working with others to get the newly formed Forest Grove Farmers Market off the ground. She transitioned from her volunteer role to become the market Manager and Director of Development.

Bell’s hard work has increased the viability of the market, which has become a premier event for the Forest Grove community. This commitment led to an opportunity to serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Oregon Farmers Markets Association.

“I want to help foster innovation and better represent the farmers in our state,” Bell said, suggesting a possible future in the public health field as well. “I am also interested in food systems. It is important for people to know where their food is coming from, why they should be eating locally, and the impact of their decisions on the environment.”

With a passion for increasing access and education to people of color, what strategies does Bell have for involving another often under-represented group - children and young adults - in the agriculture and land-use fields?

“I talk about this all of the time. When my friends meet others interested in the same topic, they always say, ‘Oh, you really need to talk to Gina about this!“ Bell said with a laugh. “We need to be setting an example. A lot of young people are more aware of these issues and where their food comes from than we think they are. And awareness leads right into action.”

For more information on Gina’s work at Adelante Mujeres and the Forest Grove Farmers Market, check out www.adelantemujeres.org