Lavidrah Shumilah

I am a graduate student specializing in Sustainable Urban Development, with a robust background in environmental science and climate adaptation. My academic journey has equipped me with essential skills in qualitative and quantitative research, particularly in coding, geospatial mapping, and conducting stakeholder interviews. I am deeply passionate about integrating ethical AI into environmental decision-making processes, ensuring that technology serves to enhance sustainability and justice.

In my current role as a Research Assistant at CF MAP in collaboration with the Chicago Food Policy Action Council, I have conducted over 100 interviews with urban farmers, documenting critical environmental conditions and challenges within food systems. My experience includes managing and analyzing extensive qualitative datasets, utilizing tools like Dedoose and Google Sheets for thematic tagging. Additionally, I employ ArcGIS and Google Earth for spatial analysis, contributing to the development of climate-resilient practices in urban agriculture.

As a Program Evaluator for the Community Growers Program, I evaluate the impacts of urban agriculture initiatives in under-resourced communities. My work involves creating survey tools and conducting thematic analyses of environmental justice data, providing insights into barriers faced by BIPOC growers. I thrive in collaborative environments, where I can present findings that enhance interdisciplinary knowledge transfer and support community-based participatory research.