Meet the 2026 Four Sisters Urban Farm Interns
2026 has given us a fresh crop of Four Sisters Urban Farm Interns ready to learn, grow, and share their great energy with the community. Let’s learn a bit about them:
Hello! My name is Moe (she/they) and I come from Oberlin, Ohio where I am currently earning my bachelors in American Studies. My time in American Studies, as well as studying in Namibia, pushed me to want to deepen my knowledge and engagement of land stewardship and food sovereignty as a way of healing for communities. Further, I hope to continue to live in urban environments and want to understand how I can still spend time and understand the land I am on. In my free time I enjoy tending to my houseplants, spending time in my town’s arboretum, and playing guitar. Through this internship, I am excited to learn how to identify plants, have a better understanding of traditional ecological knowledge, and meet new people!
Esmeralda Carrasco (she/her) – I am coming from the Lac Court Oreille reservation, where I live with my grandparents. I am a first-generation student at Augsburg University and am planning to major in biology. Growing up with my grandparents, I was always encouraged to eat whole foods and home-cooked meals. Every day when I would come home from school, I would look forward to my grandpa’s dinner. He cooked the most delicious meals and inspired me to do the same. I joined this internship because I have a strong love for plants, food, and building community. Having the knowledge to grow your own food, cook your own food, and care for others with your food is everything I will be learning as part of the Four Sisters Urban Farm. I want to be a part of the reason why the Native Community here in Minneapolis has access to safe and healthy foods. Being in this internship is my chance to give back to the community and to Mother Nature in an urban area. When my internship is over, my plan is to use these new skills to help me plan for my future career that involves the many interests I aspire to pursue.
Boozhoo! My name is Chaske Hunter. I’m a current student at Augsburg University. I recently moved here from Humboldt Park, Chicago. In the past I’ve interned as a youth educator and researcher at Indigenous STEAM in Chicago, a summer camp I had attended for many years. While my experience has gotten me familiar with more-than-human relatives; this will be my first real introduction to agriculture. I hope to share this knowledge with my loved ones and in one way or another, continue my relationship to the land and waters of the Midwest.
Rayea Roberts (she/her) will soon begin her third year at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, studying both Applied Economics and Family Social Science. Coming to the cities, she wanted to learn about the vast culture, communities, history, and places to explore as well as building connections that support every way of life. Within the first two years of college, Rayea has enjoyed getting involved with different programs, events, and coursework that has shaped who she is becoming and the perspectives she has.
Throughout the past year, she wanted to learn more about soil and water quality as it relates to agriculture, the river systems, and people. Growing up in a rural area, her family had instilled a value for harvesting food from the backyard, and this internship was just that. A place where she can continue to develop her plant and garden skills, embrace community, and learn more about another part of the Twin Cities. She’s learned more about how some people and communities are disproportionately affected and is prepared to support spaces to educate people about green spaces.
Rayea is excited about the connections and knowledge that she will learn this summer. She’s looking forward to bringing it with her to other spaces she loves and into her career path.
Gabriel Duwenhoegger (he/him) is from South Minneapolis and has been a gardener since childhood. He has studied at MCTC, Metro State, and is a future student of Summit Academy OIC. 2026 is his first year as a Four Sisters Urban Farm youth intern; he hopes to learn more about food justice and community health in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota. When not gardening at Four Sisters Urban Farm, you can find him gardening at home or working on an arts and crafts project.