Aniki Coates is the Senior Manager of Horticulture & Wellness at Bethel New Life in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. She manages Bethel’s gardens and programming to educate the community about growing a variety of seasonal produce, nutritional health, food security, and environmental issues. Coates facilitates therapeutic horticulture sessions for intergenerational and partner programs. A master urban farmer, she is also certified as an urban agriculturist and horticultural therapist, beekeeper, restorative justice circle keeper and professional chef trained by the legendary Washburne Culinary Institute on plant-based cuisine and food literacy.