Spotlight

Rooted in Family and Tradition Keng Vang grew up watching his grandparents and mother cultivate backyard gardens in Fresno’s Southeast Asian community. Their small plots yielded vegetables like lemongrass and Thai chilies—enough for both home cooking and a little extra income. Even as a child helping bundle lemongrass, Keng recognized the power of agriculture to sustain families and preserve cultural identity. “My grandparents were from Laos,” Keng recalls. “They often talked

From the Bayous to the Breadbasket Don Sherman knows farming in his bones. His family’s roots trace back to the bayous of Louisiana, where growing food was a way of life. Migrating west in the 1950s, the Sherman family found new opportunities in California’s Central Valley. They eventually laid down roots in Fresno County, bringing their expertise in cultivating watermelons, vegetables, and more to a region where agriculture reigns supreme. “My family is originally from Louis

Kris Marshall has a practical yet passionate approach to helping new food entrepreneurs find their footing. As the driving force behind the Clovis Culinary Center—a nonprofit commercial kitchen and incubator in California’s Central Valley—she bridges the gap between ambitious home cooks and the complexities of running a regulated food business. Her background in the service industry, combined with hands-on management expertise, equips her to guide aspiring chefs, bakers, and