2017 Smith Fellow: Devita Davison

As the Executive Director of FoodLab Detroit, Devita Davison combines her passion for culinary arts with activism and social entrepreneurship. FoodLab is a membership based, non-profit organization with a mission to cultivate a community of food entrepreneurs who aspire to use the power of business to solve some of Detroit’s more challenging social and environmental problems. The nonprofit focuses on entrepreneurs and communities who have been traditionally under-resourced, aiming to build power and resilience for people around the city. Devita Davison works with over 220 food entrepreneurs through FoodLab’s programming and technical assistance, and she connects them to the resources they need to launch, operate and scale good food businesses that create good jobs and catalyze positive change in their communities. Devita writes on local food systems and she has spoken and facilitated workshops on food justice, entrepreneurship and the local food movement at TED, Just Food, Netroot Nation, Omega Institute and BALLE.