Teresa Elliott (she/her) has over 25 years of experience working with Latinx populations in the U.S. and Latin America. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College and an M.A. in Public Administration from New York University. Teresa is passionate about advocating for social justice, building cultural connections, and bringing generations together. Her Cuban roots led her to make deep connections with the Latinx community in North Philadelphia through her work as a Hospice volunteer and as Director of the Aging at Home initiative at Congreso de Latinos Unidos. In her spare time, Teresa enjoys cooking, theater, walking the trails and parks of Philadelphia, and above all, friends and family. Teresa feels privileged to be working with the Norris Square community.

Cesali Morales (she/her/ella) is an artist and communications strategist working at the intersections of racial, gender, and economic justice. Beginning as a graphic designer for emerging artists and neighborhood groups, she has worked on regional and national media campaigns for me too., BlackStar Film Festival, Black Spatial Relics, and other social justice organizations. Formerly the Communications and Community Engagement Assistant at the Leeway Foundation, she is committed to supporting spaces where people can connect to others in their neighborhood and further their self-determination.

Sophie Taylor-Havens (she/her) has returned to NSNP after interning here as a college sophomore. After graduating from Kalamazoo College with a bachelor’s in Art and Psychology, she moved to Philadelphia to become a teaching artist with Mural Arts Philadelphia. Sophie is passionate about sustainability and social justice and believes in the power of art as a tool for promoting reflection, growth, community, and empowerment. At NSNP, she hopes to create a space for students to explore themselves, discover their power, and engage with their communities. She enjoys making art, laughing with loved ones, exploring new places, following the sunshine, and eating delicious foods in her spare time.

Evelyn Matos (she/her) has been part of the Norris Square community since the 90s when her parents moved to the neighborhood from Puerto Rico. Before NSNP, she worked at Norris Square Civic Association for eight years as a preschool teacher while her two children attended NSNP’s youth programs, now program alums. Evelyn is a graduate of Ashford University with a bachelor’s in education. When Evelyn has a day to herself, she enjoys cooking, being with her grandson, and especially old-school salsa music. She describes herself as “LOUD,”; and her favorite thing about NSNP is that it allows her to be herself.

Anna Toffani (she/her/ella) has been involved with NSNP for over three years, starting as a volunteer, then as an intern, and now as a full-time staff member. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications from the University of Ottawa. Anna is Franco-Argentine and has spent most of her life in Brazil. She loves meeting new people, speaking new languages, even though she already speaks four, and sharing food. Outside of work, Anna loves cooking vegetarian meals, reading, crocheting, and spending time with loved ones.

Xena Stearos (she/her) joined NSNP as our Communications Associate after completing an internship in Fall of 2022. Hailing from South Central Ohio, Xena is an Ohio State University alumna with a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication, making her a true “Buckeye.” Before starting with NSNP, she worked with multiple nonprofits in Ohio, focusing on teen development and family housing. She is passionate about building community and creating spaces for community members to grow and celebrate themselves, their culture, and their peers. Outside of the community, Xena cares deeply about education access and quality. Xena walks her dog, practices yoga, or plays board games in her spare time!

Toni-Anne McDonald (she/her) is a Temple University alumna with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a minor in Environmental Sustainability. She is the lead instructor for Semillas del Futuro, NSNP’s after-school program for teens to learn entrepreneurship, technology, arts, gardening, and Puerto Rican culture. She volunteers her time with BloodyBtches, a non-profit working to provide menstruators in the Black community with free hygiene products and educational resources. She is passionate about community support systems. You can find Toni chilling in a park with her friends or going out for dessert in her spare time.

Ria (they/them/she) is excited to join NSNP as the Garden Educator for Raíces del Futuro, our youth garden apprentice program. After graduating with a Critical Theory and Social Justice degree and working as a Youth Development Intern at Hidden Villa, Ria dedicated themselves to obtaining skills in agriculture, animal husbandry, and herbal medicine. A child of food-loving Cuban immigrants, Ria is particularly excited to work with Latinx youth. They are passionate about food justice, relational healing, and accessible healthcare. At NSNP, they hope to infuse garden education with cultural context, community care, and personal responsibility. In their free time, you can find Ria going for long walks, learning about astrology, ancestral healing, dancing, and spending time with loved ones.

Sky Deswert (they/she), like many others, was pushed by the onset of the pandemic to find ways of connecting with the world in safe ways. Sky worked as a grower, integrating knowledge from their experience growing food in college and learning amongst friends and the community to nurture two seasons of fruitful harvests. They now live by Wharton Square Park and volunteer as a leader of the Garden Committee to develop and maintain the native pollinator habitat there. Sky views engaging the community in public green space as a crucial mode of healing the pain seeded in Philadelphia. As part of NSNP, Skynurtures the land and the community together.