Meet Our Board Members
Bahni Turpin
Bahni is SoLA’s founder and original visionary. She is an accomplished actress, award-winning audiobook narrator, and yoga teacher. Bahni’s move to South LA in 2010 brought on her quest for better food accessibility for South LA, and her vision of a natural foods co-op in the neighborhood. The vision includes health education, job opportunities, shared economic benefits and organic foods, leading to a revitalized South LA.
Without prior experience in such a major endeavor as opening a cooperative health food store, Bahni’s inspiration, courage and research have lead SoLA this far. She is dedicated and committed to seeing the SoLA vision bear fruit.
Cole Hawthorne
Food is connected to so much—it binds us to culture, nourishment and health, and it is directly connected to our environment.
I am passionate about SoLA's vision to open a community owned grocery store because the current food system is centered around profit as the bottom line, rather than the health of our communities. There is a strength in the cooperative model that will allow us to build towards self-determination for Black and Brown folks in South LA and beyond. I hope to apply my enthusiasm and experience working with cooperatives as a sustainability specialist to support opening a grocery store with nutritious, affordable offerings that centers and is owned by the people.
I am passionate about making sure my community is healthy. We cannot and will not function in our full capacity if we, as a united community, are not healthy. This is why I studied public health.
As board secretary of SoLA, I contribute my expertise in Public Health, Organizational Management and life experiences—as a mom, as a person who has experienced homelessness, overcome addiction, and as a survivor of interpersonal violence—all of the above brings the validity of SoLA full circle. SoLA impacts the physical, mental, psychological, and emotional health of its members. The unification of community is important.
Anissa Muhammad
Shay is currently the Executive Director of WACO Theater Center. She serves as the Executive Director of 651 ARTS in Brooklyn and was the founding VP of Programs for the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, a multi-disciplinary center and museum in downtown Pittsburgh. Prior to that, she served as the managing director of Cornerstone Theater Company, LA Theatreworks, and the St. Louis Black Repertory Company.
Ms. Wafer has engaged in additional community and volunteer activities throughout her career including serving on the Board of Directors of National Performance Network, Theatre Communications Group and as a NEFA National Theatre Project and National Dance Project Advisor. She is a graduate of Howard University and Yale School of Drama.
Shay Wafer
As a public health professional and holistic health care provider, I am committed to serving my community in a manner that promotes health and life. As a founding board member of SoLA Food Co-op and former board president, I intend to continue sharing my ideas, organizational skills, and teamwork talents to help bring the vision of a healthy organic food oasis into fruition. We have grown as a board and as an organization, and I am excited to help SoLA move into its next phase of development.
Sondrina Bullitt
Les Koll is a C-level executive, consultant and change agent with a significant track record of helping companies grow through his expertise in marketing and business development. With experience in consumer and professional health care, fitness, weight loss, and wellness markets, he has proven his ability to pinpoint and prioritize opportunities that yield the greatest return. Les has been a longtime SoLA supporter and is excited to lend a hand.
Les Koll
I have been in the field of Health and Wellness for close to 30 years. I teach Yoga, Qi Gong, and various forms of energetic modalities. I have a vast knowledge of nutrition and am a Vegan Foodie. I have a history of community action having worked for the Neighborhood Stabilization project in New York, creating events centered around health, healing and of course Fun! I’ve been with SoLA since its inception as the “Minister of Mirth,” heading up the Events Committee—fundraising events, workshops, pop-ups and merriment.
Pagan George
Shannita Williams
I’ve watched the co-op grow from a handful of members to being within reach of our first major milestone of 300 member/owners and now, well beyond. My professional background is in digital media, social media, PR and marketing.
As a member of SoLA’s Board of Directors, I get the unique opportunity to work alongside a dynamic group of people from diverse backgrounds all united behind one goal — bringing a healthy food hub to South LA. As a board member, I work to amplify the organization’s message to our community, and to do my part to make SOLA Food Co-op an integral part of South Los Angeles. And, as our membership continues to grow, it’s clear that the vision is well on the way to becoming a reality.
Donald Byers Jr
I am an active member in my community, South Los Angeles, where I was born and raised. I want to see fresh, nutritious and affordable food in my community. I would like to use my professional skill set to bring a food co-operative to South Los Angeles. I have a background in real estate development and financing. I'm able to help SoLA find potential sites for the co-operative. I can also answer questions about and analyze the numbers behind the project.
I'm very comfortable speaking with and training people of different backgrounds. I believe that everyone brings valuable experiences to the table and should be listened to and treated with respect.
Steven Meeks
I grew up in the Crenshaw community. I’ve been in and around the idea of growing and or distributing organically grown food most of my adult life. It’s long past the time that a smaller independent grocery entity be represented in our community—one that has the people in mind, not a higher corporate structure. Bahni started this, and it’s up to us, the caring community to help her finish it.
Naomi Adams
As a long-time supporter of food and land justice, I am deeply committed to the vision and values of SoLA. My academic and community work has focused on the intersection of environmental justice, soil and food systems, and Black and Brown self-determination. I bring experience in research, cooperative strategy, and grassroots mapping — including prior work with the National Black Food and Justice Alliance.
As a board member, I advocate for community-driven decision-making, resource equity, and meaningful member engagement. I see this role as an opportunity to support cooperative ownership models that prioritize local resilience, equity, and Black and Brown land stewardship — and to contribute my skills in research, mapping, and collaborative strategy to advance the Co-op’s mission.