Zakiya Tafari

Zakiya is a trailblazer in food justice and food sovereignty. His voice ensures FSF remains rooted in Black food systems, policy advocacy, and empowering community agriculture initiatives.

​

Zakiya Tafari is a proud father, visionary leader, food justice advocate, and the Executive Director of Afri-Can FoodBasket, a pivotal organization addressing food insecurity and promoting food sovereignty within Toronto’s African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities. Immersed in food justice from age 15, Zakiya carries forward the legacy of his parents, Anan Lololi and Anyika Tafari, who founded Afri-Can FoodBasket in 1995. Their mission to create culturally relevant and sustainable food systems has profoundly shaped his path.

Through his leadership, Afri-Can FoodBasket has transformed into a cornerstone organization advocating for racial equity and community health. Zakiya has scaled emergency food support during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting over 40,000 households through initiatives like the Black Food Toronto Emergency Food Support Program.

Before his tenure at Afri-Can FoodBasket, Zakiya was the Interim Managing Director at Young & Potential Fathers / Ujima House, Canada’s first father-focused family center. There, he developed a racialized father-focused service model that engaged young men in peer mentorship, African-centered education, and family-building, removing systemic barriers for racialized fathers.

As Program Manager at Afri-Can FoodBasket, Zakiya championed initiatives like the Cultivating Youth Leadership Program and Food as Medicine, focusing on empowering ACB youth, promoting intergenerational learning, and advancing culturally relevant food literacy. His work integrates behavioral economics and cognitive behavioral therapy principles to design programs that address the social determinants of health.

Now, as Executive Director, Zakiya is guiding Afri-Can FoodBasket toward a strategic alignment with health outcomes, integrating systems to address the social determinants of health with food as a central element. His passion for Behavioral Science, Behavioral Economics, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy shapes his approach, equipping him with insights into behavior change and effective community engagement. Known as a creative thinker and problem solver, Zakiya’s lived experience empowers him to design solutions rooted in a Black-led, Black-mandated, and Black-serving perspective.

Zakiya’s strategic vision emphasizes systems integration, positioning Afri-Can FoodBasket as an anchor agency in Black food access. His leadership drives a multifaceted approach to reducing hunger and food insecurity while advancing policy change to create sustainable, systemic solutions. By fostering collaborations, aligning food justice with health outcomes, and advocating for culturally relevant programs, Zakiya ensures Afri-Can FoodBasket’s work is culturally grounded, impactful, and responsive to the evolving needs of Toronto’s ACB communities.