Our Team

MEET THE TEAM

Leadership Team

Nimet Abubaker- CEO

Nimet Abubaker is the Executive Vice President of GGB. Nimet is 16 years old, and has lived with her mom and siblings in Heritage Park since 2009. Nimet in addition to being a full time high school student, takes classes at Normandale community college. Nimet's apartment is the closest one to Heritage Park's community space so she was always the first to know about community events. She was four years old when she first participated in a literacy program with Urban Strategies, Inc. that taught her how to read, Nimet was hooked from then on, and has been involved in all sorts of youth programming including Girl Scouts, 4-H and youth cooking classes. Nimet became involved with GGB after participating in Entrepreneurship Club, an opportunity to work in teams to design new products for the social enterprise. During Fall 2019 her team's body care product won the competition and led to a new line of GGB products called Garden Spa. During the pandemic, Garden Spa flourished because of Nimet's leadership and ability to organize the crew to work on the products remotely. For a period of time during the pandemic, Nimet even had to relocate to Memphis, and she was still dedicated to work on the product line with the team of other youth leaders from afar. Nimet is grateful to be back in Heritage Park and has taken on more leadership in the past year. Her peers (especially her faithful sidekick Sarod) are grateful for her determination, organization, and big dreams for GGB. She isn't quite sure how she is going to "give it up" and pass it on to her younger siblings Isahk and Aisha when she graduates and heads to college. We often remind her that her older brother was here first.

Ariana Merrick- COO

Ariana Merrick is is the COO of GGB. Ariana is 16 years old, and has lived with her mom and siblings in Heritage Park since 2010. Ariana became involved in GGB through older sister, and GGB founder, Autumn. She first participated in the cooking and gardening programs in elementary school. Over the past year she has joined the leadership team and is practically involved in all aspects of GGB from baking and selling to gardening, art, and design. It's hard to imagine a time before Ariana was on GGB's leadership team because she is involved almost every day of the week. In addition to her dedication to GGB she is able to juggle helping pick up her younger brothers, Junior and Jo'el, from daycare every day. Although she is involved in all aspects of GGB, Ariana's favorite component of GGB is the garden. She finds it super satisfying to pull out all of the weeds and explore new plants. On a recent field trip she discovered cucamelons (a mini watermelon that tastes like cucumber and originates from Mexico) and that she can win all bets in a hot pepper eating contest. Ariana loves that GGB is community based and that she gets to collaborate with her best friend, siblings, and next door neighbors (Nimet and Isahk). Ariana says she is "proud to be a part of Heritage Park and an active leader contributing to making her environment a better place for her and her siblings."

Sarod Williams- Community Crew Lead

Sarod Williams is the Community Crew Lead of GGB. Sarod is 13 years old and has lived with his mom and siblings in Heritage Park since 2005. Sarod was basically born into GGB with both of his older sisters as founding members of GGB and his older brother as a member of the production crew. Sarod participated in youth cooking and garden classes and first joined a GGB workforce crew that was started during the pandemic called 'Community Crew.' Community Crew installed 40 little pantries into all of the apartment buildings in the community and kept them stocked with PPE, cleaning supplies, and food. A proud moment for Sarod was that after only a few short moths into his role in Green Garden Bakery, he was invited to be on the local news to showcase Community Crew, and GGB's "Soul Box" promotion during Black History Month. Sarod loves bing a part of GGB because he has already done so much for the community and has so many skills as a middle schooler. Sarod has big plans to make GGB skyrocket and his goal is by the time he graduates high school, is for GGB to be an iconic Minnesota destination.

Isahk Abubaker- Executive Assistant

Isahk Abubaker is GGB's Executive Assistant. Isahk is 15 years old and has lived in Heritage Park for 14 years with his four siblings and parents. Isahk thinks that Heritage Park is a pretty special place with all of the programs and spaces that are available to the community. Some of his favorite places in Heritage Park, besides GGB's own youth space (a converted market rate apartment) and community room include the Basketball Courts, the Library, and the Teen Tech Center. Isahk has had his sights set on joining GGB for a long time, but was unable to work due to his age. Isahk wanted to prove his worth to the GGB team, and as an eight year old, began baking and selling cookies around the neighborhood and at school. Eventually, when Isahk turned fourteen, he officially joined GGB as Executive Assistant, and a member of various teams. Isahk, as executive assistant and lead gardener, is responsible for explaining the processes and procedures of the Garden Crew, and having extensive knowledge of the plants in the garden and how to care for the, as well as shadowing D'Loveantae and Nimet. Isahk says that "GGB is one of a kind and that part of what makes it so special is the fact that it is youth led. The hardworking individuals of GGB are organized and motivated." Isahk has learned leadership and teamwork skills in his time with GGB and has big dreams for GGB, one of which is that all youth have the opportunity to work in a similar program. Isahk also thinks it would be cool to win a Nickelodeon Choice Award and to appear on Shark Tank.

Jaden Scott- Lead Baker

Jaden Scott is the Lead Baker of GGB. Jaden is 16 years old and has been living in Heritage Park for 5 years, though he's gotten involved in GGB more recently through the City of Minneapolis's StepUp Summer Employment Program in 2021. Jaden came into GGB with a passion for cooking and skills from another cooking class he takes. Despite his short time spent with the GGB team, his enjoyment of cooking and proven leadership skills are reflected in his position as Lead Baker, in which he oversees bake shifts including bake prep, baking for farmers markets, and catering orders. One thing that being a part of the GGB has taught Jaden is that "vegan desserts are actually pretty good!" As lead baker, Jaden is looking forward to trying out new recipes and seeing how they do at farmers markets, but his favorite memories with GGB have been with the friends he's made, many of whom he says he probably wouldn't have met if not for GGB. Field trips to other bakeries, business tour, and team building are his favorite. In the future, Jaden's one hope for GGB is that it continues to grow, but that it doesn't lose vision of its mission or values it's had from day one.

Additional Teams: