FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 16, 2025 — Germantown, MD — Freedmen Heirs Foundation is proud to announce that our Founder and Executive Director, Seanicaa Edwards Herron, has been named a recipient of the inaugural 2025 Impact Award by the James Beard Foundation®, a prestigious honor recognizing individuals whose leadership is reshaping the food system to be more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable.

Seanicaa was selected for her work that focuses on dismantling systemic barriers faced by Black and underserved farmers, and for mobilizing resources that expand access to land, capital, and market opportunities. Her visionary leadership is helping shift the narrative around farming for historically excluded communities.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award, which recognizes not only my personal journey but also the broader mission of Freedmen Heirs Foundation,’ said Edwards Herron. “This recognition affirms the urgency of our work to uplift Black and underserved farmers through market access, technical assistance, and generational wealth-building”.

Launched in 2025, the James Beard Foundation Impact Award celebrates trailblazers across the food system who are advancing change from farm to table. Honorees were selected based on how the impact of their work is creating a more equitable and sustainable food system, while aligning with the Foundation’s policy priorities. Seanicaa is one of five recipients of the award. Names of the additional recipients can be found here.

Seanicaa was recognized at the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards®, a commemorative milestone that celebrates the transformative role the Awards have played in honoring culinary excellence and shaping the evolution of American food culture. The milestone also reaffirms the Foundation’s commitment to leading and supporting the industry for years to come (James Beard Foundation®, 2025).

“We are honored to recognize Seanicaa Edwards Herron as one of our inaugural Impact Award recipients,” said Mary Sue Milliken, Impact Awards Chair and Board of Trustees Vice Chair. “Her groundbreaking work with the Freedmen Heirs Foundation is creating vital pathways for Black farmers to access markets and opportunities, addressing decades of systematic marginalization and displacement. She embodies the transformative leadership we celebrate through our Impact Awards—the kind of visionary work essential to building a more sustainable and equitable food system for all.”

Edwards Herron co-founded Freedmen Heirs Foundation in 2020 alongside Kellee James, founder of Mercaris, a sustainable agriculture pricing platform, recently acquired by Argus Media last year. Both Seanicaa and Kellee had a shared vision of eliminating inequity in agriculture by providing Black farmers access to technical assistance and new market opportunities. Since its founding, Freedmen Heirs Foundation has supported Black and underserved farmers through the fostering of strategic relationships with key partners to provide access to market opportunities and technical assistance.

“[This honor] strengthens my resolve to continue dismantling systemic barriers in agriculture and to expand our reach in transformative ways”, she added. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent the voices and legacies of those who have long been overlooked, and I look forward to leveraging this platform to deepen impact and drive lasting change.”

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About Freedmen Heirs Foundation

Freedmen Heirs Foundation, Inc. (FHF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to empower Black and underserved farmers to build generational wealth by expanding market access, technical assistance, and enhancing financial resilience. Currently, FHF is forging relationships among top leaders across all subsections of the U.S. agriculture and food supply chain to create new connections, share knowledge, and generate innovative Ideas that support Black and underserved farmers’ growth and profitability. These relationships contribute to our vision of a future where they can build enduring wealth, leave a powerful legacy for future generations, and play a defining role in shaping the character and future of the U.S. agricultural sector.

References

James Beard Foundation. (2025, April 2). The James Beard Foundation® Announces the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award Nominees and Impact, Humanitarian of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees. Recent Press Releases.


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