Matisse Arnone is joining Common Roots to serve as the Food Equity Systems & Partnerships VISTA, and will help build connections and expand community outreach. Matisse strengthens dignity-centered food-access systems, partnerships, feedback processes, and household engagement. Originally from Iowa City, Matisse has been heavily involved in local food access organizations as a volunteer for his hometown food hub, Field to Family, for four years, helping them with multiple capacity-building projects, and recently graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Sustainability, Ecology, and Policy, a concentration in Environmental Planning, Policy, and Law, and a minor in Food Systems.

He first became involved with policy and environmental issues during the 2016 election cycle. This interest flourished in high school, where he was the president of both the Political Action club and Environmental club, and continued into college, where he chaired the Committee on the Environment for the UVM Student Government Association.

In college, he also sang bass in UVM's only competitive a capella group, Viridescent, and you can likely catch him cooking, baking, or serving up drinks at the bakery Mattarello in Winooski.

His favorite thing to make with Common Roots produce is pesto with all of the fresh basil coming out of the farm!