Iana Castro
A passionate advocate for social impact, Castro encourages her students to consider how they can apply what they’re learning to their passions to make a real impact. Something that Castro is passionate about is helping solve food insecurity, a large issue the San Diego community is facing. This is why Dr. Castro co-founded BrightSide Produce, a food distribution service that is designed to meet the needs of small stores so that community residents can have access to affordable, fresh produce near their homes. BrightSide started after one of her students in class was doing a project for a small market in a food desert. The store wanted to sell fresh produce but couldn’t. “Why not? Well, this became the question that changed my career trajectory and really brought out my interest in sustainability,” Castro said. Now, BrightSide is continuously working to eliminate food insecurity in urban areas and give them access to the fresh fruits and vegetables needed for a healthy life.
“Everyone should have access to the fruits and vegetables needed for a happy and healthy life - BrightSide is working to make that possible.”
Beyond BrightSide, Castro is also making an impact on sustainability on the SDSU campus by serving as a co-chair on the President’s Sustainability Advisory Committee. This gives her the opportunity to understand and contribute to sustainability initiatives on campus, including the 2025 Climate Action Plan.
Dr. Iana A. Castro is an inspiration and has significantly contributed to campus sustainability and beyond! To learn more about her contributions, visit the resources below.
BrightSide Produce
SDSU Marketing Professor Named Zahn Professor of Creativity and Innovation
