June 2026: Member Spotlight - zahra alabanza

There are people who move through the world, and then there are people who activate it. This month, we’re honored to spotlight Black Sustainability Network member, Sister zahra alabanza, a mother, organizer, creative, and adventurer whose life and work embody joy, liberation, and possibility.

zahra alabanza conjures enthusiasm for life by practicing pleasure and play, living simply, and seeking joy in its most expansive forms. Whether she’s curating experiences, building community through outdoor adventure, or grounding herself in wellness rituals, her work is rooted in enhancing the quality of life among Black people…centering Black women, children, and queer communities at the intersection of justice, healing, and liberation.

Born in San Francisco, raised in Hawai‘i, and shaped by a life of global exploration, zahra calls Atlanta home, though “home” for her is less about geography and more about belonging. From Southern Cali to Chi Town to ATL, she builds community wherever she goes, embodying a nomadic spirit anchored in connection and purpose.

Her approach to life is both simple and radical: return to joy. zahra describes herself as a “project-starting, wandering, over lover, and outdoor junkie” who has intentionally chosen to live with the same curiosity and playfulness she had at 13, unapologetically and fully alive. Today, that looks like biking, growing food, practicing yoga, and creating spaces where people can reconnect to themselves, each other, and the land.

As a co-founder of Red, Bike and Green–Atlanta and Black Freedom Outfitters, zahra has helped redefine what community wellness can look like. Her work demonstrates that healing doesn’t only happen in traditional spaces, it happens on bikes, in parks, on trails, and in moments of shared joy.

“The bike, its ability to move me through space and time, to heal me, and to expose me, reminded me of the joy that was robbed from me. So, the bike is what contributes to my aliveness, my youthful and adventurous spirit.”

That spirit has taken her across the world, bike touring through the U.S., Central America, and Indonesia; trekking the Appalachian Trail; exploring the Australian outback; scuba diving in the Philippines; and even skydiving. But beyond the adventure, it’s the ripple effect that matters most: Black folks reclaiming joy, exploring their environments, building new communities, and expanding their sense of what’s possible.

Professionally, zahra leads Blue in Green Consulting Group, where she specializes in event production, experience design, and placemaking. Her work centers culturally relevant, high-vibrational spaces that prioritize Black, Indigenous, and people of color,especially women while remaining grounded in sustainability, local collaboration, and care for the earth.

Still, when asked about her greatest impact, zahra doesn’t point to a single project or initiative.

“The biggest positive impact i have made… is that i exist.”

For zahra, existence itself is an offering. Living authentically, raising her children Cassius and Marley, and choosing joy in a world that often denies it, these are acts of resistance and transformation. She reminds us that simply being fully ourselves can expand what others believe is possible.

Her perspective is shaped by lived experience, global exploration, deep reflection, and, as she puts it, “constant evolution and a lot of mess ups.” It’s a perspective that values possibility over limitation, and curiosity over conformity.

When it comes to the next generation, zahra resists the urge to prescribe a path. Instead, she looks to young people as teachers, encouraging them to hold onto their imagination, take risks, and learn from every experience. In her view, they are already closer to truth than most adults.

At her core, zahra alabanza is a reflection of possibility. Through biking, organizing, parenting, and creating, she invites us all to reconsider how we live, how we connect, and how we define success. A true testament to Community Development,  Wholistic Health and #Black Excellence!

Follow zahra’s journey: @zahra_ala

Learn more: www.redbikegreenatl.com