We're delighted to shine the spotlight this month on Vivien Zazzau (MO#1083), a dedicated member of the co-op’s Member Relations team who has been sowing deep connections in our community from the moment she signed up! 

It wasn't until Vivien moved from Detroit, MI, to the wilderness of Plattsburgh, NY, in the year 2000 to accept a teaching position that she met her first cow, drank from a stream, and experienced the shocking combo of a starless sky on a street with no lights, which resulted in her not being able to find her car behind the apartment building into which she had just moved. Yet, it would not be until she relocated to Albany, and finally Schenectady, that she would discover that sowing seeds was just as intriguing as sowing information.

Vivien is a member of Friends of Schenectady County Public Library; Literacy Volunteers Capital Region; and more recently, the Schenectady County Food Council. In early 2025, she sowed her first garden seeds, ever, resulting in the birth of a Black Beauty Zucchini that was soon nearly munched to death by a vindictive rodent, but she and the zucchini survived. And so the journey began...

What do you like about being part of the co-op community? 

What I most enjoy about being part of the co-op community is having the privilege of being involved in the groundwork of bringing this endeavor to life, as well as the pleasure of sharing with others its inherent potential and interminable possibilities.

What will having a downtown grocery mean to you?

Access is the first word that comes to mind when I think of our community grocery store. Few developments could do more to help us realize our dream of a more "walkable" downtown Schenectady. Additionally, how lovely it will be to not have to spend almost an hour on a bus, each way, to go grocery shopping. The last time I was able to walk to a grocery store from my home, most grocery stores sold cigarettes from vending machines at a cost of 75 cents per pack!

What do you love about Schenectady?

Whether walking or on the bus, I never cease to be amazed at the rich history and beautiful architecture of Schenectady. These surroundings are a rich feast for the eyes, heart, and soul. I also deeply value the cultural diversity of this community, particularly because in the 1960s and 70s, my family (in Michigan) was the only Black family in the neighborhood and we were not welcome to participate in the activities of our Neighborhood Association as is possible here and now.