Happy Pride! On a Friday afternoon in early spring, I joined several farmers and advocates for a “Fireside Chat” with Michigan Representative Elissa Slotkin and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.  The Secretary shared updates about avian flu, the farm bill, and...

Greetings Community You may have noticed us using the phrase “Food is a Human Right” more frequently as we talk about our work. This statement is simple, but deep, and deserves more attention. It’s not only about acquiring the minimum ration of calories. The right to...

Happy Earth Month! While turning compost on our farm a week ago, I took a moment to really take in my environment. Our farm is on one of the busiest streets in the city, just a few blocks from downtown, yet in these moments, surrounded by nature, I felt stillness,...

Greetings Community, The return of spring always brings new faces to the farm as we support an ever-growing community invested in growing food for themselves and one another. It reminds me why we must invest in infrastructure to support food sovereignty and...

Hujambo! Our work in the food system, building food sovereignty, is oriented around one simple core belief: food is a human right.  It almost feels too simple.  At its most basic level, food is what sustains us. It provides energy for our mind and body and is...

Happy New Year! I recently accepted the Environmental Justice Award from the Sierra Club. I was amazed at the accomplishments within our region as I listened to the stories of others in the program. It is an honor to participate in such a rich, diverse, and vibrant...

Most dligent changemakers,  We often talk about our work at Growing Hope as it relates to creating systemic change. But what is systemic change? How does one organization in Ypsilanti enact meaningful, systemic change? On November 5th, I was honored to join more than...