Hands to Soil: My Story
Since 1985, I have worked to make New York City a better place to live and grow. As a farmer and food justice activist, I feed people body, mind, and spirit.
As a longtime member and former board president of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, I have fought for justice and fostered resilience in my borough and beyond through the power of organized community. And I bring my fierce, compassionate leadership—as well as my commitment to develop others—everywhere I go.
As a community gardener and board member of the New York Botanical Gardens, I worked with Bronx neighborhoods to turn empty lots into community gardens. As an advocate and former president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition, I stood up and spoke out for garden protection and preservation. And as a co-founder of the La Familia Verde Garden Coalition, I helped launch a City Farms Market, bringing fresh vegetables to the Bronx community.
In 2010, I co-founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS), an organization supporting Black growers in both urban and rural settings. I am a former board member of Why Hunger, a grassroots support organization, and Farm School NYC, which leads workshops on growing food and food justice across the country. I am also board president of Greenworker Cooperatives, which builds and sustains worker-owned green businesses to create a strong, local, and democratic economy rooted in racial and gender equity. Additionally, I am on the Board of Directors of Soul Fire Farm, the Black Farmer Fund, and the Mary Mitchell Family & Youth Center.
Since retiring from physical therapy in 2014, I have been a co-owner and organic grower at Rise & Root Farm in Chester, New York. I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors and sow seeds of love, healing, and liberation for future generations.
I am honored to have received the following awards for my work:
Forbes 50 Women Over 50 Who Are Leading the Way in Impact (2021)
GreenThumb’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2021)
Thurgood Marshall Academy Community Garden Dedication (2021)
Essence Magazine Essential Heroes Award (2020)
James Beard Leadership Award (2014)
Ebony magazine’s 100 Most Influential African-Americans (2012)
Emerson Collective Fellowship (2024)
James Beard Foundation Humanitarian Award (2023)
Scenic Hudson Farmer and Food Access Advocate Award (2023)
Black Women Green Future Award (2021)
United Hospital Fund Distinguished Community Service Award (2021)
“ I always felt within me that there was a purpose for why I am here on this earth. ”