(Part 2) Farming as Identity, Healing & Purpose for Young Black Men in Hartford, CT

Black Urban Farmers Flipping Vacant Lots, Food Apartheid & the Face of Farming

In this episode, I sit down with my brothers, Farmer Rich and Farmer Shawn from Park City Harvest in Bridgeport, Connectcut. Two Black urban farmers who are literally turning vacant lots into lifelines for their community. We talk about how grandmothers’ gardens, health challenges, and corporate layoffs pushed them out of “regular jobs” and into building a farm business that feeds people, mentors youth, and changes how we see Black farmers. They share what it’s really like farming in Connecticut without owning land, why only 1% of farmers are Black, and how land access, gentrification, and politics shape who gets to grow food. We get into how they’ve been paid to grow food and give it away, why they started Park City Harvest in 2017, and how CSA programs, community gardens, and backyard/front-yard growing can actually help end food apartheid in our neighborhoods. If you’ve ever said “I don’t have a green thumb,” “I don’t eat vegetables,” or “I don’t have land,” this conversation will lovingly call you higher. We talk about: * Changing the image of what a farmer looks like * Why communities must grow some of their own food * How to really support Black and local farmers (beyond photo-ops) * The role of entrepreneurship in our survival and freedom

(Part 2) Farming as Identity, Healing & Purpose for Young Black Men in Hartford, CT

Food Sovereignty with Aarvah Quiñonez, an Indigenous Black Latina farmer and founder of the Aasaaska Foundation, to explore how her work is reshaping identity, healing, and purpose for young Black men in Hartford, Connecticut. Aarvah shares her powerful origin story, the ancestral call that brought her back to the land, and the vision behind Aasaaska’s mission to reconnect youth with cultural foodways, community leadership, and the healing power of farming.

Chef Kashia Culinary Journey | Carla Hall Favorite Chef Competition

Tune in to hear Kashia's inspiring story and her unwavering dedication to making a positive impact through food. Don't miss this insightful conversation with one of the community's most passionate and innovative culinary leaders I know!

Farming as Identity, Healing & Purpose for Young Black Men in Hartford, CT

In this episode, I sit down with Aarvah Quiñonez, an Indigenous Black Latina farmer and founder of the Aasaaska Foundation, to explore how her work is reshaping identity, healing, and purpose for young Black men in Hartford, Connecticut. Aarvah shares her powerful origin story, the ancestral call that brought her back to the land, and the vision behind Aasaaska’s mission to reconnect youth with cultural foodways, community leadership, and the healing power of farming. Together, we unpack the realities of farming in an urban city, the systemic barriers Black and Brown growers face, and the deep cultural restoration happening when young men return to the soil. Aarvah discusses the programs she is building through Aasaaska, the challenges and triumphs of engaging youth in agriculture, and her long-term dream for a sovereign, community-led food future in Connecticut. This conversation is honest and profoundly necessary to explore what happens when identity, land, and purpose meet in the hands of the next generation. Stay tune to part 2 Support Aarvah's work: About - aasaaska aasaaska.com https://www.aasaaska.com › about Follow Aarvah: https://www.instagram.com/_aasaaskafoundation_ct/?hl=en Support Vetiveah's work: www.vetiveah.com Follow Vetiveah: https://www.instagram.com/vetiveah/?hl=en