Karen Washington is one of the most influential food and farming activists of our time. From starting the Garden of Happiness in the Bronx, Black Urban Growers, and now Rise and Root Farm, Karen is modeling a new food system based on equity, social capital, and health.
New York State has over 57,000 farmers, and less than 200 of them are people of color, and this disparity holds true in every state across the country. Karen challenges Governor Cuomo to meet with black and brown farmers to talk about the policies and programs needed to support their success in agriculture.
Black Urban Growers:
https://www.blackurbangrowers.org/
Rise and Root Farm:
http://www.riseandrootfarm.com/karen-washington
Karen in the press:
Bright Spots in the Food System, Annette Nielsen, Edible Bronx. April 29, 2016
Bronx Urban Farmer Receives Earth Day Award for her Years of Work, Advocacy, Metro. April 19, 2016.
Women in Food: Karen Washington Forges Path for Black Farmers, Laura Hurst, SeedStock. April 11, 2016
Ten Questions with Karen Washington, Co-Owner of Rise & Root Farm. FoodTank. April 9, 2016
Karen Washington, Queen of Urban Gardening, Adrien Schless-Meier, Civileats.com. August 20, 2014.
EBONY Reveals 2012 Power 100! Ebony Magazine. November 1, 2012.
Karen Washington at TEDxBarnardCollegeWomen
Food Hero: Karen Washington