Many faces, many voices

Producing Healthy Local Food:
Emerging Farmers and Ethnic Communities in Massachusetts

Nuestras Raíces is a grass-roots organization in Holyoke that brings youths and elders together in its low-income Latino community. Nuestras Raíces builds community and cultural pride as members work together to address environmental, economic development, substance abuse, and food security issues. Programs are focused on agriculture produce, healthy, accessible food, and much more, as Executive Director Daniel Ross explains.

The program’s success starts in the gardens, where children, teenagers, parents and grandparents join together and learn from each other — and about themselves — in a common project.

Most of the elder members grew up on farms in Puerto Rico and first came to the Northeast as migrant farm workers. They’re able to bring their knowledge and skills to the gardening and farming projects, have a positive influence on the younger generation, and regain a sense of hope for their neighborhoods as they play an active part in its revitalization. Building on their assets provides opportunities for community-building, economic development, neighborhood beautification, and passing on knowledge to younger generations.

Importantly, the participants design and develop Nuestras Raíces’ programs. They are, after all, the ones who best know what their resources are. They can best assess the community’s cultural, intellectual, physical, and economic strengths and weakness. Participant-designed programs more accurately address community needs, and acknowledge participants’ wisdom, creativity, and strength. For youth this can be particularly important. Coming to recognize their ability to learn and to succeed, and to respect and value their community leaders and culture can make a real difference in their life choices. Organized into project teams, the young people come together to plan their program activities, contributing to an impressive and successful group of projects.

As with many of the programs supported by the Kellogg Food and Fitness Initiative, Nuestras Raíces’ is transforming both physical and cultural landscapes. Abandoned lots filled with trash and the shells of buildings become productive, green, active spaces for individual and community growth. Strong leaders are growing alongside food crops, resulting in a healthier food system and a foundation for systems policy change.