CULTIVATE KC
Juniper Gardens Training Farm: New Roots for Refugees
When I lived in KC I was looking for a way to give back to the local community through my photography. I found myself connected to a wonderful urban agriculture group: Cultivate KC
"Cultivate Kansas City grows food, farms, and community in support of a sustainable, healthy, and local food system in greater Kansas City."
Their New Roots for Refugees program works with legal, documented refugees from Somalia, Burma, Burundi, Bhutan, and Sudan. The program "provides an opportunity for farmers to build on their strengths and experience while learning English, growing vegetables, and earning income."
I had the opportunity to take portraits of many of the program participants along with some family members and their plots/crops. It was an enriching experience, sharing these moments with farmers who were extremely proud of what they grow, whether or not we spoke the same language.