This past week has been incredible. Andrew, Rachel, and I have worked so well together and accomplished a great deal. We have finished planting our first plot and have begun our second. We have learned so much from Sophia Feller of the West Ward Neighborhood Partnership and Sarah Edmonds. They are always available to answer any questions. By asking questions and letting them know about our problems, we have been able to overcome any issues we were having. The start of this project has entailed valuable lessons about working as a team and as a member of Easton’s community.
After meeting with Sophia and helping out at the Urban Farm I realized how important it is to be able to ask questions and come prepared to discuss any concerns you have. No matter the time in the morning or what kind of day you are having, articulating your thoughts, taking notes, and engaging in conversation is essential. Being congenial and sincere in all of your interactions is a crucial component of community building and learning from people who have so much to teach you!
I have been talking to Professor Cohen about our role as students at Lafayette and members of the broader Easton community. Though we are members of Lafayette College, we are very much a part of Easton. This summer is not about community service hours or completing assigned tasks or fulfilling a requirement. This summer is about developing deeper ties with Easton and promoting health and welfare through food justice.
I began to truly take on this identity and feel imbedded in the West Ward as we went beyond the fences of LaFarm and visited the Lot Spot for the plant exchange hosted by WWNP. Speaking with community members I learned what an impact beatification projects like the creation of the Lot Spot have on community. One woman I spoke with told me her friends and family questioned her decision to move to the West Ward. She explained that her community and projects like this make her proud as a citizen and happy as a mother. People in the community have even taken the initiative to pick up trash and maintain this area.
At this event, Andrew, Rachel, and I spoke with Lexy Rodriguez, the manager of the Urban Farm. She shared stories of experiences at the farm. She explained that her goal is to get people to be passionate about growing their own food and working at the farm or personal gardens. The system of simply giving food away is not sustainable. Lexy hopes to see more people learn to grow their food — enough to provide full meals and adequate nutrition for themselves and their families.
Our team has made a great deal of progress on the farm and in the community. This week we plan to help out on Yvonne’s garden and continue forging new relationships. As the summer goes on, our relationships with community garden managers and community members will be essential in developing a sustainable program with a lasting impact on nutrition and access to fresh produce in the West Ward. I am eager to dig deeper into issues of food justice. I hope to have a better understanding of our position as students, how community members perceive us, and how issues of nutrition and access to fresh, affordable produce can be justly resolved in the future. Though we are part of Easton, our team comes from a unique position at Lafayette. As the summer goes on, I hope to better understand how this position and perspective influences the way we take on this social issue.
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