By Ilhan Braxton
If you’re like me- a person of color living in the U.S- you know history hasn’t exactly been on our side. While this has had huge domino effects on environment, thinking, and behavior, I can’t recall one conversation in which our connections to the land and nature was brought up. Having had enslaved ancestors on both sides (Taino and African), this connection was deeply disrupted and tainted by segregative and capitalist laws creating the rift we see today. Until recently, this is something I hadn’t even thought about either. It wasn’t until the 2020 lockdown, when I came across a podcast episode of Code Switch discussing access and opportunity, that I began to think of my own connection to my nonexistent “green thumb.” This realization both surprised and saddened me. But, most of all, it motivated me to get in touch with the part of myself I was never given the chance to develop.
You see, being from the Hartford area, I (like too many others) didn’t grow up with many opportunities to even develop an interest in agriculture or horticulture in any capacity. I wouldn’t have even been able to tell you what the difference was between the two (agriculture being large-scale crop cultivation and horticulture being small-scale gardening). All I knew was, I loved nature, but unlike my grandfather, nature did not love me. But, the COVID lockdown gave me the opportunity to begin my journey towards discovering how rewarding caring for a plant or garden could be. Because I was no longer working, I was able to live with my grandparents in the campos of Puerto Rico for a few months where my grandfather cultivated his own crops. After more than forty years of working to retire back to the land he was raised on, he continues as a true jibaro. From plátanos to pumpkins, gandules to peppers, coconuts, parcha, an assortment of vianda (root vegetables), and so much more. Seeing the community that can be built from harvesting alone was incredible as aunts and uncles would join in gathering and peeling gandules, collecting and sharing ripened plantains and malanga. But where are these skills taught? My grandfather didn’t just wake up one day with a field of crops that magically grew. He has the knowledge from generations past, passed down; he (now) has access to resources and land; and he had the opportunity to move back to his homeland specifically to a location with several acres. He also spent a tremendous amount of time propagating and caring for what now is considered a sustainable food source.
Most people do not have the same access to the knowledge, resources, or land, and most people may not have the opportunity or the time even if they did have the access. A lot of people do not even have the time or access to a community garden or farmers market. Because I was in the same boat as most of my community I turned to the next best thing: horticulture. I got myself a tiny cactus and small pot, took some soil from my mom, and had myself my first plant child. I felt my brown thumb become a little greener as my cactus, formally named Carlos, began to grow. From that point on I decided I wanted to become a plant mom and eventually be knowledgeable enough to sustain a garden. While I’m not at that point yet, I can proudly say that I currently own five plants that are thriving thanks to several Tiktok videos and plant care apps.
This journey has taught me that although access to land has diminished and opportunity to learn in school is nearly non-existent, it does not mean we are completely cut off from our ancestral roots. As a community we just have to get a bit more creative and either find or create opportunities to learn for ourselves. For instance, within the Hartford area, there are several organizations dedicated to bringing environmentally-centered programs back to the residents. One of these organizations is KNOX, a Hartford based foundation created with the vision to promote community engagement, create outdoor classrooms, and collectively revitalize the city through horticulture and reforestation. KNOX offers programs that provide resources, knowledge, access, and opportunity to residents and businesses. By establishing and overseeing community gardens that reflect the cultural diversity of the city, the organization is able to provide culturally relevant produce that is affordable and safe while also remaining environmentally conscious through donations to food pantries to limit food waste.
Because of organizations like KNOX, people like me with limited knowledge have the chance to reconnect with their roots and reclaim the green thumb that our ancestors relied on for survival. Horticulture and agricultural knowledge not only allows for community engagement and city revitalization, but also fosters self-sufficiency and a better appreciation for the environment. If we are able to reconnect with the land and develop a better understanding of the world around us, we have a better chance of ensuring a more sustainable future for future generations. And who knows, maybe one day that empty plot of land full of cement, bricks, and decades of built up trash down the street from you will become a beautiful garden.
