What is your initiative?
My initiative is supporting the growth of Élèves des Champs, a youth-run market garden in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC. Beginning as a gardening club in 2009, Élèves des champs grows runs a peer-to-peer farmer incubator program in ecological farming, growing over 40 crops on 2 acres. Through expanding the operations of Élèves des Champs this year, my goal is combine education, ecology and solidarity to foster youth engagement in sustainable livelihoods and community building.
What is your connection to your chosen community?
Over the past few years, I have worked with several different community-oriented and youth-led agricultural projects in the Montreal area and have found a radical passion and potential, both within myself and dozens of other young folks, for more just, accessible and joyful agricultural spaces that support the health of communities, farm workers and the land alike. Supporting these relationships and spaces, and their capacity to spur change, is the driving force behind my initiative.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Learning how to better support my community and watching the seeds we sow grow, both in the fields and amongst my fellows!