Metro Atlanta Farmers
Grow Where You Are is a team of vegan farmers and food justice activists doing revolutionary work in the areas of food sovereignty, ecological restoration, vegan outreach and education, and animal-free growing techniques.
Through our work GWYA is:
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promoting much-needed public awareness and education around veganic growing
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increasing vegan outreach in low-income communities and among people of color;
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empowering people in urban areas to plant backyard & community gardens, and
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improving public health through plant-based nutrition.
Jamila Norman a.k.a (Farmer J) is a first generation daughter to Caribbean parents, whose history is rooted in agriculture. She is an internationally recognized urban farmer, food activist and mother based in Atlanta, GA. She is a University of Georgia graduate with a degree in Environmental Engineering, After 10 years in her professional career, Jamila has now committed fully to operating her independent, organic urban farm, Patchwork City Farms, which she founded 2010.
Jeremy Amico, the farm manager at Truly Living Well Center for Urban Agriculture, has "nearly single-handedly transformed the space to better connect with the community," says Steven Aceto, Amico's former intern who nominated him.
Driving the news: On 7 acres in Collegetown, Amico's small team grows nearly every kind of produce you can name, herbs and flowers.
What's happening: Truly Living Well sells produce at MARTA stations around the city and offers educational programs that reach everyone from public school students to adults. They also have weekly volunteer sessions.
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Amico has prioritized partnering with local companies — like Ecoslay, a hair product company that sources ingredients from Truly Living Well.
The big picture: Amico told Axios it's important that people see themselves represented in farming, which often isn't the case.
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"It's such a big industry and when people think about farming they think about Old McDonald," he said. "There's a place for everybody."