Urban Farm in East Oakland Teaches Youth Healthy Living, Strengthens Community Ties
Located at 1001 83rd Ave., it is a beautiful, positive space and experience for so many families in this area who are oftentimes cut off from nature and too fearful to allow their children to play outside.
By Christy Price
Post News Group
June 21, 2021
Excerpt:
Hidden within a dirty, violent, densely populated urban food desert stands an oasis for the fearful parents and bored youth of East Oakland.
Alarmed by Oakland’s high school dropout rate and FBI ranking as the 6th most dangerous city in the U.S, Oakland mother and Navy veteran Kelly Carlisle decided to expand her urban farming from her balcony to a bigger plot of land. There she could fulfill her desire to teach children, youth and even adults about farming, food and nutrition using her skills as a Master Gardener. The added benefit would be a community whose ties became stronger.
The mission of (ANV) cannot be better summarized than by the people who have dedicated their lives to this cause, and according to their website, it is:
“Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project (ANV) elevates life in Oakland and beyond by challenging oppressive dynamics and environments through urban farming. Founded and led mainly by women of color from the surrounding neighborhood and larger community, ANV creates a safe and creative outdoor space for children, youth, and families in East Oakland, CA. ANV engages and strengthens young people’s understanding of nutrition, food production, and healthy living as well as strengthens their ties to the community.”
