The Challenge

The Youth Growing Native Food project addresses the challenges of environmental injustice and food insecurity, which disproportionately affect historically marginalized communities in Washington County, Mississippi. As a food desert, the area offers limited access to fresh, nutritious food, forcing residents to rely on processed options from convenience stores. Compounding this is a legacy of systemic inequities in the region, including environmental degradation from industrial farming practices and the lack of resources for sustainable agriculture. These issues are rooted in racial and economic disparities and create an urgent need for solutions that address both environmental and social determinants of health.

The Opportunity

The Youth Growing Native Food project presents a unique opportunity to empower Black youth as leaders in reversing these inequities. By teaching sustainable farming practices focused on native plants, the project provides participants with the tools to build resilient local food systems while restoring ecological balance. Beyond addressing immediate food access issues, the initiative fosters long-term community-driven solutions, reconnecting youth with cultural and environmental heritage and equipping them to become advocates for environmental and economic justice.

Empowering Marginalized Youth Through Environmental Justice: A Toolkit

This toolkit provides a roadmap for launching youth-centered environmental justice initiatives designed to address systemic inequities in food access and environmental health. Drawing on the lessons and strategies from the Youth Growing Native Food project, it outlines steps to empower marginalized communities to tackle pressing environmental challenges while fostering local leadership and resilience. Here are the major steps:

  • Identify Local Environmental Challenges: Assess food insecurity, environmental health, and community needs to define the focus of the project.
  • Engage Stakeholders and Build Partnerships: Collaborate with local organizations, schools, policymakers, and community leaders to secure resources and buy-in.
  • Design and Implement the Program: Create a youth-centered and place-based curriculum and provide tools, training, and hands-on experiences in sustainable practices.
  • Ensure Equity and Measure Impact: Center racial and economic equity in decision-making and evaluate outcomes for community and environmental benefits.

At the end of this toolkit, you’ll find a case study of the Youth Growing Native Food project. This example highlights specific approaches, partnerships, and outcomes that can inspire and inform similar efforts in your community.

The Process

Begin by identifying local environmental and food security challenges, focusing on how they disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Conduct community surveys, gather data on food access, and identify systemic barriers such as lack of resources or historical inequities.

Collaborate with local organizations, schools, community gardens, policymakers, and agricultural experts to pool resources and expertise. Engage community leaders and residents to ensure the project reflects their priorities and gains their support.

Create a program that empowers youth as decision-makers and participants. Develop a curriculum that teaches sustainable agricultural practices, cultural relevance of native plants, and business skills. Ensure the program is accessible by addressing financial or logistical barriers, such as transportation and stipends.

Identify potential funding sources such as grants, local government support, or private donations. Use partnerships to secure tools, seeds, and access to land. Build a sustainable funding model to ensure the program’s longevity.

Launch the program with a focus on hands-on learning and active participation. Host community days and outreach events to build public awareness and support for the project. Engage families and other community members to ensure the program’s impact extends beyond the youth participants.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the program reflect and address the specific needs of the community?
  • Are youth empowered to shape and lead aspects of the project?
  • How will partnerships and resources be maintained for long-term success?
  • How does the program promote equity and inclusion at every step?

Case Study: Youth Growing Native Food Project

Introduction
The Youth Growing Native Food project, led by the Mississippi Delta Nature and Learning Center (MDNLC), was born from the need to address critical environmental and food security challenges in Washington County, Mississippi. Situated in a food desert, this predominantly Black, historically marginalized community faces limited access to fresh, healthy foods and suffers from the compounded effects of systemic inequities and environmental injustice. By engaging youth in growing native foods using sustainable practices, the project not only tackled immediate food insecurity but also empowered young people to lead the way in creating a healthier and more equitable community.

Context and Background

Amanda Delperdang is a dedicated leader with the Mississippi Delta Nature and Learning Center (MDNLC) and one of our UNUM Climate & Environment Fellows. Her project, “Youth Growing Native Food,” is a transformative initiative focused on empowering Black youth in Washington County, Mississippi, located in the Mississippi Delta region and heavily impacted by environmental injustice and food insecurity. The Youth Growing Native Food engages youth ages 14-16 who reside in food deserts and provides them with hands-on experience in growing, harvesting, and marketing native foods and other plants.

The Youth Growing Native Food project addresses critical environmental and health disparities in Washington County, a predominantly Black community with high poverty rates and some of the nation’s lowest environmental justice rankings. Climate change and systemic inequities exacerbate limited access to healthy food and result in negative health outcomes. By teaching regenerative agricultural practices and the benefits of cultivating native plants to youth from the area, the project empowers them to create a healthier, sustainable community while developing leadership in the fight for environmental justice. Because native foods often have a longer growth cycle, the project also makes sure to include other more traditional table crops in the plan – such as tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers – so that participants can have the opportunity to witness and experience the joys of gardening from planting through harvesting.

Focusing on native foods is central to the project’s impact. Native plants such as pawpaws, muscadine grapes, and Chickasaw plums are ecologically and culturally significant, offering resilience to local environmental stressors and providing nutrient-rich, low-cost produce in food-insecure areas. Beyond environmental benefits, growing these plants reconnects participants with traditional agricultural practices, restoring local ecosystems and honoring the heritage of Black farmers and elders. This dual approach of environmental restoration and cultural preservation equips youth with the skills and knowledge to become changemakers in addressing historical and systemic inequities in the Mississippi Delta.

The project sought to address food and environmental inequities while fostering youth leadership and community resilience.

  • Empower Youth: Equip young participants with knowledge of regenerative agriculture and skills to grow and market native foods.
  • Address Food Insecurity: Enhance access to fresh, affordable, and nutritious food in neighborhoods designated as food deserts.
  • Promote Environmental Stewardship: Restore local ecosystems by focusing on the cultivation of native plants, which improve soil health and biodiversity.

Through these goals, the project aimed to not only resolve immediate challenges but also build a foundation for long-term community-driven solutions.

The project recognized early that building strong partnerships and engaging the community were essential to its success.

  • Key Stakeholders Involved:
  • Local Organizations: The Mississippi Sankofa Food Sovereignty Alliance and the City of Greenville provided critical support in recruiting youth and securing garden spaces.
  • Agricultural Experts: Partnerships with the USDA, Mississippi State University, and Alcorn State University brought expertise on sustainable farming practices and native plant cultivation.
  • Community Elders and Black Farmers: Local leaders shared their cultural and agricultural knowledge, connecting the program to the region’s rich heritage.
  • Engagement Strategies:
    The project centered the voices of youth and the community throughout its implementation. Young participants helped shape decisions such as planting schedules and marketing strategies, fostering a sense of ownership. Community-wide events, like harvest celebrations and family days, encouraged involvement and strengthened public support for the program.

By engaging these diverse stakeholders, the project ensured that its impact extended beyond the participants to the broader community.

The Youth Growing Native Food project followed a clear, phased approach to address its goals:

  • Research and Planning: Identified local needs and challenges, including food deserts and systemic inequities, and developed a curriculum tailored to the community.
  • Recruitment: Enrolled 15 Black youth aged 14-16 from food-insecure neighborhoods, ensuring accessibility through stipends and localized programming.
  • Program Launch: Introduced participants to hands-on learning experiences, focusing on regenerative agriculture, the cultural significance of native plants, and business planning.
  • Evaluation and Adaptation: Gathered feedback to address logistical challenges, such as transportation, and adjusted the program to meet participant needs effectively.

This step-by-step process allowed the program to maintain flexibility while staying aligned with its overarching goals.

The project achieved several milestones that demonstrate its impact on the community and environment:

  • Empowered Youth: Participants gained practical skills in farming, marketing, and advocacy, positioning them as leaders in environmental and food justice.
  • Restored Ecosystems: By cultivating native plants, the program improved local soil health and supported biodiversity, contributing to long-term environmental sustainability.
  • Increased Food Access: Locally grown, nutritious food became available to families in high-need areas, addressing immediate food insecurity.

These successes highlight the program’s ability to create lasting, tangible change while fostering a sense of community pride.

Like any ambitious initiative, the project encountered obstacles that required creative problem-solving:

  • Logistical Barriers: Transportation to garden sites initially posed a challenge, which was mitigated by partnering with community gardens closer to participants’ homes.
  • Youth Engagement: Variability in participant skill levels and interests necessitated a flexible curriculum, ensuring that all youth could meaningfully engage and learn.
  • Resource Constraints: Limited staff and funding required strategic prioritization and leveraging partnerships to sustain the program.

These challenges underscored the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness in achieving project goals.

The project provided valuable insights that can inform similar efforts:

  • Community-Centered Approach: Actively involving participants and local stakeholders in decision-making fostered buy-in and long-term commitment.
  • Equity-Driven Design: Offering stipends and addressing transportation barriers ensured that the program was accessible to economically disadvantaged youth.
  • Leveraging Partnerships: Collaborations with local organizations and experts enriched the program and provided essential resources and support.

These lessons emphasize the importance of equity, collaboration, and adaptability in community-driven environmental initiatives.

The project demonstrated how centering equity can create meaningful and sustainable impact:

  • Centering Marginalized Communities: Black youth from underserved neighborhoods were placed at the forefront, ensuring the project addressed systemic barriers.
  • Addressing Systemic Barriers: By equipping youth with agricultural and business skills, the program dismantled barriers to food access and economic opportunity.

Creating Inclusive Outcomes: The project fostered a sense of pride and empowerment among participants while improving food security for the broader community.

The Youth Growing Native Food project has already begun transforming Washington County by empowering youth and addressing food and environmental injustices.

  • Community Impact: Increased food access, enhanced environmental awareness, and the development of young leaders prepared to advocate for justice and sustainability.
  • Future Goals: Expand the program to additional communities, inspire similar initiatives across the South, and contribute to systemic policy changes that prioritize equity and environmental justice.

What Comes Next?

EPU serves as a resource to community leaders, policymakers, and advocates across the South to help them take actionable steps to accelerate positive change. These resources include, but are not limited to:

  • Research and analysis
  • Technical assistance
  • Policy development

We would love to connect with you and discuss the change you want to make. Here are ways you can contact us.

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Additional Resources

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