2025 Gardeners Gathering (Boston)

The conference will kick off with a keynote panel of four Youth Agricultural Scientists – Ryan Santiago, 18; Agnes Frias, 26; Breeaisha Cobbins, 17; and Kim Thu, 16 – in conversation with Anna Muhammad, food access director of Northeast Organic Farming Association on their research on soil healing, and their visions of our future food system

How this Generation is taking Food and Climate work to the next level, and the future of environmental justice work.

For the last 6 years, Anna Muhammad, Food Access Director of NOFA Mass, has been working with closely with a team of Youth Agricultural Scientists on food security around regenerative growing, soil health, cooking, traditional recipes and food preservation. In collaboration with Tapley Court Apartments residents, this group has transformed an empty space to a flourishing growing center that serves 40 families with health, nutrient-rich food.

A large focus of this group has been researching soil remediation: removing toxins and adding to soil biology using natural methods. Through hands on work in the garden, Anna’s team has worked to heal the soil as a practice in environmental justice and food security.

In this keynote panel, Anna will be in conversation with four of these Youth Scientists – Ryan, Agnes, Breeaisha, and Kim – to share back some of the findings of their soil healing research, and highlight the importance of soil health in food security. Anna will also ask this next generation about their visions for the future of environmental justice. These budding food justice workers will share their dreams of a future food system, and what they see as their role in building this future.