We envision a vibrant New Orleans where youth and adults transform their communities, their environment, and themselves by engaging in the meaningful work of growing healthy food.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
The mission of Grow Dat Youth Farm is to nurture a diverse group of young leaders through the meaningful work of growing food.
At Grow Dat, people from different backgrounds come together to create a more just and sustainable food system. On our farm, we work collaboratively to grow food; educate and inspire youth and adults; and build power to create personal, social, and environmental change.
“Grow Dat has taught me that I am always growing as a person and nothing is set in stone. I feel way more sure of myself than I did before, and especially when it involves food systems or farming in general. I now realize that my words and thoughts have value and people will actually listen to me if I talk.”
—Reid (Crew Member, Seed Project, ACL 2021-2024)
Our Values
SUSTAINABILITY: We maintain our land and our organization in a way that ensures they remain productive over the long-term.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP: We build relationships between youth and adults to engage youth in a process that challenges and supports them as they sharpen their leadership skills.
EQUITY & INCLUSION: We model the world we want to see by learning together across difference, communicating directly and honestly, and identifying and undoing oppression together. We strive to create a safe, supportive, and accountable space where all people can thrive.
FOOD JUSTICE: We believe a just food system is one in which equity, community control of resources, ecological health, and transparency are what we value most.
LOVE OF LAND: We “enlarge the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land” and cultivate among youth and adults a sense of accountability to and care for this larger community (quote borrowed from Aldo Leopold's "Land Ethic").
SOLIDARITY: We commit to collective action with and mutual support of the many other organizations working to make our city a more just place for all.
“I learned that everything isn’t as one dimensional as I thought. I’m now able to see different sides of things.”
—Sabria (Crew Member, Seed Project, ACL, Crew Leader 2016-2020)
Our Definition of Youth Leadership
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Leaders develop and use a critical analysis of systems and inequity in their work
VISION: Leaders envision a just and sustainable world and believe in our collective ability to make that world a reality.
SELF-AWARENESS: Leaders practice self-awareness, continual learning, and perseverance.
COLLABORATION: Leaders work effectivesly with others across differences to make change happen.
We believe leadership development is both a process of personal transformation and collective action. We believe leaders cultivate other leaders.