NDC Director Jen Goold’s Op-Ed About the Power of Urban Farms

NDC Executive Director Jen Goold saw firsthand how urban farms like BLISS Meadows, Filbert Street Garden, and Black Butterfly Teaching Farm are transforming communities.

Read the full op-ed from Nextcity to learn how these farms are doing more than growing food—they’re rebuilding communities, addressing racial and environmental injustices, and reclaiming cultural heritage.

These spaces offer healing, connection, and empowerment where it’s needed most, and we are thrilled to share the inspiring work of Black urban farmers who are transforming Baltimore’s neighborhoods!

From youth education to sustainable agriculture training, these farms are showing us that urban farming is a powerful force for change. They’re turning vacant lots into vibrant hubs of collaboration, where ancestral knowledge is honored, traditions are shared, and the social fabric is strengthened.

This is what it looks like when communities don’t just survive—they thrive.