10/1/2025 – Asawana Farms had the honor of participating in the 2nd Annual Civic Engagement Fair at Edmund Burke School in Washington, D.C. It was a vibrant and energizing day, filled with students, educators, and changemakers exploring what it means to make a difference in their communities.
As a community-based urban farm rooted in sustainability, cultural preservation, and food justice, we were deeply moved by the opportunity to speak directly with young people about how farming can be a powerful act of civic engagement.
And the students? They showed up with curiosity, thoughtful questions, and an eagerness to get involved. Many left our table with a renewed sense of how food, environment, and social responsibility are deeply connected.
Why Asawana Farms Was Invited
In the words of one of the fair’s organizers:
“We have found that students excel tremendously both academically and professionally when they participate in experiential learning and civic engagement experiences outside of the classroom. It is imperative that students are connected to organizations that will challenge them to be civic leaders. The work that you all do is so impactful, that it was my honor to invite you to participate in this event!”
At Asawana Farms, we’re committed to more than just growing vegetables. We’re cultivating consciousness, community resilience, and civic responsibility through farming. We were invited to this fair not just for what we grow, but for why and how we grow it — and the deeper community-centered mission behind our work.
What We Shared: Farming as a Civic Practice
During the event, we introduced students to the work we do at the Urban Farm Incubator (UFI) in Prince George’s County, Maryland. UFI is a unique urban agricultural space that brings together 11 farmers from across the globe, each cultivating culturally important crops using organic, chemical-free practices. Together, we share land, resources, and knowledge — and we all produce our own compost on-site, ensuring that our farming practices are rooted in sustainability and respect for the earth.
At Asawana Farms specifically, we grow:
- Bitter Leaf
- Bitter Melon
- Ugu (Fluted Pumpkin)
- Water Leaf
- Scent Leaf
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers
These are not just vegetables — they are heritage crops, grown for generations by African communities and used both as food and medicine.
Through storytelling and visuals, we explained to students how these crops support not just nutrition, but cultural identity, economic opportunity, and community healing. This was a new concept for many of them — and it sparked powerful conversations about food justice, sustainability, and the role of farming in civic life.
Students Were Inspired — and Ready to Act
What inspired us most was how genuinely engaged the students were. They asked meaningful questions about:
- How urban farming can address food insecurity
- The science behind composting and organic practices
- The cultural significance of crops like Bitter Leaf and Ugu
- How farming connects to climate change and environmental justice
- And most importantly: How can we get involved?
Many students expressed real interest in coming out to the farm — to volunteer, to learn, and to contribute.
We left the event with a list of names and a deep sense of hope. These young people are not just tomorrow’s leaders — they’re already asking the right questions today.
Education That Transcends the Classroom
One of the core beliefs we share with the organizers of the Civic Engagement Fair is that real learning often happens beyond the classroom. When students engage in hands-on, community-centered experiences, they develop not just academic knowledge, but real-world skills, empathy, and a sense of purpose.
Farming offers that in abundance.
When a student steps onto a farm, they learn about biology, ecology, and climate. But they also learn about collaboration, patience, justice, and care. They learn that what we eat is deeply tied to how we live, and that growing food is a political, environmental, and moral act.
Asawana Farms is proud to offer a space where those lessons come alive.
Looking Ahead: An Invitation to Grow Together
We are excited to build on the momentum from this event. We welcome students from Edmund Burke School and beyond to:
- Volunteer at the farm
- Join upcoming workshopson sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty
- Help us expand our Food is Medicine work,including our ongoing partnership with the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center
- Bring their energy and ideas to new initiatives connecting youth, food, and civic action
Because the truth is: we need more young people involved in this work. We need leaders who understand that growing food isn’t just about feeding people — it’s about transforming systems and reimagining futures.
And we are honored to walk alongside them as they begin that journey.
In Gratitude
To the organizers at Edmund Burke School: thank you for believing in the power of civic engagement and experiential learning — and for seeing value in the work we do at Asawana Farms.
To the students: thank you for your questions, your enthusiasm, and your open minds. We look forward to seeing many of you at the farm soon.
Let’s keep planting the seeds. Let’s grow the leaders our communities need.
The Asawana Farms Team