The 220th recipient is Masra Clamoungou of Small Axe Farm of @blackfarmerscollective in Seattle, WA.
Masra writes, “I grew up not being interested in farming, not having a tangible connection with the food system, or even having an idea of what farming could look like, apart from huge golden fields of wheat or acres upon acres of corn.
When I first stepped onto my first farm and began to get in touch with the work, experience the connection with the land and the complexities of the surrounding ecosystem, and experienced the delicious fresh produce that came with it all, it clicked in me that this was the work I wanted to do in the world.
As I’ve worked on different farms and in different farming contexts, one constant has been that the meaningful work that we engage in as farmers comes hand in hand with a lot of hard labor, which can easily drain one’s physical and mental energy - it has become key to make space for myself and other farmworkers to rest, reflect, and play in order to recharge so that we may show up fully for the communities in which we serve.”