My name is Mia. I am the garden leader at Springfield Community Gardens’ Pacific Street Garden. I was born in St. Louis and raised right here in Springfield, graduating from Parkview High School in 2007.
My background after school consisted of engaging in more education in the area of business and accounting and sealing certifications in real estate.
I want to live a sustainable life and pave a way for my family to both earn income and live above sub-standard living conditions. My mission is to accomplish as much as I can so I can pass down resources to those who may have given up hope or don’t know which direction to go.
I created the organization United Community Change (UCC) in order to help my community come together and provide support to those in need while also making progressive changes we all benefit positively from as a whole. United We Stand, United We Win is my motto.
My first mission in the justice movement was assisting with Black Lives Matter. Then I became unexpectedly involved with the community garden and fell in love! My idea was I could contribute to feeding people. As I continued to work, I became inspired to do even more.
With my own urban farm, I will be able to not only grow for my family but also help those who have nowhere else to go; people who are poor, or have felonies need hope and jobs. I can help them feel like they have somewhere to start as they help me tend my farm. They can grow the skills of working back in the community while gaining access to resources where they can feed their own family and grow their own farms building our community even more.
The sky’s the limit and I would be honored to have my own urban farm and serve the community in the neighborhood I just love. I understand struggle and I want to help take people out of it and see a better future for their lives. I would like to grow food for our local businesses and teach my children good skills that can be passed down through the centuries.