
Grow Black Hudson Car Fund
Donation protected
Hello, My name is Nkoula Badila and I am the founder of a homegrown movement called "Grow Black Hudson" doing volunteer work to build gardens and re-distribute local organic plants to Black and Brown communities. The goal is to give attention to this community that is often left out of the conversations around accessing fresh food, herbal medicines, healthy alternatives and our Ancestor's knowledge of the land.
We aim to re-introduce that healing connection to the earth's medicine and reclaim our Ancestral wisdom.
The Ask:
As some of you know a lot of this work requires some wheels to be able to get around, move heavy materials (soil, lumber, equipment ) meet with new families, give rides and deliver to their needs. My latest car a 2010 Scion XD has been deemed totaled. This all makes it so much harder to continue to do the work of building these gardens and supporting them efficiently. All of the money raised will be going towards a new car that can keep the work happening smoothly. the starting goal is 10,000 but any more would be greatly appreciated as I hope to get a new car that can last and come in strong for future moves! Please share with your community and let's keep making this growth happen!
More about the Movement:
Grow Black Hudson was founded in June 2020 at the height of the pandemic in my hometown of Hudson NY. It was founded as a response that felt more wholesome and supportive of our wellness than the same "stay inside, social distance, and hand washing' advice given by Government powers. It was a high time of uncertainty, fear, and grief sunk in for so many. The George Floyd protests happened all over the world and although the lockdowns shut it down, it left a lingering empowerment to rise, reclaim and build up the Black community.
During lockdowns I found peace and grounding when I returned to the Earth, hands in the soil, watching the Earth medicine grow! This self-healing and deep support from my family sparked the idea to help the community we grew up with to grow! Grow Black Hudson was born! From the rooted work my family has done in Hudson for nearly 30 years we had good connections with the local BIPOC community who, like us, didn't always have access or knowledge to the sources that provide fresh food. I've done my journey traveling to different parts of the world volunteering on farms with the locals and gaining that knowledge on how to begin to understand the land and work with the space you have. Taking that knowledge and the connections we had as a family we reached out asking" Who wants to build a garden too?' People came through grateful to recieve the materials to start a little patch of growth. That first year we raised money to provide wood, tools, equipment, seeds, plants, info, and a series of food cooking/preservation workshops to share the knowledge on how to secure food from winter to winter. We're still going! Since then we have started over 28, raised bed gardens and at least 15 potted gardens. We maintain the relationships and continue to deliver to the needs and desires to garden. Every year new people join the growing journey, connecting with plants, and growing their food, their herbal medicines, their flowers and treats! The sense of security and healing that builds when you know this connection and knowledge is so healing. Just spending time outside with the dirt sun and water reminds us of this blessing of life!
Organizer

Nkoula Badila
Organizer
Hudson, NY