Sowing the Seeds of Redemption: Supporting the formerly incarcerated population of Durham through agricultural education

Situated south of the historic Stagville plantation in Durham, North Carolina, Urban Community AgriNomics (UCAN) operates as a community garden and non-profit organization that serves the surrounding urban community in a variety of ways. UCAN places a significant focus on preserving the intergenerational story of the land as well as fostering community resilience and rejuvenation. It accomplishes this by adhering to its core mission of enhancing the health and well-being of the Durham community through offering education and skill development in healthy living practices, seed-to-table food preparation and preservation, and practical learning experiences in STEAM and Agriculture. UCAN serves as a community gardening space, providing a learning environment for agricultural skills, and offering a tranquil setting for local Durham community members to immerse themselves in the narratives of the past while connecting with nature. Founded on the largest former plantation in the state, UCAN's objective is to transform land previously used to harm the community into a source of benefit.

This report explores UCAN's latest initiative in pursuit of this transformative goal. In the upcoming years, UCAN is establishing a program to equip formerly incarcerated individuals with valuable skills in agriculture. This will be called the Returning Citizens Project (RCP). This initiative will provide housing and compensation over a three-year period. There, participants will foster connections within a local close-knit farming community, gain a stronger sense of community, and leave with the tools necessary to help prevent recidivism. While engaging in a variety of farm-related responsibilities, participants will primarily focus on managing a designated one-acre plot for agriculture and an additional acre dedicated to planting, learning about, and selling native North Carolina plants. As they cultivate a relationship with the plants and share their history, this endeavor will further UCAN's mission of not only supporting its community but also perpetuating the narrative of the land for generations to come.