For Stephan Lucke, bettering public well being doesn’t require a lab coat — simply seeds, soil and somewhat persistence.
On the most recent episode of the bigcitysmalltown podcast visitor host Cory Ames talks with Lucke, founder and CEO of Gardopia Gardens, a San Antonio nonprofit utilizing gardening to sort out meals insecurity, neighborhood well being disparities and even crime.
What began as a entrance yard backyard throughout school has grown right into a nonprofit, providing micro-farms and garden-based studying packages in additional than 55 native faculties.
Lucke at all times had a ardour for well being, beginning his school profession as a pre-med biology pupil on the College of Incarnate Phrase, down the road Lucke discovered his personal option to handle well being considerations in his neighborhood — one that permit him get his fingers soiled.
“So studying concerning the well being disparities in Black and brown communities in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, I wished to do one thing for my neighborhood. And I made a decision that well being, particularly consuming, was most likely one of many greatest points,” Lucke mentioned “How are we going to unravel this downside? And that’s once I mentioned, what? The very best nutritionist is definitely going to be a farmer. So I mentioned, ‘I must learn to develop meals.’”
Within the dialog, Lucke shares how rising up in San Antonio formed his mission, and why land entry, meals literacy and native agriculture are key to town’s long-term well being. His work has been acknowledged by Bexar County officers, the USDA, and households throughout town — together with on the East Aspect, the place Gardopia’s flagship micro-farm helped scale back requires service by the San Antonio Police Division round a once-vacant lot by 90%.
“That’s not the purpose of Gardopia, however it’s a aspect impact of placing in a backyard. It creates a protected house,” he mentioned.”It creates a protected house for households and youth and adults to return to and to take pleasure in.”
Now getting into its tenth yr, Gardopia is increasing its focus. A brand new grant will assist fund video-based curriculum for faculties, whereas future plans embody land justice initiatives and concrete farm incubators to spice up San Antonio’s native meals manufacturing.
“If I can take San Antonio from being one of many least healthiest cities to being one of many healthiest, that will be an achievement,” Lucke mentioned. “If we will create a tradition shift, it will possibly occur, and it’s occurring.”
