The Growing Pains of Poverty

I have spent my entire life in and around the city of Chicago. The closest I had come to farming prior to being a student here at WIU was having a garden in my backyard that I was very proud of. I have since learned the yields on my tomato plants were less than impressive. It was pretty humbling. I did not come to WIU under the same circumstances as many of my peers had, with the understanding of how important agriculture can be for a community. However, I did come here with the knowledge of how equally important a lack of agriculture can be for a community. 

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Chicago is a beautiful city that thrives with so much diversity. On the other hand, it is also one of the most segregated. The driving factor behind its segregation? The socioeconomic status of its residents. Most people associate being wealthy with materialistic things like big houses, nice cars, etc. But the most important, and usually most forgotten, is the opportunity to have access to health and wellness. It is a privilege to have access to foods for proper nutrition. It is a privilege to have opportunities for a better education. It is a privilege to have the support and resources to be successful. The communities that lack these necessities suffer the most. Agriculture can change that. 

“Investing in the soil yields healthy plants; investing in the soul yields healthy people.”

Daron Babcock-Executive Director of Bonton Farms

Bonton Farms is located in Dallas, Texas. Their community has been plagued with poverty and they are using urban farming to change that. They don’t limit their dedication to the food they grow. They provide programs for the residents that focus on nutrition, housing stability, career mentorship, and education. 

Photo Credit: Bontonfarms.org

There are a lot of organizations across the U.S. that carry the same values as Bonton Farms, but it isn’t nearly enough. This is what I hope to do with the education I receive here at WIU. It feels less like a career choice and more like a responsibility. A responsibility to my home and my neighbors, to use what I have learned here and improve the quality of life for the residents and the quality of our most significant resource, our food. 

Learning about plant science and soil science will inevitably be useful in my future. But the most important thing I have learned here at WIU; be generous with what you know to be true and never pass up the opportunity for good karma. 

Meet the Author

My name is Andrea Padilla. I am currently a sophomore at WIU. I am majoring in Agricultural Science with a minor in Plant Breeding and Genetics. I am from Chicago, IL. Outside of agriculture, I am involved in the LGBTQ+ organizations at WIU. After graduation, I plan on continuing my education in horticultural research. My career plans are to bring agriculture into urban areas and develop new generations of crops to maintain sustainability to combat the effects of climate change.