Friday, October 9, 4:00 pm – Conversations with Great American Gardeners: Karen Washington, Online
The American Horticultural Society is pleased to announce our new speaker series featuring current and past Great American Gardeners Award Winners and Book Award Winners. Since 1953, the AHS has been recognizing and celebrating horticultural champions that represent the best in American gardening and we are thrilled to soon launch a new dedicated webinar series to highlight these outstanding individuals.
The first conversation in the series will launch Friday, October 8, with Karen Washington, an award-winning urban farmer and food justice activist who was the recipient of the 2018 Urban Beautification Award. Karen has been a community gardener and activist in New York City since 1985. As a New York Botanical Garden trustee, she currently works with Bronx neighborhoods to turn empty lots into gardens. In her earlier role as an advocate and former president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition, she championed garden protection and preservation. She’s also active with the La Familia Verde Garden Coalition, helping to launch a City Farms Market to bring fresh vegetables to the community. She serves as a board member of organizations such as Why Hunger and Just Food, often leading workshops on food justice and growing food. Washington is also a co-owner and farmer at Rise & Root Farm. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the country. In 2014, she was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award.
Host Holly Shimizu, former executive director of the United States Botanic Garden and an AHS board member, will lead the conversation, which you won’t want to miss!
To register, access the member and non-memberrates. Sponsorship opportunities are available to support the speaker series.
