East New York Farms

Youth Participation in Community Development and Urban Agriculture

Abstract

The East New York Farms! (ENY Farms!) project is a community development venture in Brooklyn, New York. Besides providing the community with fresh affordable produce, encouraging local economic development, and preserving safe public spaces, the project also engages local youth in community development. Semi-structured interviews with 18 of the 25 youth interns at ENY Farms! elucidate themes and patterns regarding their sense of self, perceptions of their neighborhood, and the role of youth in the community. The interns’ experiences contribute insights that may assist the development and realization of future projects, and reveal the integral role that youth can play as agents of change in building sustainable communities.