Growing Our Future

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Kumu Michelle Pieper and Charles Cravalho. Hanai Kaiaulu is a program that engages and educates the community in food systems and community sustainability. It provides solutions that empower individuals to capture organic waste and retain it as a community and sustainable resource. It also supports the social, economic, and environmental well-being of...

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Te’Lario Watkins II and Te’Lario Watkins Sr. A Cub Scouts project sparked Te’Lario Watkins II's passion for growing mushrooms at just seven years old. What began as a small home experiment quickly flourished into a thriving business, earning Te’Lario Watkins II recognition as a entrepreneur, speaker, food advocate, and author. He is dedicated to f...

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Nicole Reese and Jae Flower. Our Space World has a mission to cooperatively educate, organize, and support squads of land stewards and Earth healers. They do this by helping systematically disadvantaged farmers, builders, healers, and educators attain sovereignty and sustainability. 

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Hailey LeRand with Global Gardens Chicago. Global Gardens Chicago is a vacant lot turned into a productive garden growing fresh, organic vegetables for home consumption and sale. At Global Gardens Chicago, they believe that quality, fresh, and culturally-relevant food should be available to all. They take pride in making culturally accessible vegetable...

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by David Cason (West Broad Street YMCA) and Ashton Ellis (Gardopia Gardens). The Y brings people together and nurtures potential by connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to bridge the gaps in community needs and deliver positive change, and Gardopia Gardens aims to reduce obesity and malnutrition by increasing accessibility to fresh produce and im...

In this episode, we sit down with Larissa Leath and Saige Thomas to talk all things sustainable fashion, creativity, and community. Larissa and Saige share more about their backgrounds in fashion, media, and production, reflect on the success of last year’s sustainable fashion show at our 2025 Garden Awards Gala, and give us a sneak peek into what they are bringing back for this year’s celebration...

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Sister Terri Ali and Sister Tazar Gissentanner. They are part of Mohammed Schools of Atlanta, which sits on four acres of urban land located in the inner city of Atlanta, Georgia. The school's quarter-acre garden is managed by Sister Terri Ali, along with 18 volunteers and the student body.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Kris De la Torre and Aamar Khwaja. Kris De la Torre is with Cultivate Collective, which unites education, wellness, sustainability, and economic vitality to support holistic human development and drive meaningful, multi-generational impact. Aamar Khwaja is the founder of Modgarden. Their mission is to enable people to grow food with convenient, nature-...

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Vickie Woodard of Melosong C.I.T.Y. and Sydney Futrell with Clayton Early Learning. Melosong C.I.T.Y., a community dedicated to growing healthy food sustainably, thrives on the passion and volunteer efforts of individuals who believe in nurturing our environment. Clayton Early Learning helps to drive action and create habits that allow our belief in th...

SSG Lacy “Mc” McDonald is joined by Janett Lewis with Rustic Roots Sanctuary. Her involvement in Spanish Lake began as a business investment but became a calling. She quickly fell in love with the land and the people, choosing to stay and pour her passion into the community. Janett developed programs to touch on all of her impact-driven passions — from sustainability to community development and y...

Stephen Lucke and SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald are joined by Catherine Burns, a story midwife and consultant, keynote speaker, and former artistic director at The Moth. #sustainability #SanAntonio #GardopiaGardens #TheMoth #podcastepisode #BigGreenDAO

Stephen Lucke and SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald are joined by Rebels in the Garden and Mo'Betta Green, Beverly Grant and James Grevious. Beverly Grant’s gift to her hometown is about more than a few plants, though. Born and raised in the area between Five Points and Park Hill, the Denverite has spent the past 11 years working to increase access to local, organic, and healthy food. Grant fo...

Check out this podcast from the @biggreen DAO 2024 Annual Conference 🌱 Stephen Lucke is joined by Ivory Sambula. She works for Mo'Betta Green, a farmer's market in Denver, Co’s Historic Five Points. The initiative promotes wellness and urban farming. Listen to her story of how she got involved and how she created Elementals Creates! #sustainability #SanAntonio #GardopiaGardens #podcaste...

Stephen Lucke is joined by Julius Buzzard with Growing Hope. Julius found his home in Ypsilanti in 2013, and never looked back. He spent the formative years of his career within the local nonprofit and education sectors and always created ways to tie his passion for growing and environmental justice into each context. Developing meaningful and intentional relationships with the community is at the...

Stephen Lucke is joined by Project Sweetie Pie with Mr. Michael Chaney. Project Sweetie Pie works with neighborhood residents, non-profits of all sizes, universities, members of faith communities, friends, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and others to challenge the status quo. Project Sweetie Pie is the story of a city that came together and worked together on a common goa...

SSG. Lacy “Mac” MacDonald is joined by Paris Monaghan and Joseph Campos of Gardeneers. They work with Chicago’s South- and Westside schools and communities to contribute positively to the larger food system. They do this by supporting youth in their school garden and farm programs to build their own knowledge, skills, and habits to become leaders who care for themselves, their environment, and the...

Stephen Lucke is joined by Elinor Crescenzi and Ellie O’Bosky of Integrative Development Initiative, a nonprofit that highlights and affirms the importance of initiation and organized initiatives in bringing about a world that is more compassionate, harmonious, equitable, sustainable, healthy, and beautiful. They seek to engage the humanity of each person, empowering them as individuals and orient...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Stephen chats with Lilah Wheat, Gardopia Gardens' Education, Health, and Environment Intern and a senior at Trinity University. Lilah shares how her studies in anthropology shaped her curiosity about food systems and community wellbeing. Together, they explore her experiences at Gardopia Gardens, the lessons she's learned, and her v...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Stephen is joined by Peter Davis, an urban farming educator, and Justin Malone, principal of Charlottesville High School in Virginia. Peter and Justin share how they collaborated to start a school garden, the challenges and successes they encountered, and how vital principal support is in building and sustaining such a program. They also expl...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Stephen sits down with Keianna “Kat” Cachora, Traditional and Nutritional Food Specialist at Hardin School District in Hardin, Montana. Kat shares how she weaves Indigenous food traditions into nutrition education, helping students connect cultural heritage with healthy eating habits. They discuss the importance of honoring ancestral knowledg...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Stephen is joined by John Fisher from Life Lab, an organization dedicated to garden-based learning and environmental education. John shares his journey of teaching children to connect with nature through hands-on experiences in the garden, fostering curiosity, responsibility, and environmental stewardship. They discuss the impact of outdoor l...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Stephen sits down with Alec Ferguson, co-founder of Armadillo Gardens—an urban farm rooted in the heart of San Antonio. Alec shares the story behind the farm he runs with his wife, Valerie, and their mission to reconnect city life with the natural world. They dive into the importance of urban farming, the role of farmers markets in building c...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, our host Stephen is joined by Gina Ortiz Jones, Former United States Under Secretary of the Air Force and current candidate for Mayor of San Antonio. Gina reflects on her time in the military and how it shaped her leadership values, public service mindset, and deep commitment to the people of San Antonio. Gina shares her vision for a more equitabl...

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Stephen is joined by Cydny Bagley, the winner of last year’s Spring Grow-A-Thon. Cydny shares her winning journey, from the challenges she faced to the creative strategies she used to grow a thriving garden. Her passion for sustainable gardening and her experience in the competition offer inspiration and valuable tips for anyone looking to ta...