Spring Growth at NYCHA: Farms & Gardens Summit Launches the 2026 Season
On a rainy day in late April, over 200 gardeners, farmers, residents, educators, urban agriculture enthusiasts, and community partners gathered at NYCHA’s Ingersoll Community Center for something that clearly felt like more than just a conference.
“It’s like coming to a family reunion!” said Cynthia Simpson of Marcy Houses, a longtime attendee of NYCHA’s Farms & Gardens Summit. “I’m so glad it’s back!”
The Summit served as the official kickoff to the 2026 NYCHA growing season. Enthusiastic residents from across all five boroughs came together for workshops, keynote discussions, hands-on learning, and conversations centered on healing, sustainability, food access, and community resilience.
The event featured 10 workshop sessions across five major topic areas, with presentations and classes led by educators, growers, and nonprofit program partners from throughout New York City.
“NYC builds resiliency by supporting its gardeners and growers,” said Qiana Mickie, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture. “It’s wonderful to gather today to build dialogue and learning on how we can maintain farms and gardens as vibrant spaces of healing, respite, and food production.”
That sense of connection — among residents, organizations, and neighborhoods — was visible all around the Summit throughout the day.
Over 200 attendees and approximately 20 participating organizations gathered for the Summit.
For Kevon Hines, NYCHA’s Farms and Gardens Operations Coordinator and the Summit’s lead organizer, the event was the product of many months of planning, outreach, and coordination. Mr. Hines led or helped organize almost every feature of the day, from workshops and logistics to resident outreach and partner engagement.
By the time the Summit opened its doors, over 200 attendees and approximately 20 participating organizations had gathered.
The Farms and Gardens initiative supports over 200 resident gardens and 8 active farm sites (expanding to 10 this year) across NYCHA developments citywide. The program provides residents with opportunities not just to grow fresh produce and decorative plants, but also to strengthen relationships, share knowledge across generations, and reconnect with the flow of nature — in neighborhoods where green space can be hard to come by.
Dr. Anna Ortega-Williams, keynote speaker and founder of the NYC Land-Based Healing Project, spoke directly to those themes in her address.
“The Land-Based Healing Project collects oral histories to grow intergenerational learning and healing,” Dr. Ortega-Williams said. “I appreciate the opportunity to join you in this beautiful space of intergenerational wisdom and spark!”
The Summit was educational and energizing — and according to Eleanor Roberts
of South Jamaica Houses, it was “the perfect way to kick off the season!”
“The vision of the NYC Land-Based Healing Project,” she added, “is to recognize and learn from the existing transformative healing spaces within community farms and gardens across the city, where Black youth, youth of color, and all of us can reconnect with the land, foster healing, empowerment, and community resilience.” Dr. Ortega-Williams is Associate Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, and a proud NYCHA resident alumna.
The Summit also featured remarks from NYCHA Board Vice-Chair Victor Gonzalez, Ingersoll Houses Resident Association President Darold Burgess, NYCHA Vice President for Pest Management Josephine Bartlett, and NYCHA Senior Vice President for Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives Kathleen Corradi.
During the event, Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. Burgess also honored NYCHA’s Farm Partnership Manager John Lisbon with a commemorative pin in recognition of his 35 years of service at NYCHA.
“It’s NYCHA’s resident gardeners and farmers who inspire and motivate me to do the work I do,” Mr. Lisbon said.
For many residents, the Summit was not just educational but energizing.
“The Summit was very informative and inspiring,” said Keesha Smalls of Breukelen Houses. “Dr. Ortega-Williams’ keynote reaffirmed my reasons for starting the gardening project at Breukelen. Her message, about reconnecting with nature and the community, resonated so much – it gave my commitment to the Justice Blooms project the charge it needed.”
Eleanor Roberts of South Jamaica Houses perhaps summed up the spirit of the day quite simply:
“The Farms & Gardens conference is the perfect way to kick off the season!”
Stay in touch with NYCHA’s Farms and Gardens program. For more information and to access support, email gardens@nycha.nyc.gov or call (212) 306-8282 and leave a message.