Veniece Pinnock is an Edible Academy Garden Educator at the New York Botanical Garden.

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Foodways: Crops of the African American Diaspora is a school program hosted by NYBG’s Edible Academy that invites New York City students of all ages to explore the cultural narrative of people—and the food they grow and eat now and throughout history—in the Black American diaspora.

This hands-on and dynamic program allows for an in-depth exploration where both students and their grown-ups can get up close and personal to the live and preserved plants that are integral to the African American Diaspora. Plants that students are invited to interact with include sugar cane, taro, ginger, rice, indigo, cotton, cinnamon, yams, and more.

By looking closely at food crops as ingredients, students learn about the recipes that connect communities within the African American Diaspora globally. Students are able to touch, sketch, ask questions, and share connections that they and their families have to the plants and recipes discussed.

Throughout the program students deepen their understanding of the historical events that led to the spread of people from Africa to every other continent across the globe.

Each child gets to pot up and take home their own collard green plant while discussing how plants like these are related to resilience, perseverance, and community connection. Afterwards, students work together using hibiscus, ginger, and cloves to mix up a sorrel tea recipe to celebrate the resilience of the African American Diaspora and discuss the significance of the Juneteenth holiday.

“Our students loved everything—they thought the sorrel tea was so much fun and enjoyed creating their own to take home. They loved being able to interact with the plants in the greenhouse, and thought it was so cool to see many of the food items they eat regularly as living plants.” —NYC Public Schools Teacher

This program gives participants an opportunity to build empathy and understanding around complex topics like slavery, displacement, and how these can affect one’s connection to their environment. This program provides the students with an opportunity to learn about and share with each other the plants and foods that are important to them. Most often, program participants end up discovering that they have more in common with each other than they originally thought.

Want to sign your class up for the program? Learn more and register here!