WATCH: Bronx Woman Opens Her Urban Farm to The Community

Tanya Denise Fields, founder of Black Joy Farm in the Longwood neighborhood of The Bronx is making sure that her community doesn’t get left out when it comes to open spaces.

But Fields isn’t simply about just providing access to open spaces, which, now more than ever are more important to safely practice social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

She’s also making it her mission to create spaces that cultivate joy.

Fields tells Pix11 News’ Greg Mocker, “Our mission is a place that cultivates radical joy for community residents and folks of color.”

Last September, local community members gathered to help throughout the urban farm.

She also discusses what we already know to be true: That not only availability of open spaces across communities aren’t equitable but that the policing of such spaces are drastically different in communities of color.

She further states, “In hyper-micro areas like Hunts Point and Longwood, we are not within walking distance of Van Cortlandt or Crotona, and some of the local parks have been shuttered. It leaves people who are already suffering to not have the ability to enjoy greenery and that’s really important.”

Watch the full interview below and if you want to reserve some time at the garden, you can reach out to them at info@theblackfeministproject.org.

Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.