Nick Speed is transforming North St. Louis through urban agriculture and community empowerment as the Founder and Executive Director of Ujima and George Washington Carver Farms. On the Food For All podcast, Nick shares his journey from aspiring sports journalist to urban farming leader. His work addresses food insecurity and environmental injustice in neighborhoods long neglected due to divestment and environmental racism.

Nick’s commitment is rooted in his experience with nonprofits, where he recognized the urgent need for healthy food access. He purchased land in the Fairground and Hyde Park neighborhoods, historically thriving areas now suffering from neglect. “To farm while Black is an act of defiance against white supremacy and honors our ancestors’ agricultural ingenuity,” Nick says, drawing inspiration from George Washington Carver’s sustainable farming practices.

Through Ujima and George Washington Carver Farms, Nick is growing food and building a movement for social and environmental justice, demonstrating the transformative power of urban agriculture.