He’s taking care of his community!

Kofi Thomas, a Brooklyn gardener and community activist, has turned a neglected urban wasteland into a flourishing green space, transforming lives and food access in his neighborhood. According to Upworthy, Thomas has distributed over 10,000 pounds of food to local residents through his initiative. (Upworthy via Because of Them We Can)

Since 2016, Thomas has been working within community green spaces in Brooklyn. In 2017, at the prompting of an elder in his neighborhood, he investigated a 13,000 square-foot vacant lot filled with trash and overgrowth. He cleaned out the site and developed what is now known as the “Good Life Garden”. (Because of Them We Can)

Thomas then engaged his neighbors to join his vision, launching a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $44,000 to get the garden off the ground. He explained that his motivation stemmed from addressing the combined trauma of physical immobility, isolation, fear, and loss during the pandemic—alongside entrenched social, economic and environmental inequalities. “Our Brooklyn neighborhood has suffered physically and mentally … We are victims of social, economical, and environmental inequalities that have been intensified. We will begin to heal through the transformation of our green spaces. We are raising money to improve our environment as a vehicle to Educate and Empower communities in Brooklyn,” Thomas said. (Because of Them We Can)

Since the garden’s opening, it has become a resource hub for the community. More than 30 senior residents now garden there regularly, and youth have participated in “green classrooms” and decision-making about programming and design. “We provide a safe space for children to play and offer agency to our youth. They are involved in the decision-making on what we build, how we paint, and programming. To date, we have had over 300 students participate in green classrooms and countless neighborhood youth visits,” Thomas told Because of Them We Can.

In addition to serving as a communal garden, Good Life Garden focusses on healthy living, wellness education, community ownership, and youth development. Thomas views the project as a “vehicle for environmental and racial justice.” (Because of Them We Can)

According to local reporting in the Brooklyn Reader, Thomas is the son of immigrants from Dominica, and the lot he took on had been neglected for years, used for illegal dumping and overgrown, especially after trees fell in Hurricane Sandy. He and volunteers cleared debris, broken glass and invasive plant species over several months, filling holes and restoring the land. (Brooklyn Reader)

By one count, Thomas has distributed more than 10,000 pounds of fresh produce and prevented nearly 12,000 pounds of food waste through gleaning efforts. (Because of Them We Can) He also serves as the director of two gardens and is working toward building two more in his Bushwick community. Funding will expand operations to include a chicken coop, culturally rich art and entertainment programming, a clean-energy system, a compost program, and partnerships with schools and youth organizations. (Because of Them We Can)

Thomas invites community members to get involved. “If you are an educator, parent, or Black person in Brooklyn looking to get started or get your hands in the soil, reach out because the dream is to get all Black people reconnected to the land,” he says. (Because of Them We Can)

In essence, Kofi Thomas has done more than create a garden: he has cultivated community, nourished neighbors, and reclaimed a neglected space as a site of healing, hope and empowerment.