Seed Award Spotlight: theJOYproject Growers

In our “Seed Award Spotlight” series, we asked the Fall 2024 Seed Award winners about their experience as a food or farm entrepreneur, including the passion behind their business, and their vision for positive change in their community. This January, 18 Seed Award winners were chosen to receive seed funding totaling almost $250,000. These grants represent not just financial investment, but an acknowledgment of the vital role farms and food distributors play in advancing Michigan’s food value chain.

Among the recipients is theJOYproject Growers, a transformative initiative based in Michigan that merges agriculture with cultural heritage and social justice. This unique project transforms traditional community gardening into a dynamic space that honors the indigenous practices and the historical relationship of Black and Brown peoples to the land. Through their innovative approach, which includes distinct garden features like Recognition, Remembering, Reconciliation, and Restoration, theJOYproject Growers use farming to educate, heal, and revitalize their community, making it a model for how agriculture can intertwine with cultural restoration and community engagement.

Keep reading to learn more about theJOYproject Growers and how their groundbreaking work in agriculture is fostering a deeper connection with heritage, offering healing, and nurturing community ties through the power of the soil.

Name: Josmine Evans  

Business Name : theJOYproject Growers              

What does being selected as a Seed Award winner mean to you personally, and how does it reflect on the journey of your business so far?               

Receiving this grant from the Michigan Good Food Fund is a transformative milestone for theJOYproject. It validates the work we’ve done to preserve and celebrate Afro-Atlantic agriculture and foodways while providing the resources to deepen our impact. This funding represents an investment in our mission to create a living archive of ancestral knowledge and to empower communities through the lens of food sovereignty, sustainability, and cultural preservation. 

This grant also highlights the importance of uplifting the rich agricultural traditions of the African diaspora, connecting our history to the present, and ensuring it thrives for future generations. It allows us to amplify our efforts in creating spaces for storytelling, education, and community connection.

In what ways will the Seed Award funding support your immediate and long-term business goals?

TheJOYproject began as a seed of an idea, literally and figuratively, to preserve Afro-Atlantic agricultural traditions. What started as small workshops and gatherings has grown into a dynamic organization focused on creating a living archive.

Over time, we’ve expanded our programming to include hands-on workshops, storytelling events, and partnerships with local farmers and food activists. We’ve also integrated documentation efforts, collecting oral histories and creating educational materials to ensure these traditions are accessible and enduring.

 This growth has been fueled by community support, partnerships, and a shared desire to reclaim and celebrate our foodways. The grant represents a pivotal moment in this journey, allowing us to scale our efforts while remaining rooted in our purpose.

This funding will help us expand theJOYproject’s reach and impact in several key ways. This funding is a critical step in scaling our efforts while staying grounded in our mission to honor the legacy of Afro-Atlantic traditions.       

Can you share your vision for the positive changes this award will enable you to make in your business and the broader community?               

Cultural Preservation: By serving as a living archive, we ensure that the knowledge, stories, and practices of Afro-Atlantic foodways are not lost but thrive as a source of pride and identity.

Food Sovereignty: We aim to empower communities to reconnect with ancestral agricultural practices, promoting self-reliance and sustainability in food systems.

Education and Empowerment: Through hands-on learning and storytelling, we will inspire individuals to see the power in their own histories and traditions, fostering a sense of belonging and resilience.

Joy and Connection: Food is a universal language, and this award enables us to use it as a tool for bringing people together, bridging gaps, and celebrating the richness of our shared heritage.

Ultimately, this award is an investment in cultural resilience, community empowerment, and the joy that comes from honoring and sharing our ancestral legacies. With this support, we are poised to sow the seeds of change that will nourish our community for generations to come.

What led you to start your business? What motivates you to do what you do?

TheJOYproject was born from a deep desire to honor the legacy of Afro-Atlantic agriculture and foodways; a legacy rooted in resilience, creativity, and community. We wanted to create something that would not only celebrate this heritage but also serve as a living archive to ensure these traditions endure for generations to come.

What motivates us is the understanding that food is power. It has the ability to heal, to bring people together, and to tell stories that might otherwise be forgotten. We’re driven by the need to reclaim and share the narratives of our ancestors who, even in the harshest conditions, carried seeds of hope and cultivated traditions that continue to nourish us today.

We’re also inspired by the opportunity to empower communities through food sovereignty; helping people connect with their roots, grow their own food, and take pride in the rich history embedded in every seed, recipe, and meal. Seeing the joy and pride this work sparks in others is what keeps me moving forward, even when the journey is challenging.

Ultimately, we do what we do because we believe that preserving our foodways is an act of resistance, love, and celebration. It’s about honoring the past while building a more connected, equitable future for us all.

Want to engage with African Atlantic agriculture and foodways at theJOYProject? Visit their website to find their Detroit location or view upcoming events. Be sure to follow them on Instagram.