What Black Farmers in Detroit and Cleveland Are Building — and Why It Matters
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- 2 min read
In Detroit, 69% of households struggle to cover basic needs, including food. In Cleveland, an entire neighborhood had been written off as a dumping ground. In both cities, Black farmers and community leaders spent years building something better.
On Saturday, April 11, at 1:00 PM, Meaningful Movies Spokane screens two documentary films about urban farming, food sovereignty, and the work of reclaiming land and local food systems. The screening is free and open to everyone.
Rising, Rooted, and Resilient follows Malik Yakini and the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network through 14 years of work to open a community-owned grocery store. The Detroit People's Food Co-op opened in 2025. It's more than a place to buy food — it's a shift in who controls food access, with an emphasis on Black ownership, local production, and keeping resources circulating within the community.
Regenerating Community tells the story of Rid-All Green Partnership in Cleveland. In 2010, the group took over the "Forgotten Triangle," a dumping ground the city had ignored, and turned it into a working urban farm. Since then, it's become a center for local food, community wellness, and neighborhood identity.
Both films document Black-led agricultural work that is changing how urban communities feed themselves. This isn't abstract. It's a daily effort — the kind that doesn't make headlines but changes a neighborhood over time.
A discussion with special guest Duaa-Rahemaah Hunter follows the screening. The event is sponsored by Black Earth Day: Seed to Soul.
Saturday, April 11, 2026, 1:00 PM PST Carl Maxey Center, 3114 E 5th Ave, Spokane, WA 99202 Free admission. Hosted by Meaningful Movies Spokane.
