Ypsilanti farm program looks to help the formerly incarcerated
Detroit Free Press
Melvin Parson, Executive Director, watches over LaWanda Hollister, a farm intern, as she secures wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Amanda Brezzell, left, and LaWanda Hollister, right, plant collard greens seedlings at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby plants collard greens seedlings at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Ypsilanti. Darby grew up on a farm so “most of the stuff they’re doing, I’ve already done. I’m just enjoying myself.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Amanda Brezzell, left, and LaWanda Hollister, right, plant collard greens seedlings at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Amanda Brezzell lines up planting markers for collard greens seedlings at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Ypsilanti. The farms sells a portion to local restaurants and, in light of the pandemic, began a no-cost food distribution service.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Executive Director Melvin Parson stands for a portrait at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Ypsilanti. Parson was driven to start the farm, in part, after goin to farmers marker and not seeing Black people selling or buying the food. “It’s important for me to not only have a seat at a table, but to bring as many people to the table that look like me as I possibly can.”
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Clockwise from left, Jeff Tenza, Theresa Rain, and Amanda Brezzell, farm manager, work together to lay wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
LaWanda Hollister, center, farm intern, and Stel Abrego talk as Logene Darby, left, farm intern, moves a wheelbarrow during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby, a farm intern, moves wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti. Darby is only two weeks into his internship at the farm, after being released from prison two months ago. Having grown up on a farm, he’s familiar with the work. “This places right here, is one of the few places that gave my an opportunity to get a job that pays,” he said.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Amanda Brezzell plants collard greens seedlings at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Ypsilanti. The farm grows tomatoes, collard greens, jalapeÐos, and kale. They sell a portion to local restaurants and, in light of the pandemic, began a no-cost food distribution service.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
From left, Melvin Parson, Rick Rigutto from The Farm at St. Joe’s, and Amanda Brezzell meet up for coffee and farming talk at Cultivate Coffee on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Badikisaila Lucanthony, left, and LaWanda Hollister, right, work on a pile of wood chips to use prep for the soil before planting the soil for planting at We The People Opportunity Farm on Friday, April 16, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby boards a bus after this shift at We The People Opportunity Farm to take him back to a motel he’s staying at on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Ypsilanti. Darby recently ended his incarceration sentence and was given the option to either return to working in a factory or intern at the farm. “Everyone’s nice here and it’s good to be outside”
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
LaWanda Hollister, a farm intern, watches as Melvin Parson, Executive Director, hammers down a pole to secure wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby and Amanda Brezzell, center, scatter wood chips and dirt over a paper cover to prep the farms soil for crop planting at We The People Opportunity Farm on Friday, April 16, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby, a farm intern, moves wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti. Darby is only two weeks into his internship at the farm, after being released from prison two months ago. Having grown up on a farm, he’s familiar with the work. “This places right here, is one of the few places that gave my an opportunity to get a job that pays,” he said.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Stel Abrego, LaWanda Hollister erect a pole to help secure wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby, left, and Amanda Brezzell, right, pick weeds that grew over night at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
From left, Stel Abrego, LaWanda Hollister and Matt Hoostal listen to Melvin Parson, Executive Director, explain how to lay wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby, farm intern, secures wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Amanda Brezzell, left, picks weeds at grew over night as Melvin Parson, checks in on the soil prep at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Ypsilanti. It was Parson’s birthday which happens to coincide with Earth Day. “I guess it was destiny,” he said.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Logene Darby at We The People Opportunity Farm on Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
From left, Badikisaila Lucanthony, Logene Darby, Amanda Brezzell and Melvin Parson, prep the soil for planting at We The People Opportunity Farm on Friday, April 16, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
From left, Melvin Parson, Logene Darby, and Amanda Brezzell, lay down paper cover to prep the soil for crops at We The People Opportunity Farm on Friday, April 16, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Amanda Brezzell, left, and Melvin Parson, right, scatter wood chips and dirt over a paper cover to prep the farms soil for crop planting at We The People Opportunity Farm on Friday, April 16, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
Clockwise from left, Andrea Neuhoff, Theresa Rain, and Amanda Brezzell, farm manager, lay wire fencing during a volunteer day at We The People Opportunity Farm on Sunday, May 1, 2021, in Ypsilanti.
Antranik Tavitian, Detroit Free Press
