I designed a community garden and urban marketplace located in Baltimore Maryland to help transform communities battling food apartheid.

Nineteen million Americans live in food deserts where fresh produce is out of reach, forcing communities to depend on fast food — a sign that access to healthy food is treated as a privilege instead of a right. Origins is a community garden and urban marketplace dedicated to combating food apartheid in the United States. Many families experience limited access to fresh, healthy food, leading to widespread food insecurity and poor health outcomes. Origins seeks to transform these obstacles into opportunities by empowering the community and fostering sustainable food access. Origins facilities a ripple of change to improve food access for the community and surrounding area, creating strength and resilience.

Conceptually, Origins draws inspiration from the ripple effect, embodying the expanding nature and fluidity of change. This ripple symbolizes growth, healing, and the intersections formed through collective action. Rooted in Baltimore, Maryland, a city renowned for its rich quilting heritage, the project reflects the historical influence of narrative album quilts. Just as these quilting methods tell stories and connect communities, Origins establishes a strong foundation, fosters human connection, and facilitates outreach, with each action serving as a catalyst to transform the neighborhood into a thriving, interconnected ecosystem. Through connecting with nearby food deserts, local schools, and senior centers, the ripple is interwoven and expands. In this way, the ripple not only initiates impact but also sustains and amplifies it, blending individual efforts into a unified movement for lasting change, much like the intricate patterns woven together in a quilt.