After losing its community garden, Ujima finds ways to grow

Ujima wants to change how St. Louis eats and grows. The nonprofit, which operates urban farms in north St. Louis’ Fairground and Hyde Park neighborhoods, offers apprenticeships to teens to grow produce and learn to work the land. But Ujima is facing significant change this season: Its community garden was abruptly closed down last summer after SLPS evicted several nonprofits, including Ujima, from the Clay Community Education Center. The nonprofit’s founder, Nick Speed, discusses Ujima’s plans for 2025, preparing for the next teen cohort of the group’s "Sunflower Institute," and how it’s adjusting from the loss of its community garden.