He moved to Englewood because he wanted to.Quilen Blackwell is turning vacant lots into flower farms

[mucifer]

Last edited Sat Nov 9, 2019, 06:51 AM - Edit history (1)

Flowers were a business decision for Quilen Blackwell, who added this flower farm, known as Southside Blooms, as the floral branch to his nonprofit Chicago Eco House to “bring viable industry into the inner city.” He says there’s a high demand for the crop domestically since 80% of flowers are produced overseas, but the plant’s universal representation ― of hope, love, joy — is what Blackwell is all about.

The vision for Chicago Eco House, which started in 2014 and aims to alleviate poverty through sustainability, began while Blackwell was tutoring Englewood high schoolers. As he started building relationships with the students and heard their stories and experiences, Blackwell felt a conviction, he said.

“I was thinking if I was one of these students, and someone like me was around — who had the means and opportunity — I would hope (that person) would use that to help me out,” Blackwell said.

Chicago Eco House has three branches: an after-school program for kindergarten through eighth grade that exposes kids to urban agriculture; a paid two-week apprenticeship program; and Southside Blooms, where young adults ages 18 to 24 are given jobs as a florist and flower farmer.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-southside-blooms-flower-farm-quilen-blackwell-1107-20191108-vkpjj6mpdzgbzeyrnn2sbgslii-story.html

[malaise]

1. Lovely

Off to the greatest page

[democrank]

2. So wonderful!

[Martin Eden]

3. Tne flowers of hope can be planted

If only this was the norm rather than the exception.

[ms liberty]

4. K&R. n/t

[appalachiablue]

5. Wonderful enterprise based on nature & work. We need more like this.

[snowybirdie]

6. I grew up in Englewood

when it was a strong, working class area. It's become so depressed and crime fiilled. So glad to see signs of hope there again.

[mopinko]

7. i sure hope his alderman supports him.

in spite of written policy begging for urban farms the city still pulls a lot of bs on those of us who try.
i believe one of the idiots barking about roosters and farms represents parts of englewood. it blows my mind, really.

[Bettie]

8. Great idea

and sounds like a wonderful business model.