To celebrate and support our 2015 grantee organizations, we will profile each one on our website. Read on to learn about the exciting work our grantees are doing in the community!
The mission of Mama Africa’s Green Scouts (MAGS) is to provide African descent youth with the necessary skills to learn the importance of diverse greening sustainable customs. Mama Africa’s Green Scouts vision is to teach our youth in under served communities, environmental justice, urban farming, financial literary, community organizing, green jobs, African culture and fair urban sustainability justice in our communities. Interview here was conducted with Ms. Raqueeb Bey, President of Mama Africa’s Green Scouts.
TRCF: How is your program going thus far?
Raqueeb Bey: We needed to change the community garden space from Homewood North (Hill Top) to The Monticello Street Garden managed by Mrs. Celeste Taylor. We also have 3 dates through September – November to work our planned activities.
TRCF:What motivated you to create (or work with) this organization/program?
RB: When we started Mama Africa’s Green Scouts in 2011 we were inspired by seeing the empty lots around our community and we wanted to learn to grow our own food and teach our children. However since then we have grown to working with children in the community, families and, even adults who don’t have children who benefit from our programming to learn to grow food , green sustainability practices, culture and social justice change.
TRCF: Where are you in the process of implementing your program?
RB: We are excited because finally we have our first date set for September 19th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
TRCF: How many youth are involved in your program? What is their role?
RB: Thus far we currently 12 youth from the Homewood area who will participate with their families. We are currently recruiting more for September 19th. The youth will participate in all functions: to plant , sustain the beds, and harvest the food. We also like it when their families participate too, so they can learn from our programming as well. Our youth are training to become leaders in our community to absorb learning to address matters that affect our community and what to do to take action to make a change.
TRCF:Do you have any upcoming events?
RB: Yes, our first event is September 19th from 10:00 AM until 1:00 pm. We will have 2 larger ones October 24th and November 14th. However we will have smaller work days in between those dates.
TRCF: What long-term results are you hoping to yield?
RB: We are hoping to have a long term collaboration with the Monticello Street Garden. We will evenly secure more lots on Monticello street to grow more food and eventually start a Farmers Market in Homewood, that is led by the youth of Homewood. One of our goals is to reach, teach and promote leadership and community responsibility in Homewood through greening and social justice practices across the board.
TRCF: What else do you want the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania to know about your program?-
RB: Mama Africa’s Green Scouts is a grassroots organization that works with inner-city youth in economically under-served, deprived areas. This grassroots program has had an extraordinarily positive effect on the community.This is a youth program that guides African descent youth that are in school ages , starting when they can walk, in various different components of greening areas. MAGS were kicked off April of 2011 by way of a partnership with Landslide Community Farm . Mama Africa’s Green Scouts was created to guide African American youth in an assembly of awareness in green education, environmental sustainability and justice, urban farming, beekeeping, earth science, urban fostery, green chemistry, African centered culture, rites of passage, community development, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.The mission of Mama Africa’s Green Scouts is to provide African descent youth with the necessary skills to learn the importance of diverse greening sustainable customs. Mama Africa’s Green Scouts vision is to teach our youth in under served communities, environmental justice, urban farming, financial literary, community organizing, green jobs, African culture and fair urban sustainability justice in our communities. Our fiscal partner is Landslide Community Farm.