The Georgia red clay does not exist in a vacuum. It nourishes the plants that find their home in its soil, thriving in a compound of nutrients, which in turn help to nurture and nourish those in surrounding communities, cities, and counties. With the right care, in an interdependent system, soil can be life-changing, a seedbed of revival and revolution.

And it’s with this intent that Rashid Nuri and his team of 35 employees have grown Atlanta-based Truly Living Well (TLW) into an education center, summer camp, and urban farm with roots in four communities across the city.

With headquarters in East Point and three other farm sites in Collegetown, Fayettesville and another on Harbin Road, TLW grows 35,000 pounds of sustainable herbs, fruits, and vegetables, selling directly to neighbors and residents around the city at various markets four times per week. Through trainings, tours, and volunteer days, the organization is working to help urban agriculture, people, and communities flourish.

“We grow food, we grow people, we grow community,” said Nuri, who is the founder and CEO of TLW. “We’ve been able to touch a lot of people.”

Programming a Path to Education and Resistance

TLW’s many programs form an intricate system shaped by Nuri’s varied interests and experiences. A Boston native, Nuri attended Harvard University, and later the University of Massachusetts, where he earned a Master’s degree in Plant and Soil Science. During the Clinton Administration, Nuri acted as a deputy administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and senior advisor for the Department of Commerce. Now, he brings a sense of excellence to his work that he sees as in itself revolutionary.

“The Plains [Native Americans] always said that a warrior wants his last battle to be his greatest battle,” Nuri said. “And since you never know when death is going to come, you have to fight every battle as if it’s your last. That’s certainly is how I have approached my work—with integrity and excellence, which I think is the most revolutionary thing Black people can bring.”

TLW’s programs provide interaction and instruction with master urban farmers and inspire children to begin their own food projects and gardens. An Urban Grower boot camp is designed for working adults and students spans four consecutive weekends, while a Young Urban Growers program is specifically for children. This year’s themes include “Farm to Fork Around the World,” and “Science, Math, and Magic in the Garden.”