Will Allen (urban farmer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Will Allen
|
|
|---|---|
Allen holds a tilapia in his hand at the urban farm Growing Power
|
|
| Born | February 8, 1949 Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
|
| Education | B.A. Physical Education (1971) Honorary Ph.D. Agriculture (2012) |
| Alma mater | University of Miami University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee |
| Occupation | Chief Executive Officer |
| Known for | Urban farming, Professional basketball |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) |
| Children | Erika, Jason, Randall, Adrianna |
| Awards | 2008 MacArthur Fellowship, Genius Award |
Will Allen, born on February 8, 1949, is an amazing American urban farmer from Milwaukee. He used to be a professional basketball player before he started helping people grow healthy food in cities.
Contents
Will's Early Life and Basketball
Will Allen was a basketball star in high school. He won a state championship at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. He then went to the University of Miami on a basketball scholarship. He made history there as the first African-American person to play basketball for the University of Miami.
Playing Professional Basketball
After college, Will Allen was chosen by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 NBA draft. He didn't play in the NBA, but he did play seven games for The Floridians in the ABA during the 1971–72 season. He also played professional basketball in Belgium.
Will Allen stopped playing basketball in 1977 when he was 28 years old. After retiring, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was his wife Cynthia's hometown.
Starting an Urban Farm
Will Allen's parents were sharecroppers in South Carolina. They later moved to Rockville, Maryland, where Will grew up. This background likely influenced his passion for farming.
In 1993, Will Allen left his job and bought an old plant nursery in Milwaukee. It was a run-down place that was going to be taken by the bank. Around the same time, he also bought a 100-acre farm in Oak Creek. This farm used to belong to his wife's parents.
Growing Power and Its Impact
Will Allen became the director of Growing Power, a big urban farming project in Milwaukee. They had a 40-acre farm near Milwaukee and even a project in Chicago run by Will's daughter, Erika. Growing Power helped many people learn about growing food. The nonprofit organization stopped its main operations in 2017. However, Will Allen still works on the Milwaukee site through his company, Will Allen Farms, LLC.
Will Allen has received important awards for his work. In 2005, he got a leadership grant from the Ford Foundation. In 2008, he received the "Genius Grant" from the MacArthur Foundation. This award recognized his amazing work in urban farming and creating sustainable food production. In 2009, the Kellogg Foundation gave him a grant to help create jobs in urban agriculture.
Will Allen is featured in a documentary film called Fresh. The film calls him "one of the most influential leaders" in the movement to make sure everyone has access to healthy food, also known as food security, and in the urban farming movement.
He also co-wrote a book with Charles Wilson called The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People and Communities. This book was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2013. There's also a children's book about him from 2014, Farmer Will Allen & the Growing Table, written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin.
On May 20, 2012, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee gave Will Allen an honorary Doctor of Agriculture degree. He also gave a speech at their graduation ceremony that day.
See also
- Growing Power
