Nila Kartika Wati
In the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, where concrete often outpaces canopy, a quiet revolution is taking root in the backyards of the San Fernando Valley. Stephanie Gomez, the co-founder of the Shift Our Ways (SOW) Collective, is at the forefront of a movement aimed at reclaiming urban spaces for food sovereignty, education, and cultural preservation. Through the Reseda Backyard Farm and similar initiatives, Gomez is bridging the gap between a disconnected modern food system and the rich agricultural traditions of the city’s immigrant communities. This effort is part of a broader national dialogue highlighted in the "Farming 250" series, a collaboration between Civil Eats and the Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ), which examines the state of American agriculture as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
A Legacy Rooted in the Soil of Los Angeles
The story of the SOW Collective begins not with a business plan, but with the memory of a jardinero. Growing up in the Highland Park and East Los Angeles neighborhoods, Stephanie Gomez was immersed in a culture where gardening was both a necessity and a form of artistry. Her grandfather, a professional gardener, maintained diverse ecosystems within the confines of urban lots. These spaces were more than just aesthetic improvements; they were productive landscapes filled with orange and apple trees, a variety of chiles, and carefully protected patches of nopales (prickly pear cactus).
In these early years, Gomez observed the intimate relationship between labor and sustenance. In East Los Angeles, her other grandfather maintained a communal area within an apartment complex, housing chickens beneath a lime tree. This environment provided a direct link to "culturally rich foods"—the staples of Mexican cuisine that defined her childhood. This connection to the land was a common thread among many Latino families in Los Angeles during the mid-to-late 20th century, where traditional ecological knowledge was transplanted from rural Mexico to the urban core of Southern California.
The Disconnection: Urban Sprawl and the Rise of Food Deserts
The trajectory of Gomez’s life mirrored a larger demographic and geographical shift in Los Angeles. At the age of 12, her family moved to the San Fernando Valley, a region characterized by post-war suburban sprawl and a heavy reliance on automotive infrastructure. The transition marked a profound change in her relationship with food. The walkable Hispanic markets and backyard chicken coops of her early childhood were replaced by a landscape where fresh produce was miles away and fast-food outlets were on every corner.
"I remember how far everything felt; it wasn’t within walking distance anymore, and I just didn’t feel connected to my food," Gomez recalls. This experience is emblematic of the "food desert" phenomenon—or more accurately, "food apartheid"—where systemic lack of access to healthy food options disproportionately affects low-income and minority neighborhoods. For many working-class families in the Valley, the demands of long working hours—often from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.—left little time for the labor-intensive cooking that had defined previous generations. The result was a shift from nourishing, home-cooked communal meals to the convenience of highly processed fast food.
According to data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, food insecurity remains a critical issue, with approximately 24 percent of households experiencing limited access to adequate food. The health implications of this shift are documented in the rising rates of diet-related illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension, in underserved urban areas.
The Birth of SOW Collective and the Learning Farm Model
The Shift Our Ways (SOW) Collective was founded to address these systemic failures by transforming underutilized urban land into productive "learning farms." Unlike traditional community gardens, which often operate as a collection of individual private plots, SOW Collective’s backyard farms are designed as educational hubs. The mission is twofold: to provide immediate access to fresh produce and to equip residents with the skills necessary to grow their own food at home.
The collective’s model is built on accessibility. There are no fees for community members to participate in the farming process. During open hours, residents are encouraged to "get their hands in the soil" and are permitted to leave with fresh produce. This "sweat equity" model fosters a sense of ownership and community investment that transcends the typical consumer-vendor relationship found in retail environments.
The Reseda Backyard Farm serves as a flagship for this approach. By utilizing residential backyards, SOW Collective bypasses the high costs and bureaucratic hurdles often associated with securing commercial or municipal land for urban agriculture. This strategy highlights a growing trend in Los Angeles where "micro-farming" is seen as a viable solution to land scarcity.
Integrating Science and Tradition: Agroecology in the City
The SOW Collective distinguishes itself through its rigorous focus on education and agroecology. The organization employs eight specialized educators, including experts in agroecology and native plants. This academic and practical integration ensures that the farming methods used are not only productive but also ecologically regenerative.
Agroecology, the study of ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems, is central to the collective’s philosophy. By focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and the reduction of synthetic inputs, the learning farms serve as a template for sustainable urban living. The inclusion of a native plant nursery section at the Reseda site further emphasizes the importance of restoring local ecosystems. California native plants are essential for supporting local pollinators, which in turn ensures the success of the food crops.
Furthermore, the collective serves as a platform for advocacy. "We do advocate for farmers’ rights," Gomez states, emphasizing that the work is not just about gardening, but about recognizing the labor and political struggles of those who feed the nation. This advocacy aligns with the broader goals of the "America 250" campaign, which seeks to envision a more equitable and sustainable future for the United States.
Intergenerational Healing and the Future of Food Literacy
One of the most significant impacts of the SOW Collective is its role in intergenerational knowledge transfer. The "Get Out and Garden" days have become a cornerstone of the organization’s community outreach, drawing participants ranging from toddlers to grandparents.
In many immigrant communities, there is a "generational gap" in agricultural knowledge. While grandparents may have grown up in agrarian settings, the middle generation often lost those skills during the transition to urban industrial life. SOW Collective provides a space where that knowledge can be reclaimed. "We see a lot of grandparents with their grandchildren… participating," Gomez notes. This dynamic allows elders to pass on traditional techniques and cultural stories, while younger generations gain a new appreciation for the origins of their food.
Gomez defines success through the lens of "food literacy." In a society where children are often more familiar with corporate branding than the natural world, her goal is to reverse the trend. "Success in the food system would look like kids being able to identify more of their produce than they can brands," she explains. By allowing children to see where raspberries and strawberries come from, the collective is fostering a generation that understands the value of fresh food and the effort required to produce it.
Policy Advocacy and the Broader Impact on Urban Planning
The work of Stephanie Gomez and the SOW Collective arrives at a pivotal moment for urban policy in California. Recent state legislation, such as the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act (AB 551), has attempted to encourage the use of vacant urban land for farming through tax incentives. However, practitioners like Gomez argue that more needs to be done to integrate these spaces into the permanent fabric of the city.
The implications of the SOW model extend beyond food production. Urban farms act as "green lungs" for the city, mitigating the urban heat island effect, improving air quality, and managing stormwater runoff. From a social perspective, they serve as vital "third places"—spaces outside of home and work where community members can gather and build social capital.
As Los Angeles continues to grapple with housing density and climate change, the SOW Collective offers a blueprint for how cities can remain livable and resilient. By sharing bags of produce with neighbors, the collective is reviving a tradition of mutual aid that Gomez remembers from her grandmother’s kitchen. This return to "being a good neighbor" is perhaps the most profound impact of the movement—a realization that food security is inextricably linked to community solidarity.
The vision of SOW Collective is a testament to the power of grassroots organizing. By reclaiming the soil of the San Fernando Valley, Stephanie Gomez is not just growing vegetables; she is cultivating a future where every Angeleno has the right to healthy food, a clean environment, and a connection to their cultural heritage. As the nation reflects on its 250-year history, the work being done in these Reseda backyards provides a hopeful glimpse into the next century of American life.
