Will Allen is a farmer in Milwaukee and the current CEO of Growing Power. Will grew up on a small farm in Maryland, the second-youngest of six children of a sharecropper. While living in Belgium as a basketball player, Will reconnected with his farming roots. He observed the intensive methods used on small plots by local farmers, and began applying those methods in a garden where he grew food for his family and teammates.
In 1993, Growing Power was an organization with teens who needed a place to work. Will Allen was a farmer with land. Will designed a program that offered teens an opportunity to work at his store and renovate the greenhouses to grow food for their community. What started as a simple partnership to change the landscape of the north side of Milwaukee has blossomed into a national and global commitment to sustainable food systems.
(Courtesy of Growing Power)
The Oprah Winfrey Network's segment of SuperSoul Sunday, featuring Will Allen
Watch the Colbert Report's interview with Will Allen as he talks about his background and Growing Power
Listen to NPR's interview with Will Allen as he discusses winning the MacArthur Genius Grant