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Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Jehiel Oliver, an Ohio 4‑H alumnus who is leading ag innovation on a global scale. He is the founder and CEO of Hello Tractor, an agricultural technology company that connects tractor owners with smallholder farmers in need of tractor services. Under his leadership, Hello Tractor serves more than 500,000 small farmers in Africa with access to over 3,000 tractor owners.I learned more about Jehiel’s work, his family’s history in agriculture, and how he thinks young people today can drive more agriculture innovation.

Where did your 4‑H story begin, and what was the experience like for you growing up?

Jehiel Oliver (JO): I was a part of 4‑H from the first through third grades in Cleveland, Ohio. It was my teacher who was administering 4‑H curriculum and introduced me to the 4‑H program. There were so many different things we learned, including agriculture. 4‑H is what introduced me to agriculture. I’m from the east side of Cleveland, and we don’t have farms. So that was one of the first introductions to figuratively and literally getting my hands dirty.

Who were some of your inspirations growing up?

JO: Family is always a primary source of inspiration. I come from a very hardworking family that always prioritizes doing things with your time, like taking action within your community. That has defined my career. Even where I am today—and my decision to go into investment banking—was driven by a gap that I saw within my community. I saw people who didn’t understand finance and didn’t have the same resources other communities had. So I figured that if I can develop this skill set, I can be of value within my community. That evolved to broadening my perspective globally. I can use finance to benefit global communities, which led me into agriculture—using finance to help farmers across Africa and parts of Asia where Hello Tractor operates.

Can you share some of your family history in agriculture?

JO: My great uncle, who I knew very well, used to work at John Deere as a technician for over 30 years in Alabama. And what was inspiring for me to learn was he used to volunteer at Tuskegee University towards the end of George Washington Carver’s career. He is also responsible for introducing many agriculture best practices that we know of today. He worked as a Cooperative Extension agent with Thomas Monroe Campbell, the first Cooperative Extension Agent and helped launch the Extension System. Together, they supported ex-slaves and Black sharecroppers to introduce best practices into their farming activities. That work allowed them to grow more, earn more income, and be better stewards of the land. And I’m doing the same thing in countries in Africa and Asia, which kind of brings his legacy full circle.

Why do you think it’s important to tell stories like that of your uncle and other African-American farmers and pioneers in agriculture? 

JO: Our history often gets overlooked. That’s why Black History Month exists because those stories aren’t always being told. However, in understanding those stories, you begin to see yourself in new spaces because you can trace back. I have a legacy in this industry. It wouldn’t be so difficult for a young person to see themselves as a farmer if they knew that some of the best farmers in American history were African Americans. I think having that understanding is important. It certainly gave me a lot of confidence as a professional and brought even more excitement to the work that I was doing.

What inspired you to start Hello Tractor? 

JO: I wanted to be as impactful as possible, and I’m also a big believer in using commercial markets to solve massive problems. You scale the solution and address issues by leveraging commercial players who have financial interests in supporting you in solving the problem. I started my career in finance, where I eventually worked in microfinance—which is popular in parts of Asia and Africa. These were banks that generally serve lower-income populations to provide loans and other financial services that typically aren’t extended to those populations. That attracted me to this idea that I can use my financial background to support low-income communities in these emerging markets, leading to an awareness of farmers’ challenges. Many of the borrowers in these banks are low-income farmers who make their money on the farm. However, many of the microfinance institutions would not lend to agricultural activities because of the risks. That piqued some curiosity on supporting farming in these developing countries and supporting the farmer while minimizing the risk. I landed on mechanization, and as a result, founded Hello Tractor.

Farmers pay for mechanization services every year. It’s something that they need as it increases their income, yield and productivity. It also addresses some of the changes affecting farmers in emerging markets, such as rapid urbanization and aging farm populations, and depleting laborers. So, machines are needed now more than ever, and Hello Tractor was my solution to this labor gap in these rural communities. If you’re growing on a small plot of land—like most of our farmers do—you can’t afford to own your equipment. But having access to a tractor is just as good. We built a circular economy model around this concept that farmers can book services from a tractor owner that will be affordable, reliable and convenient. And as those tractor owners deliver those services, they can earn income. It’s been a little over six years now, and we’ve seen some extraordinary success stories coming out of the work that we’re doing through Hello Tractor.

What are some ways we can provide young people with meaningful experiences and opportunities to discover their passion for agriculture, especially when they feel like those opportunities are out of reach? 

JO: I think there’s a wealth of opportunity for a young person, especially now with technology and innovation taking hold in agriculture. Now is the time to get in front of the innovation curve, learn as much as you can, and bring those learnings back to the farm. I think curiosity will be an essential ingredient to their success as they think about a career in agriculture. There are so many ideas that can fill the gap.

What advice do you have for Black 4‑H youth and young alumni who want to positively impact the world through their work?

JO: I’m so impressed with these young kids that I come across who, for them, the sky quite literally is the limit, but have already overcome so much. The tools that are developed as you overcome all these challenges are opportunities. I think a lot of times, we look at the wrong side of the narrative. We think about challenges, and there’s this prevailing narrative around bias towards Blacks and women—which I can’t speak to directly. But if you think about the other side of that narrative, you have overcome all these obstacles that it takes a special kind of person to overcome. I guarantee you that it is unique, and it’s something that you can build on. It shouldn’t be viewed as a limiting factor; it should be seen as an asset. That pressure creates diamonds out of coal, and there are so many little diamonds around us who don’t know that that’s what they are. So, we must help those young people recognize that in themselves. Anyone who faces adversity and gets through these high-pressure situations, there’s value in those experiences, and it’s something of which you should be proud.

 

*The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Each U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land grant university and a network of local or regional offices. These offices are staffed by experts who provide useful, practical, and research-based information to agricultural producers, small-business owners, youth, consumers, and others in rural areas and communities of all sizes.

nationwide

This interview is a part of a series of blogs supporting 4‑H’s Community Impact program emphasizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion – an effort sponsored by Nationwide®

Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Avery Williamson has quite an impressive NFL career that spans seven years. What’s also inspiring is his love of farming. The fourth-generation farmer and Tennessee 4‑H alumnus has a passion for agriculture, and he’s paying it forward to the next generation of diverse farmers.

I caught up with Avery to discuss why it’s important to find your passion and create more opportunities for diversity in agriculture.

What was life like growing up on your family’s farm?

Avery Williamson (AW): I grew up on my family’s farm in Milan, Tennessee. It was right down the street from where my grandpa and great-grandpa’s farms used to be. I spent a lot of time outside as a kid and started helping my dad around the farm when I was six years old. My dad was a truck driver, so when he was away, he would leave me in charge and give me responsibilities on the farm, including feeding and taking care of our cows. It wasn’t easy at times because I’d usually have to work on the farm before school or afterwards when most of my friends were out having fun.

After I went to college and entered the NFL, my dad continued to work on the farm after retiring. During my second year in the NFL, I learned that one of my teammates had a farm. So that inspired me to invest in our family farm. I purchased new equipment, more cows, and the rest is history. I love it. Unfortunately, I don’t get to go back as much as I want to right now, but it’s something I really love. I’m passionate about farming, and it’s what I want to do when I retire. I think managing a farm is something that not many people think a Black athlete would be doing.

How did your experience in agriculture shape who you are today?

AW: My dad always said that the hard work I did on the farm made me tough for football. It instilled a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility at a young age. When I was in 5th grade, I knew I wanted to get into football, so to work out, I built a track in our hay fields to pull a car tire back and forth every day, rain or shine, in between school and my farm chores. I eventually worked my way up to a tractor tire before I went to college.

In elementary school, I learned a lot about agriculture and taking care of cows through Tennessee 4‑H. 4‑H supported my passion and interest in farming, building skills that helped with our family farm and in business which I still use to this day.

Why do you think it’s important to uplift stories like yours or those of other Black farmers? 

AW: It’s so cool for kids to hear these stories because it could inspire them to explore careers or interests in agriculture. The world runs on agriculture—from the clothes we wear to the food we eat. We’ll rely on young people to bring fresh ideas and talent to the agriculture industry in the future. That means making sure all voices are heard. As an athlete, I have a great platform. So hopefully telling my story and stories of my family will inspire others.

What are some of the challenges facing Black farmers today?

AW: For my family, even growing up, we continue to face racism. Others would see the hard work we put into our farm, the resources we have, and think we aren’t deserving of them because we are Black. A year ago, someone opened the gate to our farm, and nearly all of our cows got out. We experience these kinds of incidents to this day. But we never let it deter us from what we love to do. We’re proud that our family has always had our own land, all the way back to my great-grandpa.

In what ways are you inspiring young people to find their passion, as you found yours, whether in agriculture, sports, or other interests?  

AW: I try to lead by example and help young people to see their own potential by continuing to show my work ethic and my passion. I’ve stayed consistent. I tell kids all the time that even when you are successful in something, you have to keep pushing. Continue to motivate yourself through the good and bad moments.

So, what brought you back to 4‑H, and why are you partnering with the organization? 

AW: My 4‑H and agriculture experiences helped shape who I am today. I am so much more than a football player because of it. So I wanted people to see that side of me and to pay it forward. Through my partnership with 4‑H, I’ve been able to share what a day in the life of a farmer is like by inviting aspiring farmer, Ohio 4‑H’er Joyona Helsel to my farm. We had so much fun. We rode in my tractor, baled hay, and picked fresh vegetables from the garden. Joyona even tried a beet for the first time. I love to share these experiences with young people and show them that there’s more to farming than they might think. And I hope to continue to open up my farm to more kids. I want to use my platform to give kids opportunities and experiences that could inspire an interest in agriculture.


What are some other ways we can continue providing young people with meaningful experiences that will impact and change the course of their future?

AW: Hands-on experiences are key. For example, it’s essential to get kids out on the farm when it comes to agriculture. Let them experience it. Every kid learns differently. Along with traditional classroom learning, kids need the opportunity to see it, live it, and experience firsthand what interests them. It can be life changing.

What advice would you give to a young person who has a passion for agriculture and wants to find their purpose in the field? 

AW: Don’t give up on what you love to do. There are a lot of opportunities, especially for Black farmers. For any person of color, you can be successful in agriculture.

 

 

This interview is a part of a series of blogs supporting 4‑H’s Community Impact program emphasizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion – an effort sponsored by Nationwide®

Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide 

Young leaders in every industry are using their voices and stories to create a legacy of success and inspire the next generation. Kyle Bridgeforth—partner at the fifth generation Bridgeforth Farms—is lending his voice and passion to the advancement of diversity in agriculture.Here’s how the Alabama 4‑H and Morehouse College alumnus is helping his family’s farm thrive.Where did your 4‑H experience begin, and describe what that experience was like for you in your community?

Kyle Bridgeforth (KB): I went to a small school in Alabama where a 4‑H leader would visit every month or two to show us projects. Outside of the classroom, the 4‑H program would take us to tree farms and other outdoor activities. Although I grew up on a farm, I experienced agriculture with my classmates in fun ways.

Share how your experiences or the skills learned in 4‑H influenced or guided your career path.

KB: Growing up on a farm and being involved in agriculture was the guiding light for my entire career. I learned that being outdoors and being engaged in the community are passions for me. I wanted those experiences to be a part of my career and lifestyle. Participating in 4‑H gave me a project-based mentality. Before I start the process of growing a crop, I’m thinking about the end goal rather than just the goal at hand. With my 4‑H experience in mind, I start a project and see it through.

When beginning my career journey, I had multiple career opportunities and jobs before I settled into farming. In college, I interned at a bank. I later worked in Washington, D.C. for the United States Trade Representative, where I worked on the agricultural side of free trade agreements. Then, I found myself back in farming. I give 4‑H and the farm I grew up on credit for that.

Who were some of your influences or mentors growing up?

KB: I’m blessed and fortunate to be a fifth-generation farmer, so our family’s history was something we talked about every day. From the first generation to the fourth generation post-slavery, I heard stories about what farming was like for all of those generational experiences. I learned about our second-generation’s goals of going to college and growing a business during the Jim Crow era. Those stories influenced my perspective on farming and work life in general.

My family is my community, and they are great examples for me. In popular media, Martin Luther King is a huge influence for me. Although he’s someone I never met, I went to Morehouse College because of his legacy and how much he impacted me at a young age.

In a 2019 New York Times article, your uncle stated of your grandfather: “His goal, and his father’s goal, was to do everything they could do to keep the land and pass it on to the next generation better than they found it.” Talk about what that statement means to you as a fifth-generation farmer. 

KB: Well, I think it’s a great reminder that in all things, the first step is to survive and make it to the next year. It was a large and ambitious goal, and that mindset still sticks with me today. While it may not be as dire now as it was back then, we try to keep that mentality. Yes, it’s a business and a farm. But we always take an ethical, moral approach to the work that we do. When dealing with land, the decisions you make today will affect you for the next ten years. So we always have a long-term approach, and the decisions we make naturally flow into our lifestyles. I’m always looking ahead. And that’s a great example set by early founders of the farm.

How do you keep your son in mind? What are you doing today to prepare your son to fill your shoes and those before you? 

KB: Well, it seems that after I had a kid, he became a part of those long-term goals. We need to ensure that the farm and business are in good shape. As challenging as the farming industry is, it takes preparation, dedication and commitment to ensure that we’re running an efficient business that will be around by the time he’s my age. We also try to embrace as much growth and technology as possible. I hope his interest is in farming. I’m certainly not going to pressure him into it, especially if it’s not something that he innately wants to do. But I want to be there for him no matter what his goals are. I want there to be a business here that he feels like he can fit into. And we do that just by keeping a healthy, positive, stable, and family-oriented culture, while still preparing to teach him as much about the farm and the business as I can.

Describe some opportunities available for African American youth to help foster their passion for agriculture. How can those opportunities create life-changing experiences?

KB: Within farming, the Black community is largely underrepresented, as well as our culture in the industry. A young Black kid who’s never been on a farm or doesn’t know anyone that’s worked on a farm may not understand the benefits of agriculture. So, I think it starts with exposure. And that experience can change career or lifestyle goals. It can open up opportunities that they didn’t know existed. I believe it is important, especially for young Black kids, to understand that agriculture is a massive industry. It doesn’t always mean working in a field every day. Whether it’s digital marketing, finance, health science, or any other element within agriculture, you have to be exposed to the industry to find your fit. There are a lot of big companies and money in the agriculture space. I’d like to see more recruitment from larger companies, like USDA, Bayer, Dow DuPont. And even recruitment from historically Black colleges and universities.

Lastly, how do you hope your work and passion will inspire the next generation of Black and diverse farmers? 

KB: Hopefully, I can be a testament. I hope that others will relate to the story I tell and the experiences I’ve had. I want to be an example of how your passion for agriculture can help you find your place in the industry.

This interview is a part of a series of blogs supporting 4‑H’s Community Impact program emphasizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion – an effort sponsored by Nationwide®

Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide 

Meet Dr. Robert Jones, Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a proud Georgia 4‑H alumnus, and member of National 4‑H Council’s Board of Trustees. A son of a sharecropper in the Jim Crow era of southwestern Georgia, he established himself as a successful scientist, renowned scholar, award-winning musical artist, and today, spearheads innovative research in COVID-19 testing.

During our chat, he shares how his university is eliminating the opportunity gap through a commitment to affordable and accessible education.

 

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing your 4‑H story. For those who haven’t, can you share your 4‑H experience and describe what it was like for you in your community? 

Dr. Robert Jones (RJ): I was encouraged to join 4‑H in elementary school. It was probably the first structured and informal learning environment that I participated in outside of school and church. I do remember our 4‑H chapter met on the top floor of a funeral home, which was pretty traumatizing for me. And although this was in the Jim Crow South—only the Black kids met together—it was a good experience for me. That positive youth development helped me better understand myself and my leadership capabilities.

How was your 4‑H experience different from today’s 4‑H? 

RJ: The idea of youth development, leadership development, and character building are still very much at the core. But how that mission is delivered, I think, has transformed significantly. I think there’s been a deliberate effort to extend this youth development program, through Cooperative Extension*, to more urban communities and communities of color. I think it’s one of the things that has changed dramatically, in addition to the use of technology, particularly during COVID-19. I am delighted that 4‑H continues to carry out the mission of education and training, leveraging technology and innovations. So, while the core mission remains the same, 4‑H’s mission is actualized and the strategies for delivery have changed significantly.

As mentioned on the university’s website, you’re helping to make “world-class college education affordable and accessible.” Why is that so important?

RJ: Affordability and access are things that I have been very adamant about throughout most of my academic career. Because of my father—who made sure we didn’t miss school to harvest crops—I’ve always understood the value of an education. I think it was W.E.B. DuBois that said something like, “There’s nothing more fundamental or more critically important than the right to an education.” I embrace and invite that notion throughout my life. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to college, so I had to work two full-time jobs to make enough money to pay my first year of college tuition. I had to work to provide access to my own education and my goal is to try to make it easier for others.

Besides your father, was there someone in your life who had a similar passion and invested in you the way you invest in young people today? 

RJ: I call them interveners: those who protect you from yourself. The first one in my life was my vocational agriculture teacher in high school. He took me under his wing and encouraged me to get involved in different programs. When I attended Fort Valley State University, there was Malcolm Blount, who was in charge of undergraduate education for all the Agronomy Science students. He set very high expectations. Lastly, while in the Ph.D. program at the University of Missouri, there was Jerry Nelson. He prepared me for a life as a university professor and a successful scholar and scientist. He nominated me for the George Washington Carver Scholarship that made a financial difference in my own accessibility and affordability of education. These were the folks along the way that helped make a difference.

During your tenure as Chancellor, you’ve spearheaded many of the university’s efforts in expanding diversity within the school’s programs and opportunities within the community. Share some of the university’s successes in closing the opportunity gap.

RJ: We have almost 10,000 international students. However, we struggled a bit with increasing the diversity of the student body. So, we were able to create the Illinois Commitment, which offers free tuition and fees for any in-state student from a family making $61,000 or less to provide access to the university experience. As a result, we brought in the largest cohort of African American and Latinx students in the university’s history. We had a 7.2% increase the first year. It’s a big financial commitment to do that. But, nothing’s free; somebody has to pay this commission. So we decided that we would pay it. It has been one of the most transformative things I’ve been able to do at a university. And in a financial crisis caused by the pandemic that’s costing us over $200 million so far, we made a commitment to continue advancing access and affordability.

How did the university’s work shift during a global pandemic, and how is it continuing to evolve?

RJ: I’m proud to say that we were one of the first institutions to move to remote education. But we were hearing from our students and their parents that they wanted to be back on campus. We knew that the best educational experience you can offer students is a face-to-face model. So, we decided on a hybrid model to start the fall semester, with about 30% of our courses in-person. To make this happen, we needed to conduct tests at least twice a week, and the nasal test is very uncomfortable. It was evident to us at the time that the available COVID-19 testing capability was not going to be congruent with our ability to bring nearly 50,000 people back to campus. So, as one of the top institutions receiving funding from the National Science Foundation—allowing us to continue advancing research during the pandemic—we did what Illinois does: we invented our own test! Our saliva-based COVID-19 test is the most innovative in the world. It’s scalable, cost-effective, and it is the main reason we could complete the fall semester the way we started.

Now, over 50 universities are using our test or taking an interest. There’s potential for implementation in Seoul, New Zealand and Indonesia. We’ve even had conversations with the Biden Administration. So, what we developed for our own selfish purposes to bring our students back on campus has turned into a testing ecosystem.

Your overall commitment to putting your students first is admirable. How can more universities close the opportunity gap and create more equitable experiences for young people in all stages of their learning/careers?

RJ: As leaders in higher education, we should be concerned about the educational experiences of students on campus, and work with K-12 education to ensure more students are college-ready. We have to take some ownership of the fact that the percentage of students of color graduating from high school is going down. The percentage of students of color that are college-ready is only a fraction of what it was 10-20 years ago. So I can’t sit here creating multimillion-dollar programs to provide access and affordability for students when there is a decreasing number of students that are going to be qualified to take advantage of these opportunities. We need to be more intentional and strategic to ensure kids are reading by third grade, doing math by fourth grade, and college-ready by ninth grade. We need programs like 4‑H, which provides essential youth development resources, mentors and hands-on experiences for life, college and career readiness.

 

*The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Each U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land grant university and a network of local or regional offices. These offices are staffed by experts who provide useful, practical, and research-based information to agricultural producers, small-business owners, youth, consumers, and others in rural areas and communities of all sizes.

 

This interview is a part of a series of blogs supporting 4‑H’s Community Impact program emphasizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion – an effort sponsored by Nationwide®

Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide 

For more than 100 years, 4‑H has helped young people develop the skills that led them to successful careers and contributions to their communities. Today, they are industry leaders, activists and experts who use their influence to pay it forward and help eliminate the opportunity gap for communities and kids across the country. To commemorate Black History Month—and with support from Nationwide®—I will be sharing stories from African American 4‑H alumni who are creating opportunities for all kids and communities.

I am excited to launch this in partnership with Nationwide, one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States, to inspire young people from all backgrounds to see the opportunities available in agriculture and beyond, and provide the tools and confidence they need to bring their new ideas and passions to life.

Throughout February, I’ll be having one-on-one conversations with industry changemakers, such as Dr. Robert Jones, Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Georgia 4‑H alumnus; Kyle Bridgeforth, Bridgeforth Farms and Alabama 4‑H alumnus; Avery Williamson, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and Tennessee 4‑H alumnus; Cooperative Extension* leaders of historically Black colleges and universities**; and many others.

These alumni inspire others to take action and be catalysts for change through leadership and innovation in their respective fields. From education to agriculture to the National Football League, these individuals are creating a future that is equal and accessible to all young people. Join me as I celebrate their leadership in developing equitable solutions for the next generation, while telling stories of diversity and innovation that are essential to the future success of our economy, our country and our world.

*The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Each U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land grant university and a network of local or regional offices. These offices are staffed by experts who provide useful, practical, and research-based information to agricultural producers, small-business owners, youth, consumers, and others in rural areas and communities of all sizes.

**The Morrill Act of 1890 requires each state to show that race was not an admissions criterion, or else to designate a separate land-grant institution for persons of color. Among the seventy colleges and universities which eventually evolved from the Morrill Acts are several of today’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).


Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide

 

In 4‑H, service projects don’t typically overlap with livestock. But last year, Fauquier County 4‑H Extension Agent Lenah Nguyen saw an opportunity to retool the annual poultry project for the community’s benefit — a shift that would soon prove especially timely.


When various and nuanced logistical challenges made it clear that a successful 2020 poultry sale would be challenging, Lenah started to brainstorm different ways to harness the chicken-rearing energies of the Feathered Friends, Fauquier County’s 4‑H poultry club. The more she researched, the more the idea for a service project started to form. She reached out to Sharon Ames, the executive director at the Fauquier Food Bank. The county’s food insecurity statistics — at just under 6 percent — are fairly low compared to some counties in the state, yet in 2016 there were still more than 4,000 Fauquier residents seeking food assistance. Sharon estimated her food bank, the only one in the county, regularly served 100 to 150 clients, five days a week. And though they always had enough food to meet that demand, items with high-quality protein were few and far between. Adolescents and adults are advised to eat around 5-6.5 ounces of protein a day. One large egg, which is equivalent to a serving size, is an excellent source of both protein and essential vitamins and minerals — meaning that donations of eggs and chicken would be much appreciated.

Knowing the local need was there, Lenah then reached out to Emily and Duane Lawrence, the volunteer 4‑H leaders of Feathered Friends, to discuss transforming their usual livestock project into a service project. The adults all agreed it was a great idea, but they were concerned the kids might feel differently. At a poultry sale, youth could expect to walk away with some amount of money in exchange for their hard work — maybe even more money than the animals were worth. However, despite the potential monetary lure, none of the club members ‘bawked’ at the idea of a service project.

“They felt excited about donating,” Emily says. “It wasn’t an obstacle—it was an added incentive.”

“It’s exciting for a larger group of kids to be working toward one goal and sharing that experience at the same time,” Lenah adds. “Learning life skills and the responsibility of caring for living things. I think they feel empowered that they have the capability to address situations and problems in their own communities.”

Interest continued to grow, and support poured in from across the area. Community members donated a closet full of egg cartons to be distributed to participants so they could safely deliver their eggs. The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation provided funding to purchase chicks and the feed needed to sustain them through October 2020. By January, Lenah had 30 Fauquier County 4‑H-ers committed to the project. Each of them would receive either 10 layers or 10 broilers.

“We anticipated that the kids would each donate about 90 dozen eggs per week to the food bank starting at the beginning of June, and 60 whole chickens in mid-July,” Lenah says.

That was the plan, anyway, but by March the full impact of COVID-19 was becoming clearer. On March 23, the temporary closure of the state’s public schools had been extended through the end of the school year. Within a week, Governor Northam had issued a statewide stay-at-home order intended to mitigate the spread of the virus. In the month that followed, unemployment claims in Fauquier County increased dramatically—and not long after, Sharon Ames estimates, the number of clients at the Fauquier Food Bank had doubled.

“Some of them might not have experienced [food insecurity] before,” she says. “Especially the families with kids who are dealing with school being closed or losing a job.”

By that point, the Feathered Friends had not even received their first chicks. Yet knowing the impact the project was expected to make pre-COVID-19, Lenah started looking for ways to increase their contribution to meet rising demand. In response to closures, the club took the chicks from the local schools’ embryology demonstrations into their flocks.

“My own kids really recognized the need,” Emily Lawrence says. “They’ve seen free lunch pick-ups. They see that they’re able to contribute something to help. They think, ‘I’m going to be contributing these eggs … and the eggs will go on and on.’ They’re a part of that impact every day.”

At the beginning of May, Lenah reached out to the PATH Foundation, a local grant-making organization. PATH ended up making a $10,500 donation to help expand the project. With that additional money, Lenah was able to increase the participants to 46 youth (six of them brand new to 4‑H), bringing the total anticipated egg donation to 2,780 dozen (for those doing the math, that’s more than 33,000 eggs!). Working with Sarah Bullard, the county Youth Livestock Educator, she also used the funds to add 854 pounds of meat to the donations by purchasing and processing animals from 4‑H participants at the county livestock show and sale.

With that increase in yield, PATH advised her to spread the food donations out where the need was heaviest in the county. Lenah reached out to two smaller food pantries, and they made immediate use of the new donations. Community Cooks was able to use beef donations to make grab-n-go meals, like taco salad and spaghetti carbonara, available to anyone who needed them. And the Rappahannock Food Pantry, which was two days away from running out of meat, was able to replenish its supply. By the end of July, Fauquier Reaches for Excellence in School Health (FRESH) will include donated eggs in Weekend Power Packs for kids on free and reduced lunch. The packs will also include produce from the Fauquier Education Farm and a recipe featuring all the included ingredients.

And the work will continue. Even though Feathered Friends club members are only required to donate their eggs to the project up until November, when the funding for their feed ends, Lenah has already heard from many families that they intend to continue their efforts, proving that service does come first for these 4‑H-ers.

Feathered Friends members, both new and seasoned, really appreciate the impact they’re making. Xander Ronzio, age 10, has been a part of the club since he was a Cloverbud. “I like the project because it is fun and I get to take care of chickens,” Xander says. “It is nice to donate eggs to the food bank, because there are people who need food.” A mother of another participant noted that there are unintended benefits, too. Because he is eager to learn more about chickens and how to best care for them, her son is reading more.

Building on enthusiasm like that, in May Lenah hosted a webinar for other state Extension offices, providing guidance on how the project was structured and best practices. Representatives from 20 Virginia counties attended the training, along with several interested community members. Since then, Lenah has heard that three other counties are hatching poultry service projects of their own.

Over the last few months, as the realities of COVID-19 social impacts have grown clearer, Lenah has seen how fortuitous the decision to shift the poultry project proved to be. “It makes me really happy to know that people in need are getting good-quality food — not just some lunchmeat on white bread,” Lenah says. “It has been an awesome project for this weird time, as it can still be done while social distancing, and it fulfills a critical need.”

And the impacts of all of Lenah’s efforts continue to ripple outward, reflecting the important role that 4‑H agents play, not only in the lives of youth, but in their counties. The community has rallied around this project with 4‑H at its heart. Most recently, Lenah has been having conversations about providing laying-hens to a local childcare group for a virtual learning program they are developing. The eggs produced will be donated too, getting a lot more youth engaged in 4‑H and in the service project.

“What an incredible thing they are doing for our community,” says Kirsten Dueck, a senior program officer with the PATH Foundation. “These young farmers saved the day. I thank them and [Lenah] from the bottom of my heart for making this a reality.”

As the president and CEO of National 4‑H Council, there is nothing more important to me than ensuring America’s young people have the skills to lead and change the world. I have dedicated my career to supporting children and their families, and I have never seen a more urgent need for investment in young people and their futures.

To witness the pain and growing disparities caused by the pandemic and systemic racism is heartbreaking.  COVID-19 is exacerbating inequities in mental health, access to education and employability – particularly among those communities already experiencing trauma, systemic social inequity and other disadvantages prior to the pandemic.

Too many young people are at risk of being left behind. The opportunity gap is widening—in virtually every corner of America. Much of the evidence of this is included in a new white paper – Beyond the Gap – prepared by youth development leaders, researchers, practitioners and young people, together with experts in the private and public sectors.

As a nation, we must invest more in positive youth development.

America’s Cooperative Extension System and 4‑H are working to bring a life-changing experience to millions more young people—10 million kids by 2025—because we believe that every child should have an equal opportunity to succeed. Not in the future. Right now.

Closing the opportunity gap means that the health, well-being and success of any young person isn’t determined by their zip code or the color of their skin. It means that all youth have access to positive youth development programming—and the necessary support and experiences to navigate the social and economic realities that we now face.

Closing the opportunity gap will take bold thinking and action.  It will require a collective effort. It means engaging youth development organizations, school systems, corporations, foundations, local, county, state and Federal governments.

In 4‑H, we are fortunate to have some powerful allies. Our partners—some of the largest brands in the world like Google, Microsoft, Walmart, Nationwide and others—are committed to creating opportunity for more young people. In addition, Federal Agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Justice support 4‑H in its work to scale and advance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that directly impact youth of color.

We must listen to young people.

Youth can lead us and teach us. Where adults see challenges, youth see opportunities to step up and give back. They are incredibly creative and inspiring. And they must have a role in creating their own futures. The resilience, confidence and strength of young people is what gives me hope—and youth are asking for more opportunities to positively impact their world.

4‑H is listening to young people and lifting up youth voice through a powerful new campaign – Opportunity4All – that will bring youth to the forefront of discussions about how we eliminate the opportunity gap. Recently, 4‑H youth joined 4‑H alums, thought leaders and other experts for a robust conversation on how best to address the disparities that are holding young people back. You can watch the program here.

Most importantly, we must live our values every day.

At National 4‑H Council, we are taking concrete steps to support and accelerate Cooperative Extension’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work, but also to become a more diverse, inclusive and equitable organization ourselves.

We’ve established a new leadership position at National 4‑H Council to guide the implementation of our DEI strategy and training across Council, and with Extension 4‑H programs. We’re telling an inclusive and aspirational story of 4‑H with youth and alumni from all backgrounds and experiences. We are listening to our partners in higher ed—especially leadership at the 4‑H programs in our nation’s historically black colleges and universities.  And we are setting diversity goals for the composition of Council’s Board of Trustees, leadership and staff.

We are only at the beginning of this journey.  Positive youth development focuses on building youth assets, opportunities and voice – rather than focusing on problems.  A national commitment to positive youth development can transform our country’s social, economic and political imbalances—and create a more equitable and just America.

Our youth are an investment worth making.

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To learn more about what 4‑H is doing in diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit our website for a compendium of DEI resources and information at www.4-h.org/diversity

To hear the stories and the impact young leaders are making today, visit our web site at www.4‑H.org/youthvoices

Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with and supporting organizations whose missions are to advance learning, opportunities and innovation in various industries. And within those organizations are fearless leaders whose passion runs deep.

One organization that comes to mind is the Cultivating Change Foundation (CCF). CCF is a nonprofit that was founded in 2015 with a mission “to value and elevate LGBTQ agriculturists through advocacy, education, and community.”

In celebration of Pride Month, I wanted to highlight the work of the organization and founding members, Jesse Lee Eller and Marcus Hollan, proud 4‑H alumni. They are using their passion for advancing equity and inclusion in agriculture.

Crediting the foundational skills and life lessons learned in 4-H, Jesse and Marcus lead the work of CCF through diversity training, conference participation, and an annual Summit, which I’ve had the pleasure of attending. In addition to their foundation work, the two lead at Studio 5 – Learning and Development, Inc., a people development firm based in San Francisco. Jesse is the chief executive officer, and Marcus is the chief people officer.

Here is how they are cultivating diversity and inclusion in the agriculture industry.

expertseries-cultivating-change-feature

 

Why did you start the Cultivating Change Foundation, and what is its mission? 


Marcus Hollan (MH): We wanted a way to proactively keep LGBTQ people in the ag industry and help them feel they belong. The organization started as a passion project for both of us, each growing up in agriculture and rural America.

Jesse Lee Eller (JLE): Marcus and I knew we were not the only young leaders that felt marginalized and isolated within the agriculture industry. We wanted to create a space where people, no matter their sexual or gender identity, could find a home in agriculture and live their authentic lives while serving the agriculture, food, and natural resources industry.

Talk about your agriculture story. From where did your passion come? 


JLE: I’m from a fifth-generation ranching family and grew up in Corning, California, a town noted for being the “Olive Capital of the World.” From raising and showing livestock to farming the land with my parents and grandparents, my passion for agriculture started at a very young age. I’ve taken the valuable lessons learned throughout my time in organizations like 4-H and applied the same grit and work ethic taught to me by my family, to launch Studio 5 Inc.

MH: I was raised in the rural foothills of Yosemite National Park. My passion for agriculture came from growing up with my grandparents, who grew their food and raised their livestock. It was the leadership development skills and opportunities, not agriculture alone, that drew me towards 4-H. Today, I help companies and organizations develop growth journeys for their employees at Studio 5, Inc.

Why is it important to bring visibility and uplift the voices of LGBTQ+ farmers and agriculturalists? 


JLE: A basic tenant of the Cultivating Change Foundation is that creating an equitable environment for LGBTQ agriculturalists is vital to the future of global food production.

With the global population set to reach 10 billion people by 2050, there has never been a more important time to be in agriculture. We have 2.5 billion additional mouths to feed over the next 30 years, which means we must increase food production by 60 percent by 2050 to meet demand. Throw in a global pandemic, and now we’re looking at additional layers of complexity.

Ag tech is booming in response to this need. From the heart of Silicon Valley, we see tech startups focused on agriculture popping up and more venture capital firms investing in innovation within the industry. During this boom, Cultivating Change is at the forefront, connecting people, companies, and organizations committed to business equity to support innovative LGBTQ talent and suppliers.

MH: Just as diverse ideas and backgrounds make a local 4-H club more successful in its activities, greater diversity in agriculture is needed for a growing and thriving industry. As agriculture rises to the challenge of producing more food, fuel, fiber, and protecting natural resources, all while making significant technological advancements, we need everyone to feel comfortable bringing their best self to the industry every day.

Several organizations that have studied and evaluated some of the most successful industries and businesses in the world have observed the positive impacts of greater diversity and inclusion. The bottom line: Organizations that are more diverse achieve greater results.

How can youth organizations like 4-H give young people of diverse backgrounds a platform to lead in agriculture? 


MH: To be more successful, agricultural businesses and organizations across the country strive to develop employees to work more effectively with colleagues from other cultures. When you consider our industry produces, markets, and delivers agricultural products via a multicultural workforce to a multicultural consumer force, it makes sense. Multicultural consumers (members of social minority groups) are predicted to become a majority of the United States population by 2044, which means the majority of the United States workforce will also be multicultural.

4-H members will be leaders in the agriculture industry and other career areas where acceptance and open-mindedness will be a catalyst for gainful employment. As our nation and world continue to grow faint of our agrarian roots, we cannot afford to exclude students—intentionally or not—from leading the industry through innovation and inclusion.

What is your message for LGBTQ+ youth who have an interest or seek a career in agriculture but feel they may not have a voice in the industry? 


JLE: For those seeking a career in agriculture but feel they may not have a voice: Do your homework. Search for companies and organizations that support and value the things that you hold true for yourself. Research companies and check out their values and mission statements. Check-out if they have employee resource groups, ask what policies are in place that protect employees against discrimination. There is an incredible guide released by the Human Rights Campaign, which shows the equality grade for every fortune 500 and 100 company. The Corporate Equality Index allows all of us the autonomy to choose for which type of company we want to work.

MH: In the earlier years of the foundation’s inception, we often had phone calls with “veteran” LGBTQ+ agriculturists. They heard about the work we were doing and wanted to call and share their stories. Their brave stories were honest, and often included their experience working and living in fear, and without legal protections. In June 2020, the world celebrated as SCOTUS banned employment discrimination for LGBT people. For the first time in US history, individuals can marry who they love without the fear of losing their job.

There is a bright future for anyone that chooses to invest their talents in the agriculture industry. The industry needs you! They need your unique skills, your innovation, and your passion.

This week’s activities feature lessons in making water bottle rockets, bicycles and embryology. Visit the links to learn more about the activity and check back every Monday for new ideas and hands-on, educational resources for all young people

Water Bottle Rocket

Recommended age: Grades 3-12

Courtesy of New Mexico State University, New Mexico 4‑H

Get outside with this explosive Rocketry project! Learn how to make a rocket from a plastic bottle, pencils, tape, vinegar, and baking soda. Then watch the rocket shoot to the sky!

Ready, Set, Blast Off!

Bicycle ABC Quick Check

Recommended age: Grades 3-12

Courtesy of Purdue University, Indiana 4‑H

Run through these short steps before every ride to keep your bicycle running properly.

Get Ready to Ride!

Embryology 101

Recommended age: Grades 3-5

Courtesy of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska 4‑H

The Embryology 101 series includes four lessons complete with videos and worksheets allowing youth to explore the life cycle of an embryo and how life develops! Youth will observe the process of incubating and hatching chicks, identify parental traits that influence the appearance of the chicks, and recognize where eggs and chicken meat come from.

More Weekly Lessons:

Dog Training, Bees & Cloud Dough

Origami, Baking & Space

Solar Energy, Crafts & Yoga

Butterflies, Omelets & Journaling

Financial Literacy, Indoor Gardening & Engineering

 

Rural America is beautiful and is the heart of this country. I was born and raised in rural south-central Virginia in Charlotte County, and I love my community. It is my home. Unfortunately, there is a “Digital Divide” in our country that’s impacting opportunities in rural areas.

Businesses that have left rural communities that were dependent on them are suffering, and many rural communities have workforces that are not ready for the 21st-century workplace. As a result of the lack of sustainable jobs, the youth of these communities leave for better opportunities. It hurts the rural local economy by causing a ‘drain,’ and the loss of young people reduces new ideas and entrepreneurship, which further reducing local growth.

Many communities are impacted and must ask themselves, “How can we fix this?” The answer comes in the form of a 4‑H program. 4‑H Tech Changemakers is a teen-led program that empowers young people to change their community’s future using technology and digital skills.

The program introduces teens to opportunities that will help them build leadership skills, take action, present to local government officials, and develop a strong, positive reputation in their community. Teens participating in the program grow into responsible contributing citizens in an environment where they can make decisions and mistakes safely.

Through the 4‑H Tech Changemakers program in my county, we teach website development, social media marketing, and drone mapping to local farmers. We have met with the state governor, supported our local growers’ association, and even helped save the loss of over two acres of soybeans of a local farmer using a drone. I have spoken to over 200 4‑H professionals and youth about how important digital skills can be in helping rural economies thrive and keeping young people, like myself, contributing to the future of their town.