The Ron Finley Project

Ron Finley "envisions a world where gardening is gangsta, where cool kids know their nutrition and where communities embrace the act of growing, knowing and sharing the best of the earth's fresh-grown food."

Ron is planning to build an urban garden in South Central LA that will serve as an example of a well-balanced, fruit and veggie oasis. He calls this garden "HQ." Inspired by the idea of turning unusued space such as parkways and vacant lots into fruitful endeavors, this garden and gathering place will be a community hub where people will learn about nutrition and join together to plant, work and unwind. 

He anticipates that HQ will create a range of jobs for local residents and that the land will be a self-sufficient ecosystem of gardening, education, cooking, and business manangement education. The community members will get their hands dirty together, shovel together, work together and be healthy together.

In 2011, Ron encountered a roadblock when he was cited for gardening without a permit on the neglected dirt areas next to the roads where he was planting. As it happens, the City of Los Angeles owns "the parkways." Ron fought back--with the help of Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, a change.org petition and others. The city backed off. Ron's efforts are receiving wide media attention. For a May 5, 2013 New York Times article, click here.

The Los Angeles Community Garden Council serves as the fiscal agent for The Ron Finley Project.

Selected awards
Unsung Hero 
California Community Foundation, 2013