Like many of my students, I am from New Haven. I was born and raised just a street away from Roberto Clemente and attended Hill Central School. Growing up in the city, my father maintained a large garden in our backyard where he cultivated over 15 types of vegetables. I helped him from start to finish: watering plants, weeding, and monitoring the daily changes. It was exciting to witness a flower bud transform into a miniature vegetable, and then follow its growth until it was time to pick. Through the garden, my father was able to recreate aspects of his childhood in Puerto Rico and share this experience with me. These are experiences that became life long memories. Yet, despite this backyard oasis, my overall childhood in the 1970s and 1980s was typical of a city kid. Though my father introduced me to gardening during the warmer months, I was predominantly surrounded by buildings, roadways, and sidewalks. Access to expansive open areas was rare. The nature I experienced felt fragmented, not harmonious.
Currently, I teach at the Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy for Global Awareness in the Hill section of New Haven, Connecticut. My students are in the eighth grade and study English Language Arts. They come from modest income homes. A significant portion of our student population comes from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Afghanistan. While many of these students migrated years ago and do not remember what their family’s life was like before they moved to New Haven, our students from Afghanistan have a distinct narrative. Some may not recall their homeland, but they vividly remember relocation camps. In these camps, many described minimal interaction with nature, often due to harsh climates and the camp's social dynamics. Whether they're immigrants or native to New Haven, a shared experience among most of our students is their limited exposure to nature. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they have similar views about what they know and wish to learn. By exploring the relationship people in urban settings like New Haven have with food, these students can draw parallels with large cities in their countries of origin, bridging gaps in understanding and challenging preconceived notions.
