Advertise on podcast: Growing Our Future

In this episode of Gardopia Gardens’ Growing Our Future podcast, Shermika Hudson from Turner Construction shares her experience in community engagement and the construction industry. She discusses Turner’s partnership with Gardopia, including the construction of Gardopia’s chicken coop, as well as other community projects. The conversation also explores career opportunities, internships, youth engagement, and workforce development initiatives that help connect students with careers in construction and give back to the San Antonio community.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Kumu Michelle Pieper and Charles Cravalho. Hanai Kaiaulu is a program that engages and educates the community in food systems and community sustainability. It provides solutions that empower individuals to capture organic waste and retain it as a community and sustainable resource. It also supports the social, economic, and environmental well-being of Hawaiʻi’s diverse communities.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Te’Lario Watkins II and Te’Lario Watkins Sr. A Cub Scouts project sparked Te’Lario Watkins II's passion for growing mushrooms at just seven years old. What began as a small home experiment quickly flourished into a thriving business, earning Te’Lario Watkins II recognition as a entrepreneur, speaker, food advocate, and author. He is dedicated to fighting food insecurity, inspiring young entrepreneurs, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Nicole Reese and Jae Flower. Our Space World has a mission to cooperatively educate, organize, and support squads of land stewards and Earth healers. They do this by helping systematically disadvantaged farmers, builders, healers, and educators attain sovereignty and sustainability.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Hailey LeRand with Global Gardens Chicago. Global Gardens Chicago is a vacant lot turned into a productive garden growing fresh, organic vegetables for home consumption and sale. At Global Gardens Chicago, they believe that quality, fresh, and culturally-relevant food should be available to all. They take pride in making culturally accessible vegetables available to farmers and the community.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by David Cason (West Broad Street YMCA) and Ashton Ellis (Gardopia Gardens). The Y brings people together and nurtures potential by connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to bridge the gaps in community needs and deliver positive change, and Gardopia Gardens aims to reduce obesity and malnutrition by increasing accessibility to fresh produce and implementing strategic intervention programming in schools, businesses, and community organizations.

In this episode, we sit down with Larissa Leath and Saige Thomas to talk all things sustainable fashion, creativity, and community. Larissa and Saige share more about their backgrounds in fashion, media, and production, reflect on the success of last year’s sustainable fashion show at our 2025 Garden Awards Gala, and give us a sneak peek into what they are bringing back for this year’s celebration. They also share practical tips for building a more sustainable closet, from rethinking how we shop to giving new life to the pieces we already own. Whether you are a fashion lover, a sustainability advocate, or just looking for simple ways to make more mindful choices, this conversation is full of inspiration. Catch Larissa and Saige again at our 2026 Garden Awards Gala on Friday, May 29, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, where they will be helping bring our sustainable fashion show to life once again. Tickets are available now through Eventbrite. Get yours today and join us for an evening of awards, community, sustainability, fashion, and celebration.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Sister Terri Ali and Sister Tazar Gissentanner. They are part of Mohammed Schools of Atlanta, which sits on four acres of urban land located in the inner city of Atlanta, Georgia. The school's quarter-acre garden is managed by Sister Terri Ali, along with 18 volunteers and the student body.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Kris De la Torre and Aamar Khwaja. Kris De la Torre is with Cultivate Collective, which unites education, wellness, sustainability, and economic vitality to support holistic human development and drive meaningful, multi-generational impact. Aamar Khwaja is the founder of Modgarden. Their mission is to enable people to grow food with convenient, nature-inspired technology, all while delivering delicious and pure nutrition.

SSG Lacy "Mc" McDonald is joined by Vickie Woodard of Melosong C.I.T.Y. and Sydney Futrell with Clayton Early Learning. Melosong C.I.T.Y., a community dedicated to growing healthy food sustainably, thrives on the passion and volunteer efforts of individuals who believe in nurturing our environment. Clayton Early Learning helps to drive action and create habits that allow our belief in the unlimited potential of young children to become a reality.

SSG Lacy “Mc” McDonald is joined by Janett Lewis with Rustic Roots Sanctuary. Her involvement in Spanish Lake began as a business investment but became a calling. She quickly fell in love with the land and the people, choosing to stay and pour her passion into the community. Janett developed programs to touch on all of her impact-driven passions — from sustainability to community development and youth engagement.

Stephen Lucke is joined by Project Sweetie Pie with Mr. Michael Chaney. Project Sweetie Pie works with neighborhood residents, non-profits of all sizes, universities, members of faith communities, friends, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and others to challenge the status quo. Project Sweetie Pie is the story of a city that came together and worked together on a common goal, for the common good of the youth and families of its community; for it takes a village to raise a child. We believe everyone lends a hand in achieving justice. We believe in co-creation and co-design and provide a supportive atmosphere where individuals work collaboratively as one team.

Stephen Lucke is joined by Julius Buzzard with Growing Hope. Julius found his home in Ypsilanti in 2013, and never looked back. He spent the formative years of his career within the local nonprofit and education sectors and always created ways to tie his passion for growing and environmental justice into each context. Developing meaningful and intentional relationships with the community is at the core of everything Julius does—knowing that together, we can foster a safe, caring and just food system and community as a whole. Julius has lived a life with his hands in the dirt.

Check out this podcast from the @biggreen DAO 2024 Annual Conference 🌱 Stephen Lucke is joined by Ivory Sambula. She works for Mo'Betta Green, a farmer's market in Denver, Co’s Historic Five Points. The initiative promotes wellness and urban farming. Listen to her story of how she got involved and how she created Elementals Creates! #sustainability #SanAntonio #GardopiaGardens #podcastepisode #BigGreenDAO