A powerful new documentary exploring Black land ownership and agricultural heritage will screen at The Little Theatre in Rochester on Thursday, July 10. The event, set for 6:30 p.m., includes a panel discussion focused on mental health and community wellness through farming and gardening.
The film, Farming While Black: Reclaiming Land and Agricultural Heritage, documents the movement to restore Black farmers’ access to land and food sovereignty. It highlights efforts by a new generation to reclaim ancestral ties to agriculture, while confronting a history of racism and land dispossession.
In 1910, Black farmers owned 14 percent of American farmland. Today, that number is below two percent. According to the film’s creators, the goal is to catalyze the return of 14 million acres of land to Black farmers.
After the screening, a community panel will lead a discussion titled “Cultivating Wellness: Mental Health Support Through Farming and Gardening.” Organizers hope the conversation will deepen public understanding of the link between land, healing, and racial justice.
Tickets for the event cost $5 and are available to the public at https://bit.ly/farmscreen. The event is presented by the Rochester Food Policy Council and the Rochester Black Nurses Association.
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