Karen Washington

Karen Washington is a farmer and community activist. As former president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition, she stood up and spoke out for garden protection and preservation. As a member of the La Familia Verde Garden Coalition, she helped launched a City Farms Market, bringing fresh vegetables to the community. Karen is a board member of the New York Botanical Gardens, Farm School NYC, and Soul Fire Farm . In 2010, Co- Founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS) an organization supporting growers in both urban and rural settings, and in 2019 co-founded Black Farmer Fund aimed at supporting black farms and businesses with capital and resources in New York State. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of their 100 most influential African Americans in the country and in 2014 was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award. Since retiring from Physical Therapy in 2014, Karen is Co-owner/Farmer at Rise & Root Farm in Chester New York.