Inspirations: Ron Finley

I have always been drawn to people and personalities that seem natural, organic yet special and engaging. The TED Talk that I watched was given by a man that I have never heard of prior to going on the TED website: Ron Finley.  

Ron is being called South Central’s “guerilla gardener.” Ron’s speech talks about how he looked around his neighborhood and saw nothing but fast food restaurants, liquor stores and vacant lots. South Central Los Angeles is considered a “food dessert” meaning there aren’t many areas where someone can purchase fresh food. He was tired of having to drive 45 minutes to buy an apple that was injected with pesticides. Frustrated by the growing death rate due to preventable diseases and the obesity rate in his neighborhood, Ron created a volunteer organization called LA Green Ground and they began planting gardens on vacant parkways around the city.  He’s also planted gardens near homeless shelters as well. Like any great story, there is always a setback. The parkways where a lot of his gardens are planted are owned by the city and he was issued a citation to remove them. If he didn’t, the citation would turn into a warrant.  A volunteer in his organization created a petition and they received.  His movement was also covered by the news and got the attention of local politicians in the area who supported what he was doing. The city changed their mind and allowed his gardens to stay.

I have always been drawn to people and personalities that seem natural, organic yet special and engaging. The TED Talk that I watched was given by a man that I have never heard of prior to going on the TED website: Ron Finley.  

During his presentation, I noticed a very strong that wasn’t overbearing. I honestly felt like I was listening to an uncle or one of my Dad’s cousins speaking. I respect his directness. I like that he’s not about “talking” but about actions. I admire that he took a personal interest in an issue that doesn’t just affect himself but his entire community. I love that he didn’t just stop with one garden but planted many. I admire that he’s looking into ways to grow LA Green Ground to not just better the health of the people in South Central but teach the younger generation discipline and how to create something and sustain it. Using gardening as a way to create jobs by opening up farmer’s markets and green cafés in a neighborhood you wouldn’t normally see those types of options. This is the type of attitude that I would emulate with my business. I want to use the blessings that I receive to be able to pay it forward in a big way. Ron Finley’s business story is a great example of this. I have definitely become a huge fan and new follower of his organization.