Maria R. Texidor

Maria's social change project will enable young people in Norris Square to connect to their community through gardening by creating window planters and flowerbeds in Las Parcelas, a community garden. Working with students at William McKinley Elementary School, this project will take the young people outside their school gardens, into the community garden on their block. Some of the plants they grow will include those used to make sofrito, a popular Puerto Rican food seasoning. This enables the young people to learn a very useful skill, making their own version of sofrito. The project will help students learn more about their community and culture as they work with community elders in the garden, while helping beautify their neighborhood and growing ingredients that can be used in their family's everyday cooking.