Revitalizing the Hood with Urban Agriculture: Duron Chavis at TEDxRVA

Duron Chavis is an advocate for the African community and coordinator of innovative and dynamic initiatives on the topics of poverty, urban agriculture, and food security. He began his career in community advocacy at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia and in 2003, he founded the highly acclaimed Happily Natural Day Festival as a supplement to the museum's annual summer jazz concert. This festival, now held annually in Richmond, VA and Atlanta, GA, has been extremely successful in inspiring Africans from all over the world to reexamine their relationship with their health in a holistic way. The weekend-long experience focuses on cultural awareness, health, wellness, and social change featuring exhibitors, workshops, interactive panel discussions, scholars, and performing artists from around the globe.

Duron also coordinates the Richmond Noir Market, a Saturday farmer's market targeting low income communities in Richmond area 'food deserts', and founded the McDonough Community Garden, Swansboro Community Garden, & George Wythe High School Edible Garden. Additionally, he developed an after-school teen program teaching urban agriculture, culinary arts, and social entrepreneurship to urban youth.

Duron has served as a US Cultural Ambassador at Adornment London, a Black Cultural Expo in the UK, and a Clean Air Ambassador on behalf of Earthjustice and the Hip Hop Caucus on Capitol Hill. His notable work has received numerous accolades including Style Weekly's Top 40 under 40 Award.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)