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Will Allen
Pioneer in the Urban Farming Movement, Author & Founder of Growing Power
Will Allen is an American urban farmer based in Milwaukee and a retired professional basketball player.
Allen was the first African-American to play basketball for the Miami Hurricanes at the University of Miami. After college, Allen was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the 4th round of the 1971 NBA draft. He never played in the NBA, but appeared in seven games with The Floridians of the ABA during the 1971–72 season. He also played professionally in Belgium.
Allen currently serves as director of Growing Power, an urban farming project in Milwaukee, with a 40-acre farm west of Milwaukee.
In 2005, Allen was awarded a Ford Foundation leadership grant on behalf of his urban farming work. In 2008, he was awarded the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" for his work on urban farming and sustainable food production.
Allen appears in the documentary film, Fresh. Fresh profiles the farmers, thinkers, and business people across the nation who are at the forefront of re-inventing food production in America. With a strong commitment to sustainability, they are changing how farms are run, how the land is cared for, and how food is distributed. Allen is also the co-author, with Charles Wilson, of the book "The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People and Communities". The book was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award in the category of biography/autobiography.
Videos
Speech Topics
The Good Food Revolution
Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities
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