As co-founder of Black Soil: Our Better Nature Ashley Smith is working to reconnect black farmers to their agricultural heritage and legacy. Founded in 2017, the Lexington based agritourism organization was started to help shine a light on the underrepresentation of minorities when it comes to Kentucky's agricultural world.

There were so many things that 2020 opened our eyes to, the pandemic has help to shine a light even more on hunger and the need for access to healthy foods for everyone in this country. It also helped to shine a light on diversity and a much-needed conversation on bringing everyone to the table. When I first learned about Ashley Smith I was fascinated by what she was doing not just here in Lexington, but across the state when it comes to African American farmers and helping to bring together urban families, rural and urban black farmers and growers to begin the conversation about the possibilities.