Robyn Greenfield is a recent addition to our P-Patch Community Gardening team. She is currently serving as a temporary community garden coordinator, supporting P-Patch gardens in the central area and North Seattle with training and resources.
Get to know a little bit about her below:
Where did you grow up?
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. (on Seminole land) I lived in south and north Florida until moving to Washington in 2014.
What neighborhood do you call home?
Central District (on Duwamish land).
What makes your neighborhood special?
The Central District is special because it’s diverse, inter-generational, walkable, and full of small local businesses.
Living in the CD has taught me what it means to fight for your community – I’ve been inspired by communities of color resisting displacement and gentrification. I also want to acknowledge Africatown, Got Green’s “Don’t Displace the South End” campaign, and the Shelf Life Community Story Project which has taught me about the history of this neighborhood.
What did you do prior to joining the Department of Neighborhoods? What excited you about the work?
Prior to DON, I spent four years working with food banks in Seattle and across Western Washington. What excited me was the work food banks are doing to transform from a charity model to one embracing social justice and root causes of poverty. I believe in food as a tool for community building and social change – and food banking is at the intersection of both. Likewise for community gardening!
What made you want to work at the Department of Neighborhoods?
I’ve admired the work the P-Patch program does to promote urban agriculture and preserve green space. I love that DON is committed to community-based solutions and centering race and social justice.
What’s your favorite place in Seattle and why?
Washington Park Arboretum in the winter and Columbia City Farmers Market in the peak of summer. The Arboretum is full of interesting sights and smells year-round and feels like you’re walking in quiet woods in the middle of the city. The Columbia City Farmers Market, for me, represents a vibrant local food system.
What are you passionate about?
Food! Growing, cooking, eating and sharing it, and fighting for food sovereignty locally and globally. In my free time I organize a book club, practice boxing, and watch terrible reality cooking TV shows.
