In today’s evolving food landscape, a new generation of young farmers is redefining how we connect with land, culture, and community. One of the most compelling voices in this movement is Maxine Simone Williams—a Brooklyn-based filmmaker, writer, environmental educator, and urban farmer in NYC.
Maxine blends storytelling, sustainable agriculture, and community gardening to illuminate how culture, food, and relationships shape our lives. Her journey—from Memphis to Syracuse to New York City’s vibrant farming community—serves as a blueprint for anyone interested in urban farming, food justice, and reconnecting with where our food comes from.
Click here to listen to the Agri-Tourist podcast episode with Maxine Simone Williams.
Early Roots: From Memphis to the Ozarks
Maxine grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, later moving to the Ozarks in Arkansas. Although she didn’t grow up farming, she always felt pulled toward writing, media, and communication. Her passion for storytelling eventually led her to study journalism at Syracuse University.
But it was her second major in geography—a field closely tied to food systems, land use, and sustainability—that sparked her first deep interest in urban agriculture and community landscapes. Classes on cities, development, and social justice opened her eyes to the interconnectedness of food, policy, and the environment.
Discovering Urban Agriculture and Food Justice
During college, Maxine frequented the local farmers market and participated in the Food Recovery Network, redistributing unused food from campus dining halls to shelters. These early experiences planted seeds that later blossomed into a passion for food justice and sustainable agriculture.
Everything changed after attending a talk by Leah Penniman, author of Farming While Black, a foundational text in the movement of Black farmers reclaiming agricultural heritage.
Maxine describes this moment as transformative:
“I left feeling like there was so much more to life than what I knew.”
For the first time, she saw herself reflected in agriculture—through a lens of empowerment, history, and community leadership.
Building Roots in New York City’s Urban Farming Community
After moving to Brooklyn in 2018, Maxine immersed herself in urban farming NYC style—volunteering with GrowNYC, joining a community garden, and experimenting with small-scale growing on her fire escape.
Even during the pandemic, she continued deepening her understanding of soil, plants, composting, and environmental justice. These hands-on experiences, combined with her background in film and communication, helped her discover her calling: telling the stories of people who grow food in America’s biggest city.
Inside the NYC Master Composter Certificate Program
One of Maxine’s most pivotal steps was enrolling in the NYC Master Composter Certificate Program, a highly respected, free training designed to deepen knowledge of compost systems, soil health, and community-based waste reduction.
As part of the program, Maxine:
- Completed in-depth composting science classes
- Visited compost sites at Queens Botanical Garden and Snug Harbor
- Learned mid-scale processing systems
- Completed hands-on training in community compost operations
The program opened her eyes to the political and logistical realities of NYC composting, including how citywide programs—like brown bins—often fail without adequate planning or staffing.
Maxine connected these issues to broader themes of environmental justice, including the long history of inequitable waste management in New York City’s Black and brown neighborhoods.
Reclaiming History Through Cotton: A Black Farmer’s Perspective
One of the most meaningful parts of Maxine’s farming journey is her decision to grow cotton in an urban setting—a plant with deep cultural and historical significance for Black Americans.
Introduced by a fellow educator and friend, Maya Stansberry of Deep Routes, Maxine was captivated by the beauty of colored cotton varieties like brown and green. But growing cotton also brought emotional complexity, given its association with exploitation and generational trauma.
Through workshops and research, Maxine reframed cotton as a plant of resilience, heritage, and reclamation—a way to reconnect with ancestral knowledge while healing through land-based practices.
This experience echoes broader themes within Black women in agriculture and the movement of reclaiming crops tied to cultural history.
From Film to Farming: Documenting Urban Agriculture Stories
Maxine now merges her filmmaking skills with her agricultural knowledge to highlight the voices of urban farmers, beekeepers, compost educators, and community gardeners across New York City.
Her storytelling amplifies:
- Food justice leaders
- Emerging young farmers
- Black and brown growers
- Community garden organizers
- Environmental educators
By blending narrative with lived experience, she brings visibility to people who often go unseen in mainstream agriculture conversations.
Why Maxine’s Work Matters
Maxine’s journey reflects a powerful trend: people of all backgrounds reclaiming their connection to land, food, and community. Through her work, she demonstrates that:
- Urban farming is possible anywhere—even in small NYC spaces
- Composting is key to sustainable agriculture
- Black farmers and storytellers are shaping the future of food systems
- Healing can happen through land stewardship
- Food justice begins with community engagement
Her story encourages anyone curious about growing food to start small—and to start now.
A New Model for Community-Led Agriculture
Through farming, filmmaking, composting, and education, Maxine Simone Williams is helping shape a more equitable, sustainable, and community-driven food future.
Her journey reminds us that agriculture is not only about soil and crops—it is about identity, history, justice, and the power of shared stories.
And in her work, Maxine shows exactly how those stories can grow.
Click here to listen to the Agri-Tourist podcast episode with Maxine Simone Williams.
