North Carolina

NC AgrAbility Partnership joined the Peacehaven Community Farm on their Disability Gain Summer Series on July 19, 2018. The Summer Series is an opportunity for the community to gather for a meal and a time of learning about disabilities and inclusion. The featured speakers led attendees in conversations that ask deeper questions, like: What does it mean to live in community with each other? What do inclusive communities teach us about creativity, leadership, and vulnerability? How can we even begin to understand all that we gain from individuals with different abilities?

On July 20, 2018, seven individuals completed the Latino Growers Academy. The closing ceremony was held at the Winstead United Methodist Church in Wilson, NC. The program was designed to provide hands-on education and training to empower families in growing fresh, healthy food with the possibility of creating financial independence in the long term.This program was made possible with support from a grant by W.K. Kellogg Foundation under the guidance of North Carolina Association Community Development Corporations, Association of Mexicans of North Carolina, Inc., and Cooperative Extension at North Carolina A&T State University. This group received training on practical production, safety, business, and marketing. NC AgrAbility Partnership provided a three-hour training "Work Smarter Not Harder."

NC AgrAbility hosted the "AgrAbility 1890 Land Grant Institution Workshop" at NCA&T Alumni Event Center in Greensboro, NC, July 27-28, 2018. The National AgrAbility Project and NC AgrAbility Partnership participated together in planning for the event. A total of 38 people from 6 states and Washington, D.C. participated at the event. The event opened with a welcome from Dr. Rosalind Dale, associate dean of Cooperative Extension, NC A&T State University, and Dr. Shirley Hymon-Parker, interim dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, NC A&T. Dr. S. Janine Parker, director of NC AgrAbility, presented the overview of purpose. A list of the sessions and presenters follows:

• Introduction to AgrAbility and Video - Mr. Paul Jones, NAP project manager, Purdue University, and Mr. Chuck Baldwin, NAP special populations outreach coordinator
• NC AgrAbility - Ms. Beatriz Rodriguez, NC AgrAbility project manager
• NC Assistive Technology Program - Ms. Tammy Koger, director, NC Assistive Technology Program
• NC Vocational Rehabilitation Services - Mr. Steve Brink, rehabilitation engineer, North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services Division of NC Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
• USDA/NIFA Perspective on the 1890s & AgrAbility - Dr. Aida Balsano, national program leader, Research and Evaluation & Rural Health, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• USDA/FSA Programs - Mr. Rodney Young, interim public affairs/outreach specialist, USDA Farm Service Agency
• NC Agromedicine - Dr. Robin Tutor-Marcom, director, NC Agromedicine Institute, East Carolina University
• Assistive Technology/Life Essentials - Mr. Bill Begley, director of sales for Life Essentials
• Disability Partners - Mr. Charles "Chuck" Oaks, advocacy and transition coordinator, Disability Partners
• Farmers Panel - Mr. Kyle Cashwell, Cashwell Farms, Mr. Davon Goodwin, Off the Land Farms, and Ms. Kristi Grove, Grove Cattle Company
• Assistive Technology and Other Resources for Farmers and Veterans - Paul Jones
• NOTE: During the last session, Dr. Marion Simon, representing Kentucky State University, Angela Moore, representing Prairie View A&M University (TX), Roland Terrell, James Edwards, and Jim Sheppard, representing Virginia State University, and Kristie Martin from West Virginia State University, each shared for five to ten minutes concerning different ways in which AgrAbility works with the 1890 land grant institution in their state.

Submitted by Beatriz (Betty) Rodriguez