Diamond Moss: African Americans in Agriculture Spotlight Series

Here we are with our friend Diamond Moss

Meet Diamond Moss, Agronomist and Founder of AfroGreen’D in Fort Worth, TX.

Tell us, Diamond, what does Agriculture mean to you? How does it affect your everyday life?

Agriculture has become the foundation for my way of living, working, and giving back service to my world. From what I consume, to my leisure time growing plants, even learning adaptive methods to better feed and serve my community—- it is allowed to someone introducing me into this fantastic field.

Give us a little background on how you got started in Agriculture? What was/is your agricultural inspiration or influence?

You can say the seed was planted back in high school, attending Prairie View A&M University (P-V YOU KNOW!) 4-H Summer Camps and STEM camps. Learning animal science, nutrition, and sustainable living skills sparked an interest this city-raised guy never experienced. After entering college at PVAMU as an engineering major, many of those I was surrounded by were majoring in Agriculture. Two semesters later, after a talk with a future AG department colleague (Jeremy Peaches of Houston, TX), I switched over, and the rest is history. I fell in love with Plant Sciences and nutrition.

What is your favorite part about what you do?

I love the process and stories plants tell throughout the seasons and life span: the personalities and the partnership between humans and plants. I can sit in my gardens all day mesmerized by the strength at which petals remain on flowers in high wind speeds and the ambition and dedication to the job of bees as they transport pollen back and forth. Knowing that I can use the knowledge I have attained over the years to teach others to live sustainability, to reform the image of the black farmer and grower to future generations is beyond what I imagined or fathomed. God has genuinely formed the path I’m on. He just has me preparing for the weather.

What is it like being an African American in Agriculture in today’s society?

African-Americans catch a lot of underhand slack for choosing this profession and career path. I mean, for four hundred (give or take) years, the idea of growing food was used against us. Even within the home, we are pushed to become great professionals but not providers. Sometimes, it worries me that it is not implemented within the house as it should be. However, that gives my purpose fuel, to not just change the narrative but to narrate myself. I assist families who want to learn and educate all who wish to progress as a family unit and a healthy community. I learned while at PV that agriculture is not just farming… it encompasses every aspect of life. As African-American agriculturalists, we ALWAYS accept the challenge to be the change this world needs.

Statistics show that over the years, the number African Americans in Agriculture has declined drastically. How can we reverse this trend?

To reverse the trend, we must begin to teach the lifestyle at home from within the community. With our world becoming utterly reliant on technology and lacking patience, growing your food, raising your animals, and adequately living a healthy lifestyle requires patience; we have long removed from our society's norm. We must re-implement this and show our future generations that responsibilities such as providing did not die. Our Motto at AfroGreen'D is "Seed Now, Eat Later"; that type of consistency is a mantra, lifestyle and applies to all living areas.

What words of encouragement or advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in Agriculture?

Pursuing agriculture will change your perspective on life. You will not just take for granted sidewalks or landscaping. You will learn skills that no other major, profession, or class could teach you, but I guarantee all of them will apply to every other subject. The field of jobs you can go into is endless, and you will be a part of the solution to dysfunction, instability, and health crisis that faces our culture. Kings and Queens, whatever you would like to study or do, go for it. If I had listened to everyone else, I would be miserable with a degree and profession I’d hate. I would have missed out on meeting the friends and forever changed my life and way of thinking (Thanks, Phlexx!). I’d missed out on loving the life I have. As Lil Duval says, “I’m living my best life.”

Any additional words you’d like to share?

Thank you for this opportunity and as always, “SEED NOW, EAT LATER!”

Diamond Moss
Agronomist - Founder of AfroGreen’D
Fort Worth, TX

afrogreend@gmail.com

F b: www.facebook.com/afrogreend

IG: @just.diamond_ ; @afrogreend

Twitter: @just.diamond_ ; @afrogreend

#SeedNowEatLater