Green City Force means a lot to me because they helped me find a secret part of my mind and open up to explore. I chose to be a Corps Member because I wanted something different in my life; I wanted to be somewhere learning something valuable, but also provide a sustainable life for myself. Once I became a Corps Member I understood I was serving my community and I felt proud. Before GCF I wasn’t really doing anything that was worth it for me; there was nothing exciting to me before I came to GCF. This experience has really challenged me and kept me outside of the comfortability, and I’ve grown to flow naturally with that. Before, I felt that I was in a negative space. School was becoming too much for me, I needed a job badly. I felt the weight begin to weigh down on me until I came to that GCF info session. I am so happy that “old Shemire” decided to not think of the possibilities of “what if I don’t do this right?”. I just WENT and I’m so thankful I challenged myself. The most important thing I learned is how to become a real farmer–how to look, care, and nurture nature. I feel like my eyes are just being freed from the blindfold. I never knew that agriculture was so heartfelt, that you can grow so much passion for it, and that you can make a sustainable living off this kind of lifestyle. My plans after GCF are to create my own farm, continue the study of medicinal plants, get a job I enjoy, and enroll back into school. Very soon I want to start my business and begin that seminar I’ve been talking about on Black entrepreneurs becoming powerful again. My Team Leader, Andrew has helped me grow. I would like to thank him for being patient and understanding with tons of advice to give, and my mom for forever being my back bone to keep on going. Felicia has also helped me a lot by opening up feelings and emotions that I had closed, but I’m here for growth. The new grit I have is completely fired up. I’m ready for any challenge and feel that I am currently transitioning into the new reformed me. When I say that, I mean that. I’ve picked up new positive habits and dropped the old terrible ones! I’m ready for life!
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