Photography by Sarah Boeke

At RGI, this moment reflects who we are. Women farmers include myself and the refugee women who grow, harvest, and share food through our programs. Many come from agrarian cultures where food is deeply tied to identity, memory, and care. Through farming and gardening, they reconnect with knowledge carried across borders and generations.

Refugees are often misunderstood. They are not defined by crisis alone—they were everyday citizens of their countries: parents, farmers, educators, business owners, and caretakers of their communities. Many were forced to flee due to persecution, violence, or war, often shaped by broader geopolitical forces and conflicts beyond their control. Leaving home is not a choice made lightly; it is an act of survival. Recognizing this truth is essential to creating spaces of dignity, compassion, and healing.

We also want to acknowledge the immigrant and refugee members of our community who are navigating fear and uncertainty during this time. For those who have already survived war, persecution, and displacement, this moment can reopen deep trauma. At RGI, we see you. You are not invisible. You deserve safety, rest, and peace, and our work remains grounded in creating spaces of healing, dignity, and care.

These values guide our Healing Garden—a space created not only to grow food, but to slow down, to breathe, and to restore a sense of belonging. Healing requires safety, community, and time, and the land offers a powerful place for that work to unfold.

To continue this work, we rely on community. Volunteers play a vital role in helping us care for the garden, support educational programming, and maintain this space of healing and nourishment. We also depend on sponsorships and ongoing donations to sustain our programs—especially at a time when food systems feel increasingly uncertain and public funding for social programs has been reduced or eliminated.

As we honor the International Year of the Woman Farmer, may we continue to choose compassion, protect spaces of healing, and grow peace—together.

In solidarity,
Phimmasone Kym Owens
Founder & Executive Director
Refugee Garden Initiatives

Supporting Local BIPOC Businesses and Female Farmers

Refugee Garden Initiatives is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit. RGI emerged in 2021, sparked by a profound question during Phimmasone Kym Owens' Social Work course: "How can you be an agent of change?" Rooted in her love for gardening and her own refugee background, Phimmasone founded RGI. The pivotal lessons learned during our 2022 prototype garden, primarily from single refugee mothers, led us to focus on this underserved and underrepresented population. However, RGI’s mission is not limited to single refugee mothers; it extends to all refugees and anyone with a lived refugee experience.

Research shows that immigrants in Michigan have contributed tens of billions of dollars in economic activity, helped fuel population growth, and filled critical roles in the workforce—strengthening the state’s shared prosperity.

Source: Global Detroit; American Immigration Council.

Food Security

At RGI, we cultivate culturally diverse gardens that provide fresh, nourishing produce while honoring ancestral farming traditions. For refugees, food is more than sustenance—it is identity and health. Our bodies are genetically adapted over generations to thrive on the foods of our cultures, just as some people have allergies to certain foods. For example, many Southeast Asians cannot easily digest dairy because it has never been a staple in their diets. Refugees deserve access to the foods that support their health, not pressure to assimilate into processed foods often provided in the U.S. We aim to change the narrative that refugees should be grateful for any “free food,” instead advocating for culturally appropriate foods as a vital part of food security and dignity.

Message From The Director

Happy New Year from Refugee Garden Initiatives. As we step into 2026, we extend wishes for peace, healing, and renewed hope to our community and to the world.

This year holds special significance: 2026 has been named the International Year of the Woman Farmer by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This global recognition honors the essential role women play in growing food, sustaining families, preserving culture, and strengthening food systems—often while facing barriers to land, resources, and recognition.