At Essential Oxygen, we constantly ground our mission in sustainability, authenticity, and community. That’s why our recent volunteer day at Acta Non Verba (ANV)'s West Oakland Farm Park was more than a team outing. It was a labor of love, a moment to step into shared purpose, nurture land, and witness the profound work of food justice in action.
Who is Acta Non Verba?
Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm Project (ANV) operates across Oakland to reclaim urban land, engage youth, and build more just, joy-filled community ecosystems. Led principally by women and people of color, ANV’s initiatives include:
- Youth programs (ages 5-18) teaching farming, cooking, leadership, arts, and nature connection.
- BeetBox CSA: A fresh produce delivery program where youth plan, plant, harvest, and sell - and 100% of profits go into 529 educational savings accounts for participating kids.
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Stewardship of three farms across Oakland, including their owned West Oakland Farm Park, where community programs, education, and food production happen.
ANV traces its roots to East Oakland, where founder Kelly Carlisle built a vision for youth empowerment through land, healing, and food access. Over time ANV expanded into four farm sites, filling critical gaps in food deserts, creating safe green spaces, and realigning power for local residents.
One striking detail: the CSA model doesn’t just supply produce - its proceeds go back into the kids’ futures, helping fund schooling or vocational paths. That is an impact you can taste and believe.
Our Day in the Field: Soil, Sweat & Stories
On a bright September morning, Essential Oxygen teammates gathered at West Oakland Farm Park. We were welcomed by Sarah, an experienced gardener whose warmth and wisdom guided our tasks:
- Removing invasive plant species
- Harvesting okra and yard-long beans
- Packing vegetables into CSA boxes destined for local households
- Learning from stories and insights shared by Kelly and the ANV team
We weren’t just copying a to-do list. We stepped into the rhythms of the land: pulling weeds, feeling the soil’s texture, offering small but meaningful labor for a larger mission.
Kelly’s story resonated deeply. She spoke of growing up in East Oakland, struck by lack of access to fresh food and green space. Inspired to “do” rather than simply “say,” she founded ANV (Latin for “Deeds, Not Words”) to cultivate youth agency, community health, and intergenerational connection through farming.
As we worked side by side, it became clear: this is not charity. This is co-creation. This is building ecosystems of care.
Why This Matters (Especially for Us)
At Essential Oxygen, our planet-positive commitments aren’t just about lowering our carbon footprint or recycling more. They’re about embedded reciprocity - investing in regenerate systems, in communities, in justice. The work at ANV aligns seamlessly:
- Food justice & equity: By supporting urban farming and local produce, ANV counters food deserts and reclaims power over nourishment.
- Youth empowerment: Giving youth tools, agency, and savings for their educational futures.
- Ecological rootedness: Turning neglected urban plots into fertile land, strengthening urban biodiversity, soil health, and microclimates.
- Community partnerships: Joining with local organizations to invest time, not just money, in real change.
We left that day with tired arms and full hearts. But more than that - with renewed resolve. Because environmental sustainability is about people, place, and power working together.
What’s Next & How You Can Help
- Read more: Dive deeper into ANV's programs, storeis, impact - https://anvfarm.org/
- Join a volunteer day: ANV hosts regular volunteer opportunities - check their calendar.
- Support their CSA: If you’re in Oakland, subscribe to the BeetBox CSA and directly contribute to youth futures.
- Share this story: Amplify the connection between corporate sustainability efforts and grounded, community-led work.
At Essential Oxygen, we won’t merely aspire to be planet positive- we’ll show up, harvest, learn, listen, and grow.
