TRANSPLANTING TRADITIONS: Nora and Paw Paw
On November 27th, we invited Nora and Paw Paw from Transplanting Traditions to learn about ways to aid immigrants and refugees within our local community.
During this meeting, Nora Miller, Farm Operations Manager, and Paw Paw Wei, Youth and Children’s Program Coordinator gave a presentation on Transplanting Traditions, the organization’s mission and vision as well as the demographics of the immigrant community they serve. In addition, they informed us on programs available such as business development, food access, and youth and children leadership development. They stressed the importance of supporting the immigrant community as well as the local community. Volunteer opportunities within the organization include but are not limited to helping with farm upkeep and maintenance, developing new wholesale partnerships, tutoring children during the school year and leading fundraising campaigns. If students would like to participate, they can fill out the volunteer application.
This meeting was available to undergraduate students pursuing a Contemporary European Studies major, graduate students in the Transatlantic Master’s Program as well as faculty within the Center for European Studies.
Transplanting Traditions is a community farm located in Chapel Hill, NC.
PRESENTERS
NORA MILLER
“Nora grew up in Pennsylvania where she began working on a small-scale organic vegetable farm in 2013. She moved to North Carolina for college in 2015 and received a degree from North Carolina State University in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems in 2019. During her time in school, she volunteered and interned with a food security and education nonprofit. After college, she managed a small-scale urban farm and directed educational programming at a nonprofit medical clinic serving working, uninsured adults in Wake County. She is passionate about food sovereignty through community building and partnerships. She loves farming, learning, and being surrounded by plants. She hopes to have her own farm to provide food and educational opportunities to the surrounding community. During her free time, she likes to cook and bake, play with her dog outside, and read.” (this information was taken from the Transplanting Traditions website)
PAW PAW WEI
“Paw Paw Wei was born in Burma and lived in Thailand/Burma border for 9 years in the Refugee in Thai Him Camp before moving to the U.S in 2006. She grew up in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area since she came. She supports TTCF in leadership development and back in her youth she was part of FYI youth in Food Justice. She loves the triangle since it is a mix of city, forest, and farming life which allows to enjoy all of them without having to travel far. Her passion in life is to help the refugee family or people in need. She loves to cook for her family and enjoys cooking to help her cop. In her free time she likes to take mini trips to museums with her kids to travel around many states and have her grandmother along to show her around the state.” (this information was taken from the Transplanting Traditions website)