Dr. Evelyn Young Spath traded her university Chief of Staff title for dirt under her fingernails, launching Amor Backyard Farm on 1/8-acre in Bakersfield—ranked by FRAC as the worst metro area for food hardship, yet located in the heart of the nation’s top agricultural producing county. She founded the Kern County Black Farmers Association to reclaim Black agricultural heritage while supporting historically underrepresented farmers through small-plot intensive farming. She serves on the Dignity Health Board of Community Advisors, Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Advisory Board, Kern Food Policy Council, and Blue Zones School Wellness Committee. As a community garden consultant, she partners with the City and churches to farm unused acreage, creating pathways for food security and emerging farmers.