by Amelia Corner, Quaker Voluntary Service Fellow
Dhonte Hawkins joined our staff as a Youth Gardener in the fall of 2024, but his involvement with Historic Fair Hill runs deep. Since he was a kid, he has always brought a sense of maturity, curiosity, and passion to all that he does. It’s been a pleasure for our team to watch him as he grows and we are grateful for all of the talents he shares with us.
- How did you become involved with Historic Fair Hill?
I’ve been coming to the summer events since I was about eight years old. Then at twelve, I found out about the summer internship and that’s when I started to become more involved with Fair Hill. After doing the internship for a few years, I was offered a job here. Ever since then I’ve been learning a lot about gardening and what produce and plants could do for you.
- What does a typical work day look like for you?
I always walk in on a Saturday morning often with my siblings now and converse with a co-worker, usually Alena, and then start with either trash rounds or watering the plants. After that, I’m learning something new every day whether that’s a new herb or a new word. I remember one time Tito told me to consolidate the branches and I had no idea what that meant, so I am always learning. Even things that seem simple always have deeper questions attached to them, like when I was told to put compost in the pollinator bed. That then raises the questions for me: What exactly am I composting? What does composting do? Even though I know we’re working with plants everyday it’s still a really unpredictable job but that’s what makes it a wonderful learning environment.
What is your favorite thing about the Fairhill neighborhood?
My favorite thing about the neighborhood has to be the people, especially the kids who come interested in what we do at the grounds. I remember there was this one kid last year that came in during the fall after school. He wasn’t actually supposed to be in here as we had accidentally left the gate open, but it turned out to be kind of a blessing in disguise. He walked in and started asking us a bunch of questions about what we are doing and seemed really interested in getting involved.
I love those positive interactions with neighborhood kids because there is this mindset nowadays that kids are hardly interested in nature and are always on their phones. We see though that’s not all kids and that there are kids and adults that aren’t too zoomed into their phones and actually want to come out here and learn. Helping to cultivate that interest just has a special place in my heart, because I like to know that I’m not the only person that’s actually interested in stuff like this.
- How does your family play a role in your work?
I hope to cultivate a love of Historic Fair Hill and gardening with my younger siblings. I just started bringing them not too long ago at my mom’s suggestion. When I started bringing them it made me start to think about when I’m off to college or going on my own journey, I would want somebody to do what I’m doing now here at Historic Fair Hill, which is being a young person here learning and inspiring others. And what better way than to start my brother, who is nearly eight years old, just like when I started coming to the ground and becoming interested in learning about the place.
I want him to be like me and be that one kid that knows a bunch of stuff about plants and as he gets older, he can cultivate that skill and start thinking about how different herbs can go together and hopefully inspire others with his knowledge like I’m trying to do.
- What do you enjoy most about your work with Historic Fair Hill’s garden?
What I enjoy the most is learning about new herbs. Every chance I get I try to see what herb can do what. “What does this cure and how can this aid me?” I also like making tea out of them whenever I get a chance. I also believe that gardening is very important because of organic produce. With gardening, you’re able to not only connect with nature, but you are able to nourish your body with fruits that came from nature and not some random lab.
- What do you enjoy doing outside of your work? What are your hopes for the future?
I have many interests outside of Fairhill such as poetry, fashion, listening and analyzing to music, and going on random adventures around the city. In the future, I hope to inspire my siblings and other people my age by leading by example in what I’m interested in and the work I’m doing whether it’s here or somewhere else.
