By Wyatt Miller

Erika Cuellar and Richard Garcia founded ALMA Backyard Farms in 2013 with the goal of repurposing land in Los Angeles into urban farms, according to their website . Their objective is to "reimagine community as a place for people and plants to thrive."

Since then, they've expanded their farms throughout the Los Angeles area and created programs for youth education and community engagement.

"I pursued a community-centered path because I had been placed at the center of my community, my family, my neighborhood," Cuellar said. "The people around me showed me an example that life is worth living when we see ourselves as connected."

At a recent event, the Rams surprised Cuellar and Garcia with a $5,000 check made out to their organization and honored them as the eighth Ram

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