Lorenzo is proud to step into his front yard, knowing that the plants he nurtures help support and feed his family. Farming isn’t just a hobby for him—it’s a way of life. The Michigan-born farmer “lives and breathes” the work, relying on his deep knowledge of the land and nature to sustain himself and his community...
That connection to the land became even more critical when relentless rains brought severe flooding to his neighborhood; a crisis that threatened homes, livelihoods, and the entire eight-block stretch of Detroit’s historic Jefferson Chalmers community.
For Lorenzo, farming is more than a passion—it’s also a source of income. Just inches from his front door, he grows fragrant flowers and herbs to create and sell homemade tinctures and oils. “Just to get into the soil is a beautiful process for me,” he said. “I've been doing this since 2010, so 15 years now.”
His roots in Jefferson Chalmers run deep. Now 36, he lives directly across the street from the house where he grew up, where his parents still live.
“We are a block away from one of the nicest parks probably in America, with waterfront access. This is one of the only places in the country where you have lower-income people right on the water,” he said, before also sharing that with that proximity to the Detroit River comes risk, particularly when heavy rains overwhelm the city’s aging infrastructure.
Flooding has become an ongoing issue for Lorenzo and his neighbors, with major storms leaving basements underwater and streets lined with debris.
“My basement flooded. I got four feet of water in my basement each time we had a major storm in the last 10 years,” he said. And the aftermath is just as devastating. “The last time, it was like a stinky wasteland. Everybody got all their stuff out of the basement and put it on the street, and it just reeked.”
About 90% of UpTogether members in the Jefferson Chalmers Severe Weather Readiness Pilot say their personal belongings or their heating and cooling systems were damaged because of flooding. And most say they’ve only been able to make partial repairs, because they just can't afford the costly repairs.
When the rains came four years ago, Lorenzo’s understanding of the land helped him protect his home in ways many of his neighbors couldn’t. “Soil organic matter holds an immense amount of water infiltration and carrying capacity,” Lorenzo explained. While neighbors saw their yards turn into waterlogged swamps, Lorenzo’s yard absorbed the moisture naturally, preventing excess runoff.
Recognizing the increasing threat of extreme weather, Lorenzo became one of more than three dozen residents to receive cash investments through the Jefferson Chalmers Severe Weather Readiness Pilot. He used the funds to invest in a sump pump system—a crucial piece of equipment that helps remove excess water from his home by draining it out into his yard. That investment, combined with his skill with soil, helps protect his home from the worst of future storms.
But for Lorenzo, the impact of the investment wasn’t just about equipment, it was about trust.
“It’s not having “Big Brother” over your shoulder counting your beans because we are not incompetent,” he said, pushing back against the falsely held belief that people with limited financial means can’t manage money. “We know that we've got to take care of these things in order for us to thrive. So when we get something like that and there ain't no strings attached, that allows us to move how we need to. We're going to make sure things get done.”
Part of “getting things done” means educating his neighbors about better landscaping practices and encouraging them to start their own gardens. He’s seen a shift in recent years, with more residents embracing small vegetable gardens or leaving sections of their yards untouched to let nature thrive.
That small shift is part of a much bigger transformation. “I've seen first resistance, and then I was welcomed, and people are changing,” he said, before acknowledging that where there were once abandoned lots and neglected lawns, gardens now flourish.
“We have butterfly gardens all throughout the neighborhood now. We've helped change the narrative of the neighborhood with just our sheer presence.”