Whether or not you recognize her name, we have all been touched by the work of Elaine Brown, author, prison reform activist, and former chair of the Black Panther Party. At 72, she shows no signs of slowing down, having recently established the West Oakland Farms an urban garden and prison reentry initiative. The garden is also a cooperative and business incubator. Each worker actually owns a piece of the garden, a feat many ex-cons couldn’t have imagined coming out of prison. Although there’s so much work to be done in prison reform and re-entry programs, this is an incredible start in the birthplace of the Black Panthers — Oakland, California.

Elaine Brown’s nonprofit, Oakland and World Enterprises, has plans for a grocery store, restaurant, and affordable housing. Thank you, Sister Brown, for never stopping the good fight for Black lives.