Relaxing under the sun while caring for his plants, the soft rhythm of house music fills the air, synchronizing with the rustling leaves. How does he define success? He takes a moment to reflect, responding with the same calmness as an artist performing their most iconic track. “Waking up in the morning feeling good enough.” Has Ron Finley truly embraced the essence of existence?
He identifies as a professional breather. “What do you do for work?” is a common inquiry he faces. This question is all too familiar for someone who regularly networks or engages in online dating. “I respond by saying I breathe for a living, just to make them stop and think,” Finley states. “Your profession isn’t your existence.”
Now widely recognized as the Gangsta Gardener following his viral 2013 TED Talk about urban gardening, Ron Finley pursues a mission that demands courage: to inspire people to “give a f—.” In an era dominated by social media and echo chambers, encouraging individuals to take an interest in new or conflicting ideas often requires them to rethink their perspectives. So, at 8 a.m., as commuters head dutifully to their offices, Finley ventures into his garden and poses a deceptively profound question: “Why not take a moment to enjoy your life?” The difficulty in translating this into reality is exactly what he wants you to ponder.
Finley’s challenge to conventional thinking began at a young age. Growing up with dyslexia made academic environments tough for him, as he often thought and expressed himself differently. However, as exemplified by figures like Richard Branson and Steve Jobs, traditional academic success doesn’t always showcase true potential.
“As a child, you might think something is wrong with you, but I’m grateful for my dyslexia because it allowed me to think in ways that are not typically taught,” he shares. “There are so many rules we’re expected to follow, like waiting in line, even when another option is available. My brain just doesn’t process that way because I find solutions differently.”
As a teenager, Finley struggled to find clothing that suited him, noticing that fashion often neglected to accommodate diverse body shapes, particularly those of people of color. Consequently, he chose to step outside those conventional boundaries as well. He embarked on a journey to become a master tailor, initially crafting garments for himself and friends, which ultimately led to the establishment of his own high-end clothing line, Dropdead Collexion, in 1982.
“I aimed for my clothing to fit so perfectly that they seemed to float,” Finley reveals.
Within just four years, Finley’s collection began gracing boutiques and major retailers across the nation, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. His work garnered enough fame to attract a prominent clientele for custom outfits frequently worn by A-list celebrities and professional athletes. Despite corporate America’s shortcomings, Finley demonstrated that offering genuine representation and prioritizing tailored apparel for diverse bodies can be profitable.
“But then came 2007 and 2008,” Finley recalls, referencing the Great Recession. “Retailers completely stopped reaching out. I didn’t achieve my dream of being a master tailor, which is unfortunate, but I had a good run.”
What followed for Finley might seem like a significant shift; however, transitioning from fashion to gardening appeared to be a natural extension of his problem-solving abilities.
He compares gardening to an act of rebellion. It represents liberation from reliance on stores, delivery services, and a flawed food system. Yet, akin to the fashion industry’s lack of inclusivity, gardening remains an opportunity inaccessible to many in low-income areas—especially in South Los Angeles, where Finley grew up and continues to live. To garden, land is necessary, and this part of L.A. is dominated by fast-food outlets and medical facilities rather than fresh produce. A report from 2010 indicated that South Los Angeles had merely 60 grocery stores serving 1.3 million residents, and there has been little improvement in those figures over the last decade. This area is a food desert, where fresh fruits and vegetables can be miles (or, with L.A. traffic, hours) away.
Nevertheless, while most see overwhelming obstacles, Finley saw opportunities in an underused resource: city sidewalks. In 2010, he went beyond the traditional boundaries and started his first parkway garden in the narrow strip of soil between the sidewalk and the roadway. The city quickly issued him a citation for planting food on “public property,” which escalated to a warrant for his arrest. Undeterred, he advocated for change and gathered enough community support to compel the city council to listen. Nearly two years after initiating his first parkway garden, Los Angeles amended the law in 2011 to permit residents to cultivate food in their parkways.
Shortly thereafter, he founded the Ron Finley Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals worldwide to grow their own food and reclaim their autonomy. Finley does not take any salary from the Ron Finley Project’s earnings and instead reinvests those funds back into the initiative and his community. The Project assists people in establishing their gardens, although Finley is quick to clarify, “gardening is merely one aspect of a larger vision. It involves more than just food.” When asked about his mission, Finley explains that he aims to change cultural norms and help reshape definitions of success.
“Society promotes this notion that success is an object to possess. Consequently, people often believe that owning property or a vehicle equates to worth,” Finley asserts. “But imagine if someone had told you as a child: ‘You are the most important entity on this f—ing planet. Nothing is more precious than you, nothing more costly than you, nothing more deserving than you, nothing more beautiful than you. You are part of this planet and part of nature.’ Just think how much different our world might be if we grew up with those ideals.”
Finley transcends the labels of fashion designer or gardener. He identifies as a humanitarian, viewing gardening as a “gateway drug” for fostering significant cultural shifts. At its core, nurturing a plant teaches individuals how to care for something beyond their occupation, their worries, and simply learn to care for something other than themselves.
Consider the unassuming tomato. For $6.99 you can buy a 12-ounce package of cherry tomatoes—perfect with hummus—that’s where it ends. However, as Finley points out, one seed from a single tomato can lead to an entire tomato plant, which bears numerous tomatoes, each containing seeds that can sprout into several more plants. A single tomato holds virtually limitless potential that you might overlook if you didn’t take a moment to slow down and witness the growth yourself.
This novel approach to valuing food based on its potential for future growth is key to inspiring a new mindset among individuals. This is the focus of the Ron Finley Project. The organization conducts various workshops for children, covering topics such as planting, gardening, pottery, weaving, composting, canning, and cooking; each workshop, much like a well-mixed salad, is composed of elements designed to teach the younger generation the often-overlooked importance of seemingly wasteful items.
“You can take apple cores and grow new life from them. Even dead leaves carry energy with them for composting. If that doesn’t shift your view, then something is truly wrong,” he adds with a chuckle.
Through each workshop, Finley hopes that children will grasp a more profound understanding of what it means to be human. A sign hanging on an old church pew in Finley’s garden encapsulates the guiding principle he lives by: “Operate from happy.” This is a wisdom he imparts to his sons.
“Why choose misery while pursuing goals? People spend their lives hustling and struggling for what? To meet their end? We have no certainty about our time here,” he reflects. “I want people to stop, take a deep breath, look around, and appreciate the moment. We aren’t conditioned to value the present because we’re always caught up in what’s next. No one ever told us that contentment could be considered a form of success.”
However, after enduring a worldwide pandemic, it seems that fresh perspectives are blowing in from every direction. From marches advocating for racial justice to the Great Resignation, signals indicate that individuals globally are taking the time to reevaluate their lives and are thoughtfully choosing what components they wish to include in their future. Finley smiles: “They’re awakening.”
For those eager for transformation in their own neighborhoods, Finley offers some wisdom: Be persistent, stay engaged, and understand that changes won’t happen overnight. If history has taught us anything, progress can be a rollercoaster and demands consistent effort. The beauty of cultural evolution is that everyone can contribute from where they stand. You don’t have to garden, although it’s definitely a delightful approach to instigating change. You can alter your perspective, choose to act with kindness, and identify something—whether large or small—in your community that you can enhance. Every effort counts.
“Cultivate your own life,” Finley concludes. “Craft the existence you aspire to lead rather than conform to someone else’s design. Don’t allow society to dictate what success means for you.”
