CP&GC Honors Ekua Holmes: GCA Commendation for Civic Improvement

CP&GC has been greatly enriched by its association with Ekua Holmes, a Boston-based mixed-media artist and children’s book illustrator. This spring, CP&GC was pleased to be able to honor Ms. Holmes with a Garden Club of America Commendation for Civic Improvement.

Ms. Holmes initiated the community-wide The Roxbury Sunflower Project in 2018, that has brought nature, beauty, and color to Boston’s Roxbury where community members were invited to plant 20,000 sunflowers. This project inspired others—a 2021 community planting at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and our club’s “Sunflower Project” with Prospect Hill Academy Charter School (PHA). Ms. Holmes generously collaborated with us at PHA, a Cambridge charter school that innovatively educates children from primarily underserved communities.

Recent CP&GC past-President Robin Powell Mandjes first suggested a club partnership with Ms. Holmes, a long-time friend and collaborator. We were “sheltering” due to COVID restrictions and no longer meeting in person. These extraordinary times encouraged CP&GC to consider what we could do to more directly contribute to the greater Cambridge community and we believed that making a connection with young people was the best way in which to contribute

Our members, as well as the PHA students, were recipients of Ekua’s creativity and generosity as she collaborated with us in producing six Zoom sessions related to art, science, math, and literacy. We are grateful for and honor Ms. Holmes’ leadership, collaboration, and friendship.