Photo: Times of India US
Queens teen wins $10,000 prize for reviving abandoned lot into community garden
TL;DR
- Emily Herra, 17, co‑founded youth climate group Veggie Nuggets
- Group transformed a 3,600‑sq‑ft lot into garden with pollinator habitat and mural
- Garden was destroyed in 2024 but rebuilt after securing lease with CSX
- Herra received 2026 Gloria Barron Prize, $10,000 for climate work
- Project includes workshops, clean‑ups and advocacy
Emily Herra, a 17‑year‑old from Jackson Heights, New York, co‑founded the youth climate group Veggie Nuggets and led the conversion of an abandoned 3,600‑square‑foot lot into a community garden featuring pollinator habitat and a 130‑foot climate‑justice mural.
After a contractor cleared the site in autumn 2024, the group secured a lease with CSX and rebuilt the garden, using a $10,000 grant to replace tools, beds and plants.
The effort earned Herra the 2026 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, providing $10,000 to support her continued service or education and highlighting the impact of youth‑driven sustainability projects.
Why It Matters
The story showcases how young people in diaspora communities can drive local environmental change, a model relevant to Indian families in North America who often seek ways to contribute to sustainability. It also highlights cross‑border youth initiatives recognized by a prize that spans the United States and Canada, underscoring shared climate‑action priorities among these nations and India’s own youth‑led environmental movements.
Nov 2, 2026 · Updated 11/2/2026, 8:21:47 AM · Reported with: Times of India US
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Times of India US — Meet Emily Herra, 17-year-old who turned a trash-filled lot into a community garden; won $10,000 for climate workUp next · Community
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