<p dir="ltr">In recent years, the agricultural industry has been working to improve the retention of their newly hired Black employees. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, millennial employees across the United States have been voluntarily leaving their jobs in favor of hybrid or remote work, better benefits, or an improved work environment. Today, the median tenure of millennials is only 2.8 years on the job, and research has shown that Black employees are 30% more likely to leave their positions. The agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) sector is more heavily represented in rural America, where the Black population makes up just 7.8% and the White population comprises 78.2%. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the workplace and community embeddedness experiences of young Black professionals early in their AFNR careers. Specifically, the lived experiences of young Black professionals in their positions for five years or less were investigated through interviews with participants to examine the contributors of their embeddedness. Job Embeddedness Theory informed the study and seven young Black AFNR professionals participated in virtual Zoom interviews lasting an average of 75 minutes. Initial, structural, and pattern coding techniques were used to analyze the data, and three major conclusions emerged. First, many young Black professionals have chosen a career in the AFNR sector because they desire to engage with meaningful work related to the agricultural industry. Second, my participants had to overcome many obstacles related to their age or race that impacted their abilities to become more embedded in their workplaces or communities. Finally, an extensive network of linkages to other Black professionals at work or in the community provides young Black professionals with more substantial support and visibility. Implications for theory and practice were provided, along with recommendations for future research.</p>

<p dir="ltr">At present, formal and non-formal agricultural spaces, including agricultural education, do not provide opportunities for individuals from historically and contemporarily marginalized communities to develop a strong sense of belonging. An increase in sense of belonging may increase retention for all individuals interacting with agricultural programs and more effectively disseminate tools and resources to a wider audience, which can help solve agricultural issues such as the hunger crisis. The Garden Sun Institute (GSI) is a non-formal agricultural education program that is changing this narrative, with many staff and students of marginalized populations expressing a deep sense of belonging not only with others at GSI but also feeling a sense of belonging in the field of agriculture. The purpose of this case study was to explore whether there is a sense of belonging at this location and to determine what factors may contribute to it. The questions guiding this study are: 1) How do youth describe a sense of belonging at GSI? 2) How does GSI engage with youth, family, and staff? and 3) How do those engaging with GSI describe a sense of belonging within agriculture broadly? Results from this study showed that utilizing elements of the Critical Pedagogy of Agriculture along with practices such as trauma-informed pedagogy, student-led and student-centered learning, and gentle parenting have led to this program developing a culture of belonging. Future research recommendations include determining accountability strategies and investigating the impacts of the incorporation of strategies into formal education programs.</p>