Many ethnic groups have contributed to California’s rich agricultural history over the past 200 years.

To pay tribute to our agricultural ancestors, Jim Grieshop, emeritus UC Cooperative Extension specialist; Vikram Koundinya, associate CE specialist and associate professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis; and Stella Dickson, international agricultural development undergraduate student researcher at UC Davis, are working on creating a cultural atlas of California’s agriculture. 

The goal of this project is to create an online resource and a physical display that compile information about the contributions of the various ethnic groups. Making this resource available to students, agricultural practitioners and other audiences has the potential to advance awareness, appreciation, advocacy and justice for the many communities that contribute to the rich diversity and economic success of California.

“This project has been in the works for one year, during which we have done extensive research and compiled a literature review of our findings,” Koundinya said. “In the next phase of our project, we are hoping to continue meeting with people who are able to provide us with feedback and insight on this topic before we move into creating the online resource and the physical display.” 

Through their literature review, Grieshop, Koundinya and Dickson have gathered information about the contributions of Indigenous Peoples, African Americans, Punjabi, Japanese, Hmong, Chinese, Mexicans, Filipinos, Italians, Armenians, Portuguese and European Settler immigrants.

If you want to participate in this project and provide input, please email Stella Dickson at sedickson@ucdavis.edu.