From the Journal

"When your garden works with your lifestyle, it becomes something you enjoy rather than something you have to keep up with." I believe that this is true for everything from gardening to growing a business. When you create something that works with your lifestyle, then everything becomes easier. I've been contemplating planting seeds to get a head start on a new garden this summer (2026). Reading Carol's story reminded me that I should wait until I am fully present to start th

Dear HRBN, Fun fact: At fifteen years old, I had already written multiple business plans. One of them, I now chuckle at, was called Lowe’s Secretarial Services. Others were born from everyday curiosity. During frequent visits to Blockbuster, I used to wonder why movies couldn’t be delivered to your home. Why did we have to drive, browse, rewind, return? So I wrote a plan. VHS tapes. Home delivery. Logistics mapped out in my own teenage handwriting. Even at that young age, I w

HRBN Life Stories sits in conversation with Oshawa, Ontario based artist Leequette Santiago, whose creative practice is deeply shaped by her Southern roots and the lineage of stories held within her family. Through her art, Leequette gives form to memory, translating moments of love and belonging into visual narratives that feel both intimate and familiar. Her work reflects not only her own lived experience, but the collective inheritance of family, reminding us that our stor

HRBN Life Stories sits in conversation with Carol Lim, a gardener whose work is deeply rooted in community care. Through growing food in the city, Carol helps nurture connection, strengthen food security, and reimagine how communities gather, share, and grow together in Mississauga, Ontario.