ANGELA LUGO-THOMAS
she/her
Garden Development Co-Manager
Angela Lugo-Thomas, also known as Detroit Boricua, lives in Highland Park with her family. She has been an active member of the Garden Resource Program since 2009.
Angela started gardening in her community in 2008, was a former KGD board member, and previously worked at KGD as a garden development specialist with the early childhood garden program. She's also accomplished a few milestones like graduating from KGD’s Urban Roots in 2009, Soul Fire Farm's 2022 Farm Immersion Training Program, and the 2023 MSU Organic Farmer Training Program. She has a strong interest in learning about medicinal and native plants. Angela is also the seasonal garden manager at Palmer Park Community Garden in Detroit.
Angela is a proud recipient of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund and a committee member. When she's not busy cultivating and protecting green spaces, she can be found making memories with her family, leading walking groups, dancing with Detroit’s RicanStruction Bomba Drum and Dance group, promoting and organizing community events, and capturing life's moments through photography.
Aside from her work with the Garden Development Team, Angela is an emerging real estate developer, former board member of the Detroit People’s Food Co-op, a founding member and president of La Casita Cimarrón y Yuketi de Detroit, and Planet Detroit's former Community Engagement Reporter. She is now on the advisory board for Planet Detroit. Angela holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Michigan State University, where she also studied nursing.