At FIT Farms, we embrace the healing abilities of plants and the power of work. The Singing GrowRoom showcases FIT Farm's vision for Green STEAM workforce development while bringing the song of the plants to the American ear.
Josh Inklovich can best be described as farmer, artist, maker, healer, and entrepreneur. The last dozen years of his life has been dedicated to providing skilled training and living wage employment to the previously incarcerated. Josh left his successful career in the oil, gas, and steel industries in 2014 after hiring hundreds of men returning from federal and state prison and completing some of the most significant industrial projects in the eastern half of U.S. His ensuing journey of self-discovery included trips to England, Wales, Portugal, and the jungles of Peru and Brazil in a quest to determine "who am I really."
As the first American to meet the tribal leaders and shamans of the Hunt Kuin tribe, one of the most recently emerged tribes on the planet, he made the decision to make the week long trek to their home -- a place no U.S. citizen had ever been. His experiences with a people who have a special connection to the plants, hearts full of love for mankind, and a deep musical tradition has resulted in his commitment to bringing the voice of the plants to America in a manner accessible to the western consciousness. His work fuses methods of working with resins learned in his past career with laser beams, robotic routers, reclaimed material, plants, and more.
His work is primarily dedicated to serving the advancement of parents leaving the prison (in)justice system.
I am an advocate for small businesses in Pittsburgh and have worked in the fields of education, special needs, mental health, and music performance since 2009. I want to encourage work that benefits disadvantaged populations in Western PA.