On December 6, Quilen Blackwell was named CNN’s 2025 Hero of the Year. Quillen and his wife, Hannah, founded Southside Blooms in Chicago. A flower-to-vase farm and florist, this amazing nonprofit transforms the lives of young people living in Chicago’s inner city. Through their mission to empower youth and transform local communities, the Blackwells have built a safe haven for local young people. In this flourishing environment, they learn sustainable growing practices, connect to earth’s beauty, heal from trauma, dream of the future and cultivate a healthy environment and economy where they live.
Hannah, Quilen and Southside Blooms inspire me. Their work and mission remind me so much of my own florist family. In this multi-generation business, I experienced and saw how nurturing flowers and sharing their beauty can transform the lives of those who work with them—and those who receive them.
