The Black farmers at Freedom Acres Ranch say ongoing racism in Yoder, Colorado, is pushing them toward a political run.
In the five years since Courtney “CW” Mallory and Nicole Mallery moved from Texas to Yoder to purchase a 1,000-acre ranch and fight food insecurity, the couple says they have faced relentless harassment from their white neighbors, including doxxing, surveillance, property vandalism, and finding animals dead on their land.
Some of the alleged racism was captured in Jordan Peele’s 2025 documentary High Horse: The Black Cowboy.
But with claims that deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office have been complicit, the Mallerys say the ongoing discrimination has pushed them to work with lawmakers, or potentially run for office themselves, to challenge racial injustice, Capital B News reported.
“There are so many other Black people who are dealing with this that don’t know what to do. I hope that maybe following our journey gives them some hope, and maybe some kind of outline as to how they can overcome it,” Nicole said. “Go down to the legislature and get some laws passed so they know they can’t stop you.”
After enduring vandalism, the loss of livestock and ranch hands, guns allegedly pointed in their direction, and felony stalking, petty theft, and meter-tampering charges that were later dismissed, the Mallerys said their ordeal reflects the long-standing pressures Black farmers face in an industry where their numbers are already shrinking.
“We came here to be safe from being flooded out, but to then try to flood us out through hate, it just makes me really frustrated and upset,” Nicole said, referencing their move from Texas after their traumatic survival story from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Instead of being silenced as they believed their neighbors wanted, the ranchers gained national attention, from packed rallies at the state Capitol to their feature in Peele’s documentary, now streaming on Peacock.
As they continue their fight with no plans to leave, the Mallerys said they’re grateful for the public’s growing support and asked for donations to their GoFundMe to maintain their presence in Yoder.
”I mean this from the bottom of my heart, without this online community, it’s because of y’all that Freedom Acres Ranch is still here, that we are still alive,” CW said in a heartfelt video message, where he also called out the local “corruption” in Yoder.
Over five years, the ranchers said they’ve welcomed more than 12,000 visitors for tours and demonstrations, connected with over 2,500 youth through their Concrete to the Countryside agriculture program, and donated fresh food to local pantries, all while promoting land stewardship, healthy eating, and hands-on ranch experiences.
Looking ahead, the Black ranchers are planning upcoming events, including Bayou at the Barn, to bring even more people to their land. Despite ongoing challenges, the Mallerys remain committed to sharing their passion for farming, believing that growing food strengthens communities and introducing young people to agriculture helps expand the next generation of Black farmers.
“We got the future [generation] behind us, looking at us, so packing up and running is not an option,” CW said. “We ain’t doing nothing illegal here. We’re trying to feed America. It’s my mission to get fresh food into the Black communities.”
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