Community Garden

From Demolition Plans To Neighborhood Ownership

December 30, 2023 Ellie Zimmerman, Unicorn Riot. Create! Community Control, Community Garden, Environmental racism, Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota — It’s been a long road to ownership of the hotly contested Roof Depot site for the residents of the East Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis, and they recently cleared one more hurdle in their way. On November 8, the City of Minneapolis accepted a guarantee from East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) of their contribution of $3.7 million, effectively sealing EPNI’s end of the deal to purchase the Roof Depot from the city and launch next steps toward their vision for the site. The battle over the Roof Depot began nearly eight years ago in the Minneapolis city government as residents and activists fought to stop the city from demolishing the existing building to construct a new water distribution facility.

Green Haven Project Is Nurturing Underserved Communities One Garden At A Time

April 10, 2022 Monée Fields-white, Resilience. Create! Community Garden, Florida, Food Access, Food and Agriculture

Three years ago, Jorge Palacios, David Roper and Josh Placeres came together with a shared vision to make a better world for communities of color in Miami. They wanted to create a space where Black and Brown families can access fresh produce and learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. Borne of their own social justice and community activism, the trio cultivated a food movement by transforming an empty land lot into a lush community garden in the heart of the historically Black Overtown neighborhood. Carrots, eggplant, garlic chive, kale, cranberry hibiscus, papaya, Thai basil, and moringa are in abundance for a community that has limited fresh produce options. The three launched the Green Haven Project in 2019, to expand their efforts.

Community Gardens Seek To Transform Urban Society

September 29, 2019 Maya Dukmasova, Chicago Reader. Create! Black Politics, Community Garden, Education, New Economy

Chicago - Near the border of North Lawndale and West Garfield Park a mountain range of wood chips piled more than five feet high stretches over 1,800 square feet of a once vacant lot. In a few weeks, a Bobcat will come through to level the chips as the lot continues its transformation into a community garden. Across the street another smaller lot is undergoing a similar metamorphosis, although it is in a more advanced state: Tree stumps mark the perimeter, some painted with red, black, and green designs; tires to be turned into flower beds are stacked neatly nearby; a dune of brown, turfy coconut husks waits to be spread across the land to improve the quality of the soil. This gardening initiative is led by W.D. Floyd, founder of 360 Nation, a community organization that runs an after-school program in partnership with nearby Sumner Elementary School to teach kids self-reliance, black political history, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) skills.

Brooklyn Youth Create Jobs (And Community Roots)

February 15, 2016 Rebecca Nathanson, www.yesmagazine.org Create! Brooklyn, Community Garden, Employment, Youth

By Rebecca Nathanson for YES! Magazine - Snow covered most of the ground at El Garden, a community garden in the north Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. The exception was the area around its three compost bins, shoveled out and made accessible to the six people who were working there. One of them was Gabrielle Mason. She wore a puffy pink jacket and kept her earbuds in while she scooped and sifted the bins' contents. A year ago, she had never composted. Now, at 16 years old, she is the group's lead composter and plans to study environmental issues.

Driver Knocks Several Protesters To Ground In Albany, California

July 21, 2015 Debora Villalon, www.wn.ktvu.com Resist! Community Garden, Food and Agriculture, Occupy the Farm, Protest

By Debora Villalon in KTVU - A protest march in Albany became even more impassioned Thursday evening, after a driver tore through the demonstration, knocking a few people to the ground. It happened on San Pablo Avenue, as a group of about 60 "Occupy the Farm" activists made their way back to two disputed lots slated for commercial development. "Farm in, Sprouts out, farm in, Sprouts out," the crowd chanted, declaring their opposition to a Sprouts grocery store on land owned by U.C. Berkeley. They have long lobbied for a community garden on the fenced-off plot. U.C. Police were monitoring the gathering, and Albany Police were escorting the march, when a Cadillac blaring its horn drove into the midst of the group. When protesters reacted angrily, pounding on the car, the driver hit the gas and sent one woman tumbling.

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