Support The Brookfield Flatland Community Owned Garden

I am a proud resident of Brookfield Village, Oakland, CA. My family's roots in this community run six generations deep. My BigMama, now 92 years old, still lives here and has witnessed the transformation of our neighborhood over the years. We have endured violence and health issues that disproportionately affect the Black community. Access to clean water, healthy foods, and opportunities for physical activity are increasingly scarce.

However, we believe it's time for a change - a change that starts with transforming vacant city lots into community-owned gardens.

Community gardens not only provide access to fresh produce but also serve as spaces for physical activity, hands on education and social interaction - elements crucial to overall well-being (American Public Health Association). In areas like ours where access to healthy food options is limited or non-existent - often referred to as 'food deserts' - these gardens can be life-changing.

Moreover, according to studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gardening can help reduce stress levels while promoting mental health addressing another key issues around violence and the need to produce spaces where residents feel safe. It also encourages outdoor activities and a healthy lifestyle which are beneficial in combating addiction and other life crumbling challenges that are prevalent in urban settings.

By converting vacant lots into thriving green spaces filled with fruits and vegetables grown by us – for us – we can take control of our health while strengthening our community bonds. The cooperative model that the garden will be built and ran under will teach residents more about having collective ownership in the enriching of the community and give youth a greater sense of responsibility to uphold the peace and beauty of something they have stake in. This isn't just about growing food; it's about cultivating resilience in the face of adversity, Cultural adversity that many of us and our parents have been crushed and generations completely wiped out due to losing the communion mindset everyone looking out for themselves and theirs (we all remember and are still living through the horrors of what crack did to the Black community).