South Central Urban Farmers on Verge of Being Displaced
The deadline is tomorrow, May 22. Los Angeles City is using eminent domain to take away 14 acres of garden space from the 350 gardeners and their families who live and work there. The city and farmers have until tomorrow to raise millions of dollars to buy the land back from wealthy developer, Ralph Horowitz.
While the city will pay billions of dollars to create a shop-heavy entertainment center downtown, and $80 million to spruce up a stadium for a possible NFL team, it won't come up with the monetary support to keep these hard-working men, women, and children from being thrown out into the street.
Mostly Mexican and Central American, and largely Spanish-speaking, these farmers/gardeners made a weed-infested block of South Central LA come alive with food crops and medicinal plants--the largest urban garden project in the country--for almost 13 years.
Xispas urges all our readers to contact the city, send emails and make phone calls to Mayor Villaragoisa and all councilpersons demanding they help the South Central farmers to continue beautifying a run-down section (considered the poorest in the county) instead of turning the land over to more warehouses (there are already miles of industry and warehouses in Vernon and the LA City area surrounding the garden on 41st street). Take a strong stand. We only have one day!
While the city will pay billions of dollars to create a shop-heavy entertainment center downtown, and $80 million to spruce up a stadium for a possible NFL team, it won't come up with the monetary support to keep these hard-working men, women, and children from being thrown out into the street.
Mostly Mexican and Central American, and largely Spanish-speaking, these farmers/gardeners made a weed-infested block of South Central LA come alive with food crops and medicinal plants--the largest urban garden project in the country--for almost 13 years.
Xispas urges all our readers to contact the city, send emails and make phone calls to Mayor Villaragoisa and all councilpersons demanding they help the South Central farmers to continue beautifying a run-down section (considered the poorest in the county) instead of turning the land over to more warehouses (there are already miles of industry and warehouses in Vernon and the LA City area surrounding the garden on 41st street). Take a strong stand. We only have one day!
<< Home