Community Stands Strong Against Displacement of CHOP Garden
Embedded Files
We have changed our newsletter! Join the mailing list!
By: The Nightly Crew
10/16/2023
This weekend, countless gathered at the Black Lives Memorial Garden and prevented Seattle Parks and Recreation from demolishing the garden. At the occupation people listened to speakers, shared food and danced through the night in a magnificent effort to occupy the space.
On their website, Black Star Farmers says the garden “is connected to a legacy of occupation protests, led by Black and Indigenous peoples” and that it is a manifestation of “communities’ right to self determination.”
The Black Lives Memorial Garden (BLMG) is a continuation of the community built during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, or CHOP, during the uprisings of 2020. Under the stewardship of Black Star Farmers and others, the garden has continued to produce “countless pounds” of produce for the community and nourish the local ecosystem with native plants. The garden also acts as a gathering space and hosts regular mutual aid events.
Tearing out the garden would mean the displacement of peoples’ support systems, the local ecosystem, and the community itself. This is exactly what the city aims to do, which according to Black Star Farmers, “is consistent with violent state projects like imperialism, colonization, and gentrification.”
The city reached out to Black Star Farmers last spring to ask the group to relocate to Rainier Community Center in South Seattle. In response, Black Star Farmer’s warned the parks department that relocation would be a continuation of the city’s harmful legacy of forceful displacement and told the city that they had chosen not to relocate. Month’s later Andy Sheffer, a representative from the Parks Department, replied to Black Star Farmers telling them that they would have 2 weeks to vacate. (Click here to send Andy Sheffer a strongly worded email).
Top: BLMG produces potatoes and kale, Bottom: The construction of the BLMG during the 2020 uprisings.
The city’s offer to “help move the plants” comes off as incredibly disingenuous. Plants take years to get established and lay down deep root systems. The plants at the BLMG would likely not survive being relocated to South Seattle. According to Black Star Farmers, “a majority of these plants are perennialized, well-established and have been thriving in the space for the last 3.5 years. To uproot such established plants with no new place to put them into the ground quickly … would cause great and unnecessary harm”
After destroying the native plants, the city hopes to seed “non-native grasses and turf”, known to wreak havoc on local pollinators. This has been described as a “harbinger of gentrification and classism” by organizers.
All this comes in the midst of relentless city-sponsored displacement and violence against marginalized groups, including forced evictions and never-ending encampment sweeps.
The city has its eyes fixed on endless development and economic growth, this means runaway capitalism and displacement to all who won’t bring ‘traditional’ profit. While the city around it suffers under the constant crises of late-stage capitalism, the garden represents the possibility of what we can build.
The garden survived the weekend but the city hasn’t given up yet. We’re encouraging our readers to go to the BLMG in Cal Anderson Park throughout the week, help care for the garden, and get involved in the community that has been built up around it.
Photos provided by Black Star Farmers
Google Sites
Report abuse