Dear SFHomeless Group & Friends:
This clip shows a garden in Santa Cruz…. but, don't be jealous San Franciscans.. who care about homeless life and plant life… we have all kinds of Garden Communities and Farms on the way now…
A couple weeks ago, the SF First POWER group (homeless and formerly homeless peer advocates, already working to help others around the city, at the main library and outreach) and SF Project Homeless Connect and the Hayes Valley residents started a Garden Community at Octavia & Lily Streets.
I cannot express how proud I am of our homeless people and the kind not-so-homeless who understand that 'homeless people' are just people like people anywhere, except that they have no place to stay.
Only because you have stood up and expressed yourselves are we now able to embrace positive change and empowerment of our people and our neighborhoods.
Had you all remained silent, living in fear and chose to do nothing, than there would never have been shelter reform or any other housing, SRO Collaboratives or homeless services being improved. Everything would have stayed the same if we all chose to let fear run our lives. But, you all got courage and refused to accept less than what you are each worth, so Congratulations on what you have accomplished so far.
Many years ago, some insane notion about 'standing on your own' has led many of us to treat our family members differently, once they reach 18 years of age. Other cultures do not do this because to them, family is always family no matter what age the children are, they are always welcome and expected to count on family first. So many of us have been divided AWAY from Our Families largely due to fear and social conditioning and programming.
We must get back to the concept that family (real or new families from amongst neighbors and friends) support does not end because we have problems or make mistakes or we are simply expected to take care of ourselves, by ourselves.
To answer the need to rethink and rebuild our sense of family and communities, many of us are working on local garden community projects where we can all work together, as a united community for our mutual support and benefit.
Here is a link to a 2 minute, intro video about the Octavia & Lily Garden Community in the Hayes Valley neighborhood, a few blocks north of Market Street. LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyBWmSjMiic
Here are links to the 22 minute draft video which is cut up into 3 short clips.
1 of 3: SF_Octavia_1_of_3_0001.wmv-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d15zWj_Mn7E
Shows the overall size of the two garden lots, introduction by Judith Klain, SF Project Homeless Connect. Neighbors and guests introduce themselves.
2 of 3: SF_Octavia_2_of_3_0002.wmv-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRPfwF47vcA
John Bela of ReBar.org (garden design) explains the layout of the two sites. One will have common areas for congregating and storage with some area for growing. The other site will be almost all garden and produce with a single path running through it.
3 of 3: SF_Octavia_3_of_3_END_0003.wmv-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvLMxNic5hg
Various speakers explain the idea and give thanks for having a safe space where all of our people are welcome to come, get peace of mind, work and share in the harvest of these garden communities.
Speakers include: Mr. Henry Belton (Chair, Shelter Monitoring Committee) who is formerly homeless and our man Joseph, another formerly homeless man who is now a leader in the SF First P.O.W.E.R. Team who has made an outstanding turnaround because of peer support , kindness and safe spaces and opportunities provided by SF HOT and SF MOST and other such niche agencies. 15 homeless (or formerly homeless) and 15 non-homeless residents are going to work together to build up community, grow food, share labor and share the fruits of their labor, TOGETHER ! Other community groups, artists, advocates and more SF POWER group members are already doing outreach to promote these gardens and are working on more sites, as fast as possible to lead the way to the Common Ground upon which all of our residents will find positive ways to break down fears, myths and propaganda which divides all residents, every day. Local people of all kinds, working to reduce local costs and increase community resources by investing in each other and in our own local communities. Some of us are working on a plan to make sites available for study by local universities, high schools and PBS/NPR and other interested social media outlets. Thanks to Judith Klain of SF Project Homeless Connect, Henry Belton of the Shelter Monitoring Committee and Mr. Eric Bayer (SFDPH, SF First, SF Hot, et al) for the idea of empowering our homeless residents by recognizing Our Value as human assets to our own city and to our peers who are still struggling on the streets to find their way to safe spaces and healthy food, every day and night. To obtain a copy of the 22 minute, public release version of this entire ground breaking ceremony and the design details and hear what the neighbors think about all of this, email this educational clip's producer, James Leonard, Advocate, SFBaySurf@yahoo.com or write to:
James Leonard SF Community Advocate 101 Hyde Street San Francisco, CA 94142
You can also email me to get a simple Application to get involved with these SF Garden Communities or you can contact Judith Klain by visiting her Facebook page here:
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