From: Garrick Ruiz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Please forward widely and look for more action alerts in the coming
weeks... the situation with the farm could change drastically at any time.
"Friends of the Farm"
Help Us Save the Largest Urban Farm in the U.S.
What: Join "Friends of the Farm," an autonomous
international collection of
compassionate beings, to demand that the Mayor and City Council of
the City of Los
Angeles intervene in the imminent destruction of one of the most
successful, autonomous
community projects and an exquisite landmark of Los Angeles:
The South Central Farm, the largest urban farm in the U.S.!
Why: February 5, 2006: The official eviction notice may be served within days!
For 13 years, 350 families have tended a 14-acre urban farm in the middle
of South Central Los Angeles. In between freight lines and warehouses,
in the shadows of the downtown skyscrapers grandparents and their grandchildren
are growing their own corn, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and other
staples has helped make good nutrition affordable. Traditional crops
blossoming from heirloom seeds like chipillin, alachi, quelite and pipicha
have helped keep meso-american culture and natural medicine alive.
This urban farm, the largest in the U.S., provides a safe, children-friendly
environment for 350 families and thousands of visitors who come to
the lively farmers market on Sundays or other social/cultural events
hosted at the farm. The farm is also an oasis of green-space that helps
to create wildlife habitat and to lessen air and water pollution in the
surrounding community.
The City of L.A. acquired the land in the late 1980s through eminent domain
and a 4.7 million dollar settlement, but abandoned plans to build a trash
incinerator after community protests. In 1992, in the wake of the uprising
the mayor at the time mitigated this project to the community to quench
the social and economic inequalities that initially sparked the uprising.
In 1994, officials transferred title to the Harbor Department for 13.1
million dollars, which contracted with the L.A. Regional Food Bank
to operate a community farm on the property. In 2003, the City Council
agreed to
sell the 14 acres back to the original owner, private developer Ralph Horowitz,
for 5.1 million dollars and who wants to demolish the urban farm to build a
warehouse. The 350 families ("South Central Farmers") and community
supporters of the South Central Farm have been camping out in the field
since July of 2005 to prevent Ralph Horowitz from destroying this vibrant
urban farm that provides significant benefits to the city of Los Angeles.
The struggle to save the South Central Farm is
about food security, environmental and social justice: all communities
deserve safe access to nutritious food, parks, gardens and safe place
for children, youth and their families. The South Central Farmers are
self-sufficient and are working diligently to protect this community asset.
We want the mayor and community to call for an investigation of
this illegal sale and immediately resolve the threat of physical eviction.
Approximately 8 million dollars of the citizen's money has already been
squandered
and over 350 families will be immediately pushed deeper into poverty. Don't
let them
take food out of our children's mouths. It is a basic human right to feed
yourself
and your family!!
How: Actions for the week of 2/5/06-2/11/06:
1. Write or call in to "Ask the Mayor on CBS2, KCAL9, and
ABC7 News": Every week, Mayor Villaraigosa goes on television to broadcast
answers to
questions community members have phoned or emailed in to the station.
Follow these links and address the mayor:
CBS2 /KCAL9:
http://www.cbs2.com/askthemayor
ABC7:
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=features&id=3255086
2. Call the mayor's office and demand for a "Town
Hall" meeting to review his plans for saving the South Central Farm. In his
campaign to become mayor and serving as mayor, he advocated earnestly for the
preservation of the South Central Farm. So now that farmers are facing an
oncoming eviction to be carried out by the L.A. County Sheriff's Department...
...where is his plan?!?!
Contact Mayor Antonio Villariagosa:
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Phone: (213)978-0600
3. Join the delegation of the South Central Farmers for Public Comments at
City Hall this Friday, February 10, 2006.
Place: Los Angeles City Hall
200 N. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
In the Council Chamber, 3rd floor@ 10:00am(arrive early at
9:00am to sign in)
- Be sure to wear green to display your solidarity with the farmers!!
4. Camp out at the Farm!! Spend a night of solidarity with the farmers. You
can make friends around a camp fire. We have music nights, film nightsand pot
lucks. Please take this opportunity to bring supply donations of
water, flashlights, batteries, food, firewood, blankets, tents and anything
else
possibly needed. If you plan to camp out, please RSVP with the farmers.
Contact them through their website www.southcentralfarmers.com or email them at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
We want this to be a dynamic campaign of support for the South Central Farmers!
We are the community! The fate of this struggle which the farmers
have carried for almost three years is in our hands. They have done
and will continue to do their part in this struggle but success will
not come without the efforts of the extended community. We are joining
the farmers in voicing Aqui Estamos y No Nos Vamos!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any questions and ideas regarding this alert should be addressed to
"Friends of the
Farm". You may contact us at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For information on the South Central Farmers, please visit
www.southcentralfarmers.com
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