Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 19:40:30 -0500
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [SCFs] URGENT: How YOU can help the South Central Farmers
(pdf version attached [removed from this forward], please help spread the word)
"Friends of the Farm"
Help Us Save the Largest Urban Farm in the U.S.
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| Action Alert Action Alert Action
Alert Action Alert |
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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!!
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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
Southcentralfarmers mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.electrolandia.com/mailman/listinfo/southcentralfarmers
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