Self-determination and food sovereignty have been growing at South Jamaica Houses for over 20 years. Behind the building, located at 108-10 159th is a green oasis of healing, health and hope. If you ever take the Long Island Railroad train from Southeast Queens heading into Jamaica when you look out the window and peer down, you will see the labor of love of the South Jamaica residents who provide free vegetables to those in need. With pure admiration and respect, DIVAS for Social Justice proposed to the Verizon Foundation the opportunity to make this community farm interactive.
Like many, social justice movements the individuals tending to this land and addressing the issue of food justice are Black women. The leaders of the South Jamaica Green Committee are: Marion Dolphus, Melvine Brown, Devona Commack, Patricia Lewis, Yolanda Lynch and Eleanor Ince-Roberts. These women reflect the spirit of Fanny Lou Hamer and Ruth Beckford. Fanny Lou Hamer is well known for her organizing around voting rights but also made significant contributions to land sovereignty work. Ruth Beckford was the Co-Founder of The Free Breakfast Program by The Black Panther Party. The Free Breakfast Program eventually was the model for WIC (Women Infants Children) for the government.The women of The South Jamaica Green Committee give all vegetables grown in the farm to seniors, and other residents in South Jamaica Houses. While the group has won small grants, the project is truly a labor of love and an out of pocket expense to the gardeners.
Yolanda Lynch, member of the South Jamaica Community Farms, shares her connection to the garden
DIVAS for Social Justice, a community based organization, is funded by the Verizon Foundation to provide STEM programming to youth living in New York City Housing Authority developments. In partnership with Southern Queens Park Alliance (SQPA) DIVAS provided virtual programming to youth. The organization taught youth the fundamentals and history of virtual reality, recording audio and designing QR codes that will be laser cut and featured in the garden. Youth studied the aspect of immersion in virtual reality. DIVAS met with youth safely outside to capture 360 degree video and images of the garden that will be made available online for individuals that cannot visit the garden or would like a preview of it. The content will live on DIVAS’s STEAM for Social Change site under the South Jamaica Community Farm Interactive Project.
Listen to the audio of youth from SQPA providing a guide to the fruits and vegetables in the garden.
On October 2, 2021 DIVAS for Social Justice, South Jamaica Green Committee and SQPA will install the South Jamaica Community Farm Interactive Project on site. The project will feature in the community farm laser cut QR codes containing audio of youth providing descriptions of the vegetables grown in gardens and gallery of images highlighting the work of youth in the green space.
