DIVAS for Social Justice has commissioned two initiatives that explores the importance of healing through the arts and plant therapy, highlighting African/Afro-Caribbean, community of Southeast Queens. The implementation for these projects will take place at The Garden Of Resilience, a community garden located in Springfield Gardens, NY. DIVAS for Social Justice serves as a steward of the community garden in partnership with Greenthumb. The mission of the community garden directly addresses the issue of food insecurity and to provide a space that empowers community residents to get involved in civic engagement. DIVAS uses their mission of bridging the digital divide to educate community residents in the garden through QR -code designs due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 and weather resistant art.
For the Spring of 2021 Yvonne Shortt and Jason Harris will lead our Cultural Immigrant Initiative projects.Ms. Shortt is an accomplished artist who has created multiple projects locally and nationwide that highlight the collective community and create a platform to hear their voices. Mr. Harris is a certified personal trainer and an urban farmer that utilizes new technologies to educate communities about the importance of health living. Ms. Shortt and Mr. Harris both grew up in Southeast Queens. Ms. Shortt will lead community residents in the design of a 6 foot Afro-Pick sculpted from clay that will feature flowers that represent the Afro-Carribean experience based on the narratives collected from community residents of Southeast Queens. Ms. Shortt will collect these stories through a series of virtual workshops where community residents will share their memories of their favorite flowers from their culture and stories behind them. If you would like to submit a story, you can email it to: WorkshopofShortt@gmail.com
Shortt will also host a Zoom meeting on April 27, 2021 to collect stories at 9AM as well.
Jason Harris will lead community workshops that will educate the community about the practice of hydroponics, linking back to plant therapy and the African Diaspora.A hydroponics tower will be installed in the Garden Of Resilience that will represent herbs and greens that are grown in the Caribbean. Both projects in collaboration will use STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Math ) activities that will address the issues of cultural competence and the art of food science and sculpture improving the social and emotional healing needed during this unprecedented time.
