A New Community Garden in East Portland
On Saturday, August 20th, we inaugurated our first community garden in East Portland. The event featured the Pan-immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training (PILOT) cohort and special guest speakers, Portland Parks & Recreation representatives, and PILOT community leaders.
In 2022, Unite Oregon is celebrating 20 years of advancing immigrant, refugee, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC); and a big milemarker - our first community garden, by and for immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC community members in East Portland.
Gentrification has displaced many immigrants and refugees to East Portland; an area lacking access to fresh, affordable food, and community gardens. In late spring, Unite Oregon partnered with Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) to break ground and activate a 20,000 square foot plot of land at Knott Park, led and designed by immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC participants in our PILOT cohort. Through the program, PILOT participants learn how to create a community garden with a pollinator habitat, how to garden in Oregon’s climate, grow culturally specific foods, traditional land stewardship practices, and gain their own plot in the garden. Due to popular demand, we plan to expand and create new community gardens through our partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation.
“This unique space provides opportunities for our immigrants and refugees to share culture and traditions, to build resilience, and foster belonging while meeting nutrition needs,” said Portland Parks & Recreation Commissioner Carmen Rubio. “Thanks to Unite Oregon, PP&R staff, and PILOT leaders for ensuring we meet Portlanders’ needs for both sustenance and community.”
In addition to increasing access to fresh, free food, our community gardens will provide an opportunity for immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC community members to sell produce they generate from the garden. All participants are connected to our BRIDGES (BIPOC, Refugee, Immigrant Development, Growth, and Economic Sustainability) small business incubator program, delivered in partnership with MercyCorps Northwest, with the opportunity to launch their own small business selling produce from the garden.
Watch this video to learn more from those who made this Community Garden possible!