Resistance Garden: Cultivating Abundance
ABOUT THE RESISTANCE GARDEN PROJECT
Arising from the desire to critically examine and redefine our relationships with nature, farming, food politics, and the historical use of plants and herbs across different cultures, the Painted Bride is developing a Resistance Garden project with the arts and humanities functioning as the intersection of all these issues. The Bride is launching this project as a part of our commitment to creating and working in non-traditional collaborations across different disciplines with the goal of transforming the way we function in community. Our initial outreach and meetings with organizations and individuals across the city has led us to believe by bringing them all together to collaborate, we can raise awareness to the work that each organization is already doing, show similarities and cultural differences to their approaches, and have a large impact across the city by strengthening the bonds of these communities through sharing abundance.
For us, resistance in this project refers to pushback against dependence on mainstream food and medicinal markets in favor of self-sustainability, challenging the narrative that we are separate from nature, and celebrating the work of urban farms, community gardens, and foraging communities. Land sovereignty has also become a major theme of this project, as many of our partners are engaged in ongoing struggles to secure their land for their own community. Additionally, a large goal of this project is to change perceptions by expanding the knowledge of what’s growing in our backyards and making it accessible via zines and educational workshops, as well as visual and performance art activations at various urban farms and community gardens throughout the city.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- August 9th, 5-7PM – community potluck and summer program showcase at Norris Square Neighborhood Project
- August 13th, 12-6PM – Ubuntu Kids residency featured at Urban Creators’ Alignment Festival
- August 14th, 11AM-3PM – Ubuntu Kids residency celebration at Urban Creators
- September (TBD) – community dinner and artist residency celebration at Iglesias Garden
- October (TBD) – community dinner and artist residency celebration at One Art Community Center
Keep an eye out for more upcoming events on the Resistance Garden Calendar: https://bit.ly/3LZhCXR
RESISTANCE GARDEN NEW MOON ZINE
New Moon. New beginnings. A time for planting tender dreams we wish to grow. In the Resistance Garden, we know that sharing our abundance strengthens our community.
Throughout the year Resistance Garden will release a series of four zines, each will feature creative and educational content from local artists and our Resistance Garden partners.
Order the first Resistance Garden Zine, New Moon, here.
Zines are also available at all the Resistance Garden Partner sites (list below).
Already checked out the zine? Leave your feedback here!
PAST EVENTS
June 15th – A Celebration of Philly Forests, with Art by Birdie Busch at Philly Forests. LEARN MORE HERE.
RESISTANCE GARDEN PARTNERS
TrueLove Seeds
Truelove Seeds is a farm-based seed company offering culturally important and open pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Their seeds are grown by more than 50 small-scale urban and rural farmers committed to community food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and sustainable agriculture. They share our profits directly with our growers: 50% of each packet sale goes back to the farmer who grew it!
One Art
One Art Community Center is a creative space and programming for healing, environmental sustainability, collaboration, and growth through arts, education, and culture.
Philly Forests
Philly Forests is a small farm in Northwest Philadelphia with a mission to diversify our local food system. They are a social enterprise that takes revenue from crop sales to enhance Philadelphia’s ecosystem. They buy trees, shrubs, and perennial plants for free distribution to areas with the city’s lowest tree-canopy.
Urban Creators
The Urban Creators is a platform for radical and collaborative imagination. Since 2010 they have used food, art, and education as tools to nurture resilience and self-determination in their neighborhood. Now, they are supporting the emergence of a new generation of Urban Creators, organizers, artists, growers, and local businesses who are working to build equity and collective liberation in our communities.
Lady Danni
Lady Danni Morinich-Goodlady is Proprietress of Landed Gentress Handcrafted Herbals. She is passionate about foraging and using herbs and foraged finds in her creations. She is a member of the American Herbalist Guild and the American Botanical Council and Herbalists Without Borders. She has a Master Herbalist diploma from the Centre of Excellence.
Alicia Rink
Alicia Rink is a wild foodie, creative intuitive, Spirit channeler and healer with a mission to inspire connection to nature within and without.
Norris Square Neighborhood Project
Norris Square Neighborhood Project is a unique organization that offers youth and community residents a safe space to explore culture and social-justice issues, create art, and develop their sustainable-agriculture skills.
Girls Justice League
The Girls Justice League (GJL) is a girls’ rights organization dedicated to taking action for social, political, educational, and economic justice with and for girls and young women.
Iglesias Garden
The Iglesias Gardens aims to preserve a space for the people. Through providing multigenerational activities for our community, creating harmony and balance with local ecosystems, and growing edible fruits and vegetables and plant medicine, they pay tribute to stolen land and develop a network of support for our future generations. The work of Iglesias Gardens builds and defends resilient communities.
CREDITS
Resistance Garden logo by Matthew Thompson
Resistance Garden Zine and Clip Art Design by Manuela Guillen
Resistance Garden Partner map by Meg Lamieur
Funding has been provided by PA Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
