In the heart of South Seattle, a tale of struggle and resilience unfolds daily as
residents like 60-year-old Janet McDurly make their way to work. Amidst their
journeys, they pass by Jimi Hendrix Park, a 2.3-acre community oasis nestled in
Seattle’s Central District. Janet and fellow volunteers in this predominantly
African-American community dedicated their weekends to planting seeds and
nurturing crops in the park’s community garden, established in 2020 by Black
Star Farmers, a local activist group.
But in July 2021, Janet stumbled upon a disheartening scene during her routine
walk: the flourishing garden had been bulldozed. The City of Seattle, in
collaboration with its police and parks departments, had obliterated the vibrant
and inclusive garden that had provided sustenance for food and nutrition to
insecure residents.
For Janet, this loss was just one part of a larger pattern of gentrification and the
displacement of Black residents she had witnessed in recent years. She was also
deeply frustrated by the city’s destruction of residents’ endeavours to achieve
food sovereignty.
Before the destruction of the farm, it thrived, yielding lettuce, cucumbers,
squash, zucchini, and various other foods. Until 2013, many Black residents in
Detroit were unable to cultivate food for their communities due to urban
agriculture ordinances and zoning laws that prohibited residents from operating
urban farms on public city-owned land.
Jimi Hendrix Park, located in the Central District, symbolised hope and
opportunity for African-American residents seeking to grow their own food,
foster self-sufficiency, and combat food insecurity. However, the park’s
bulldozing in July 2021 represented a painful setback in this ongoing struggle.
The story of Jimi Hendrix Park and the struggles faced by community gardens
in Seattle, Detroit and Baltimore is a reminder of the systemic challenges that
communities of colour continue to confront.
