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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Help NOW! Julia in Tree in S. Central LA
  • Date: Sat, 27 May 2006 00:17:39 -0400


Newsletter
Julia Butterfly Is At It Again...South Central LA Tree Sit

Julia Butterfly Hill, Joan Baez, Darryl Hannah and John Quigley
on the Scene in South Central LA

As many of you have already heard…she’s at it again! Julia is
sitting in a tree along with fellow treesitter, John Quigley and
folk singer and activist superstar Joan Baez.

Read on for more info here or at www.circleoflife.org, but NOW
what you can do is:

1. Go to the FARM NOW for tonight's vigil. For address and info
see: www.southcentralfarmers.com.

We have heard that tomorrow morning the LA Sheriff's Department
will enter the farm and need community support tonight. Please
forward this info to anyone you know in Los Angeles.

2. Call Mayor Villaraigosa and tell him that you want the City
of Los Angeles to buy the farm back from the developer and
give it in perpetuity to the South Central Farmers. (213) 978-
0600

3. Make a donation to the South Central Farmers to help buy back the farm.

Julia is asking for every person to give at least $1 towards this
historic farm. Together we can make the difference. Donate NOW at
www.southcentralfarmers.com

------------------------------------------------------------


Here's the story:

Just about one week ago, Julia walked into the Circle of Life
office and told us that while she hoped it did not come down to
the need for her to do direct action to save the South Central
Farm in Los Angeles—she would be up in a tree soon if there was a
need. On Tuesday, May 23 Julia stationed herself in the
“community watchtower”- a 3 story high walnut tree on the 14 acre
South Central Farm. She joins in solidarity with 350 poor working
class families who use the farm to grow organic food for
themselves and their community.

Fourteen years ago, this spot was a wasteland- and in the wake of
the 1992 LA uprising then-Mayor Bradley and Doris Block of the
L.A. Regional Food Bank made a handshake deal to allow it to be
used for a community farm. Today, after thousands and thousands
of hours of sweat and labor, the South Central Farm is the
largest urban farm in the nation. The 350 families who use the
farming plots are low&#8209;income and depend heavily upon the
food they grow to feed themselves. In addition to growing food
for themselves, the people involved with the community garden
hold Farmers' Markets, festivals and other cultural events for
the public at large.

In a backroom deal in 1996, the 14 acre farm was offered to a
developer at a discount, but the deal was never approved by the
City Council. In 2002, the developers sued the City and a
settlement was reached giving the farm to the developers for a
significantly below-market price. To repurchase the farm, the
developer is insisting on over $16 million (they paid just over
$5 million for it four years ago) and $6 million has already been
raised by the South Central Farmers. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
has the ability to pay the rest of selling price from the City
budget, or further challenge the original sale. However, he has
done neither.

“This is the Promised Land”, community leader Dele Ailemen
emphatically stated on the encampment’s first day. “It was land
that was promised to this community by the Mayor of Los Angeles
after the 1992 uprising.” “It will not be taken away by broken
political promises.”





  • [permaculture] Help NOW! Julia in Tree in S. Central LA, Lawrence F. London, Jr., 05/27/2006

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