WISE WORDS

HOUSTON — During the March 14 “Time to Till” event, members of Houston’s All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project (AAPDEP) came with shovels, tillers, hoes, rakes, and an assortment of other garden tools. The Fifth Ward Community Garden and Food Co-Op was only an idea of its organizers.

The flyer that was used to familiarize and win the community support for the project stated in part, “The community garden is an opportunity to do for ourselves. Once a week, we go to the food banks and stand in line for second class vegetables and food. But with the Fifth Ward Community Garden we will be harvesting and eating our own food in three months.”

Well, we have exceeded our own expectations. It has only been two months and we already harvested from the garden and the community has taken the garden as their own. The neighbor who donated the vacant lot is particularly proud of the accomplishments, and the community people, who have planted rows with the vegetables of their choice, reveal how real self-determination work can uplift the people’s fighting spirit.