Here we stand.

Staff gathered together (tightly) pre-COVID

Here we stand.
In our North Portland neighborhood of New Columbia.
Our community, our neighbors, our kids, our selves, all digging deep and relying on the connective roots that we have been growing in this place to hold us, ground us, heal us and move us.

Many of us are living through a shared context right now, but with vastly different experiences that are unfolding based on our identities and lived experience. For some, it is a replaying of the violence and anti-black racism and racism against Indigenous people and people of color that pervades our lives. For some, it is an unsettling acknowledgment of how we have been, and continue to be, complicit in white supremacy. For some, it is the weight of just trying to keep our families and loved ones healthy, fed, safe. For some, it is a resounding call for change and a commitment to not settle for anything less than justice for all people. And for some, it is all of these things at once.

There has always been racism and white supremacy permeating every space that we move through whether we have recognized it, been directly impacted by it or been in denial of it. It is always with us, limiting all of us while directing sustained violence on the humanity and bodies of black and brown people. But what we have in this moment...are all the people, families, communities, leaders, institutions, and systems that are saying - enough! And what we are beginning to see are cracks in these structures that have been built on power, fear and capitalism. What we are beginning to see is a powerful upwelling of collective leadership, love, and hope in the spaces that we occupy together. We are in awe of the people, this movement, working for change at every level of this system. This push needs to be relentless and exists with ourselves, within our family units, in our organizations, in the streets, with leaders.

At Village Gardens, we know well the work of caring for each other, of deep listening and supporting, of making space for pain and joy in the tension and beauty of community. And in this global moment, we first turned within - to care and to tend to each other. And as we finally land, we stand here together to bring our voices, our resources, our power, our community to the whole. In all the ways that we can amplify voices, redirect resources, rebuild structures of power and decision making in our organization - we will. In all the ways that we can stand in solidarity, in humility, in strength with our partners - we will. In all the ways that we can hold organizations, leaders and funders accountable - we will. We will continue to show up for this work in the way we know best - standing deeply rooted in relationship with one another.

We hope you all feel able to take the extra care you need to ground, connect, engage, disengage...whatever it is for this moment and the next.

with love,
Kris and all of us at Village Gardens