A Garden, a Kitchen, and a Party: Creating a Vibrant, Diverse Community in North Park

By Cherie Gough | June 14, 2018

Photo Courtesy of IRC

On the corner of 30th and Gunn in North Park, you’ll find a well-maintained urban farm surrounded by a chain link fence. A closer look reveals that this once-vacant lot has not only transformed into a thriving garden, but also a job training hub and pop up café that is a touch point for the community.

Through the vision of the International Rescue Committee’s Food and Farming Program, the leadership of Anchi Mei, and a partnership with St Luke’s Episcopal Church, an exciting social enterprise has put down roots, helping refugees, youth from the community, and local residents connect and thrive.

Photo by Ian Gibson

In 2016, the vision for the Youth FarmWorks garden began when Pastor Colin Mathewson of St Luke’s Episcopal Church approached the IRC to inquire about the possibility of creating a community garden on the unused property adjacent to the church.

IRC saw the invitation as a way to cultivate a space of inclusion and opportunity in the gentrifying neighborhood.

They agreed to team up on projects that teach real-world job skills to local youth and refugees, while inviting neighbors to join in.

“Our mission is to create gracious spaces for life-changing relationships across lines of privilege and prejudice,” states Mathewson.

Through a grant from The California Endowment, Mei, Senior Program Manager of the Food and Farming Program, has established and led IRC’s Youth FarmWorks, a paid internship program in which at-risk teens learn how to plant, grow, and sell vegetables.

Photo Courtesy of IRC

For a few months at a time, youth from City Heights join a team of interns and are given a small stipend and bus pass to get them to their new jobs. In the garden, the teens grow lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, chives, and serrano chilis, while at the same time building confidence and entry level job readiness skills like being prompt, communicating with the public, and learning how to properly handle food and money.

Sixteen-year-old Octavio Gonzalez heard about the program from his English teacher at Hoover High School and now spends time three days each week at the garden. This is his first job, and he’s grateful for the opportunity to learn how to conduct himself during an interview and for the confidence he has gained speaking with adults who pass through on Saturdays for tours.

Octavio hopes to apply the skills he is learning at the garden in a long-term job.

“Octavio is a hard worker,” says Kit Horita, an AmeriCorps member who plays an integral role training the youth and helping them with job placement once their internships are complete.

“This experience and the interview—it has really helped me with my nerves,” said 17-year-old Mario Alaniz. Mario views his internship at the garden as an opportunity to be productive and build skills for his future. “I want to work to help my mom and dad with bills, to see them in a better place,” he said as he rinsed freshly picked leaves of dinosaur kale.

Photo 1: Photo by Ian Gibson

Photo 2: Photo Courtesy of Project CHOP

This summer, IRC’s efforts are expanding to include a lively Saturday pop up event. Pop on 30th, a cultural arts space, aims to bring together the diverse community each week through yoga, visual arts displays, live music, and children’s activities like upcycled garden art and kids’ yoga.

At the Pop on 30th MAKE Garden Café, fresh salads made from the garden’s organic produce are crafted by refugee women from the IRC’s Project CHOP. The women are building literacy, English communication skills, and formal paid work experience in the program.

"The number one purpose of Project CHOP is permanent employment to support themselves and their families,” says Mei. The group has been highly successful with over 70% of the refugee participants finding jobs.

The cafe also serves fresh, flavorful smoothies and teas and snacks made by refugees throughout the county. All proceeds support IRC programming.

On Saturday, June 16^th, Pop on 30^th is hosting a celebration of World Refugee Day, featuring a special musical performance by Congolese refugee band Matrida Umoja Band who play upbeat dance rhythms; a storytelling performance by IRC’s Youth Peacemakers to raise awareness about the plight of refugees; great food made by refugee women using farm-fresh ingredients from the Youth Farmstand; farm tours, and art exhibits.

The event is free, and a great way to show support for refugee artists in our community.

Photo Courtesy of Project CHOP

As the synergy of IRC’s Food and Farming Program continues to grow, St. Luke’s has extended their partnership to include construction of a new commercial kitchen.

The North Park Community Kitchen will house Project CHOP’s cohort starting this fall.

With all of IRC’s Food and Farming Program efforts located in the same vicinity, Mei expresses enthusiasm about the group’s ability to gain recognition for their cohorts, grow their efforts, and find jobs to help support refugees and youth.

Pastor Mathewson is perhaps most excited about the development of a new kind of community.

“We believe the garden, Pop on 30th, and the kitchen will create many opportunities in the years ahead to welcome our neighbors into transformative experiences with those they might not otherwise have the chance to befriend,” he said. “Such friendships can lead to life-changing privilege and perspective sharing that leaves all involved more alive and well off.”