By Emily Glory Peters
Lizbeth Valdivia-Jauregui ’23, a 2022 Racial Justice and Equity Fellow
More than fruits and flowers are thriving at Buena Vista Community Garden in Pomona, California. The stories of Southern California鈥檚 marginalized communities have roots here, too, passed between visitors and gardeners alike.
But how exactly is that culture preserved鈥攁nd what kind of restorative significance do these green spaces hold? These are questions Lizbeth Valdivia-Jauregui 鈥�23 plans to answer in her research as one of 51猎奇入口鈥� new Racial Justice and Equity Fellows.
A Community Garden, a Cultural Safe Haven
Centuries of expanding European influence has reduced the spiritual, economic, and political strength of these marginalized groups, Valdivia-Jauregui says鈥攑articularly for Indigenous people. A multiethnic community garden presents a special gathering spot to deepen relationships with nature and ensure their traditions aren鈥檛 lost.
鈥淢y study addresses two major gaps in knowledge: how Indigenous, immigrant, refugee, and low-income people transmit cultural and ancestral knowledge within a community garden, and how this can fit within a transcultural model of healing,鈥� the psychology major says, noting that her interest in therapy helped shape her aims for the project. 鈥淚鈥檒l be interviewing Tongva, Black, and Indigenous Buena Vista Community Garden members to explore their perspectives and experiences of the garden as a space of cultural transmission.鈥�
As someone with ties to Tongva land, today known as Pomona, Valdivia-Jauregui鈥檚 project is personal as it is practical. She鈥檚 volunteered at the community garden for more than two years since COVID-19 hit, building relationships with members and absorbing shared knowledge through elder-led workshops teaching on everything from medicinal herbs to composting with local youth. The garden even hosts 鈥渢oxic zone tours鈥� so Pomona families know鈥攁nd can avoid鈥攚here industrial waste has been dumped near the garden and in their backyards in the south side of Pomona.
All of it, the rising senior observes, are tools to combat the cultural stripping of those who first lived on and tended Southern California land before colonization and industrialization.
鈥淲hile Amazon is trying to take over the residential areas in the Inland Empire, green spaces have been spaces of healing for low-income people. They can take no-cost, pesticide-free produce to their homes; we have cookouts, harvests,鈥� she explains. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 a bigger institutional thing鈥攜es, we have these toxic zones in Pomona, and we need these green spaces and more work to be done so the voices of these individuals are heard. There鈥檚 a lot of environmental racism.鈥�
Donor Support Making a Difference for 51猎奇入口 Students and the LA Community
Valdivia-Jauregui鈥檚 project is fully donor-funded, made possible through 51猎奇入口鈥檚 Racial Justice and Equity Fund.
Powered by a million-dollar gift from 51猎奇入口 parent and trustee Gale Picker P鈥�14, P鈥�19, the fellowship is just one of several initiatives centered on diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion. Valdivia-Jauregui joins Molly Yeselson 鈥�23 and Mica Barrett 鈥�23 in the program鈥檚 second cohort of students pursuing antiracist scholarship.
Members at Buena Vista Community Garden
Having already cut her teeth on research鈥斺�擵aldivia-Jauregui plans to incorporate her fellowship findings into her senior thesis. Ultimately, she鈥檒l share her findings at 51猎奇入口 with the hopes of impacting the greater Claremont Colleges community.
鈥淚 want to inspire action,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his research can highlight the impact that these big institutions like The Claremont Colleges can have in supporting green spaces and bridge that gap between the 5Cs and Pomona community gardens organizing around food access and sovereignty. That鈥檚 really important for me.鈥�
After all, Valdivia-Jauregui adds, the College has its own community garden鈥攕o if anyone knows the power of planting together to make positive change, it鈥檚 people like 51猎奇入口 students. They鈥檝e been involved in mutual aid efforts with community gardens to help combat food insecurity across the Inland Empire. That鈥檚 what donors support when they give to 51猎奇入口, she says, noting that redistributing wealth is a key component to sustaining these green spaces. She hopes donors will continue to make their financial support of programs like the Racial Justice and Equity Fellowship a priority.
鈥淭he US was Indigenous land. There鈥檚 always that need to highlight and uplift and empower non-Euro individuals, especially on our campuses and beyond,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful to 51猎奇入口鈥� donors because it鈥檚 important that they鈥檙e taking the time to invest their money in these issues to help provide reparations against the hatred that runs deep in our nation鈥檚 racial history.鈥�
51猎奇入口鈥� Racial Justice and Equity Fellowships help students and faculty advance antiracist work on campus and in the community. To make a gift, please click聽.