Greening Boyle Heights

Access to vibrant neighborhood green spaces and nutrient-rich local produce should not depend on individuals’ economic status. Yet all too often, low-income neighborhoods lack their fair share of these vital community resources. The Boyle Heights community, a primarily Latinex neighborhood that has been significantly impacted by climate hazards and inequitable environmental policies, is a key example.

With support from the Bezos Earth Fund, the East LA Community Corporation, an organization that promotes economic and social justice in East LA and Boyle Heights, will partner with community farming organization Campos de Cultivo to complete the Lorena Terrace Community Garden and two additional green spaces. Through the project, Boyle Heights will gain access to nutritious, fresh food, as well as a venue for physical activity and meaningful, intergenerational social interaction.

Guided by the belief that all citizens deserve to live in healthy, fulfilling communities, the project also celebrates the Latinex cultural value of Convivir, the cultivation of harmonious connections among family and community members. Through community outreach and education, more than 15,000 Boyle Heights residents will learn small-scale gardening techniques and green home practices.

Earth Fund support will help acquire gardening equipment and fund staff development, services such as landscape architecture, and community outreach initiatives.