Amid the Pandemic and Protests, The Garden of Happiness is a Balm

By Shirleen R. Robinson

Karen Washington is busier than ever. She’s preparing for her community Garden of Happiness to join La Familia market, a community garden coalition she helped found in 1988. Before re-opening, she has mountains of guidelines to consider.

Washington is pouring over maps of market stall layout. Where are the best spots to install hand washing stations? How many donated masks does she have and will they need? How will she reignite her ...community's passion for weekly fresh food markets, when the Coronavirus has many people afraid to touch contaminated surfaces or take part in public gatherings?

A Bronx resident for over 26 years, Karen Washington advocated for her community to take autonomy over their own food supply. First by example, and then, by leadership. Washington started with the empty lot across her own home in Tremont in 1986.

By 2010 , Ms. Washington began her Citizens Committee partnership, which has flourished over ten years . The Garden of Happiness is over 36 plots large. This week, she plants greens and herbs beloved by the Black, Latinx, and Caribbean Bronx community surrounding them. Callaloo, collard greens, pepinos, to name a few.

Ms. Washington’s zeal for harvesting and her insights, which empowers hundreds in NYC to garden too, have led her to national leadership awards, a New York Botanical Gardens board seat, and the White House.

Right now, Ms. Washington’s focus is local. It's time to transplant seedlings! To manage two tons of donated compost. Time to orient her youngest Garden of Happiness volunteers in how to prepare compost bins, for each garden bed. "Roots & Rise", is the farm she founded in 2014.

“If you don’t take care of yourself how will you take care of the land?

Washington credits her mentors, especially black women, for her legendary community organizing and public speaking skills. Her advice for today’s youth, who march for racial justice and police reforms? "Come prepared with facts and clear demands."

It is facts and figures which motivates Washington to continue the Garden’s summer plans, amidst the Coronavirus. The Bronx held the title of borough with highest fatalities, when NYC was the epicenter. The Tremont neighborhood in the Bronx reported 1,611 positive COVID19 cases.

The GreenThumb sent strict guidelines all vendors must follow to participate in NYC’s weekly open-air markets. Track occupancy. Hang signage. Install hand sanitizer stations. Disinfect surfaces, often. The guideline is six pages! A career and graduGarden of Happiness months ago. Social distancing is mandatory,

The Garden of Happiness is a peaceful respite from the worry, the planning, the protection against the COVID19 contagion. “If you don’t take care of yourself,” she says,“how will you take care of the land?"

In the Bronx, the community activists educate, to resist a resurgence in the Coronavirus pandemic. Then there are public rallies, forums, outcries for justice. Calls for community-police meetings to create actual change.

“Black people live in a daily state of combat, “ Washington says. “ Hunger. Poverty. Gentrification. Every day we are combating, fighting for our lives.”

Daily community actions leave organizers and enganes residents energized, but exhausted. Burnout is a real concern. “Black people live in a daily state of combat, “ Washington says. “ Hunger. Poverty. Gentrification. Every day we are at combat, fighting for our lives.

“The politicizing, controlling spin is hurting the health message.”

At the same time, Washington says, “The politicizing, controlling spin is hurting the health message.”

This is where the Garden of Happiness comes in. Washington sees herself as a guardian angel: “concerned for the safety of everyone on my block.”

When children see Karen Washington walking their way, they know She'll ask: “Where is your mask?” She adds how it is vital to speak in the language of the local community, especially with Coronavirus as an ongoing confusing threat.

“It is vital to communicate Coronavirus warnings in the language of the local community.”

“Stay Back!” “Maintain social distancing” is an accurate command, she says, but sounds sterile. Shen Karen orders “Stay back!” or "Back up!, however, the gravity of “or else” hangs in the air, if Bronxites do not heed CDC warnings.

“I am a regular person who speaks out. Everyone has that power” said Karen. “Complacency is useless. If you see injustice, say something.”

She emphasizes: “We can not go back. The ongoing COVID19 virus will not be over anytime soon. In our community loss is visible everywhere. So many people in our community have died.” She pauses. “We must save lives.”

What has gardening through a pandemic and protests taught Karen Washington? “Never give up power. Never give up your Black power.”