Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Aresh Javadi, Director of More Gardens Fund
5:21:53
·
4 min
Aresh Javadi, Director of More Gardens Fund, advocated for increased funding for parks and community gardens in New York City. He emphasized the importance of green spaces for ecological justice, cultural celebration, and community well-being, particularly in underserved areas.
- Called for increasing parks budget to 2.5% of the city budget, surpassing other major cities
- Highlighted the multiple benefits of community gardens, including cooling urban heat, youth education, public health, and cultural vitality
- Proposed mandating a community garden for every 99 units of housing on city-owned land to create thousands more gardens
Aresh Javadi
5:21:53
Thank you Chair Krishnan.
5:21:57
I really commend your love.
5:22:00
It comes through of how much work you've done in supporting the parks.
5:22:06
So thank you very, very much.
5:22:08
And also, Chair Brennan, wherever you are, thank you for holding this.
5:22:15
Also, I just wanted to thank all of the folks who are behind the scenes, security, tech, and all the folks who are still here, as well as all the attendants that have really love what what we're here for.
5:22:32
So my name is Arish Javadi and I am the director of Moor Gardens Fund and I'm also part of the Forest For All organ coalition.
5:22:41
We are a grassroot organization dedicated to ecological justice, cultural celebration, and the permanent protection of New York City's community gardens.
5:22:49
Since 1998, we have partnered with residents to preserve over 500 green spaces, especially in underserved black, brown, and immigrant communities.
5:22:59
Through living willow structures, native plantings, youth education programs, direct action, and community led art installations, we work to transform asphalt heavy neighborhoods into vibrant sanctuaries of shade, food, learning, and joy.
5:23:15
We really do need to like put a lot more money.
5:23:19
We are, as we said, point 6%.
5:23:24
Boston is like one.
5:23:26
Chicago is 1.7.
5:23:28
San Francisco is 2%.
5:23:30
We need to be above these other cities.
5:23:33
I know people say 1%, but we should be like 2.5%.
5:23:36
Something really like that stands out and protects all of our parks.
5:23:42
So and again, we're more gardens so we want more.
5:23:45
Not just 1% but two and a half percent.
5:23:48
Equity in green spaces is one of the most important things in the community gardens, especially in park deficient neighborhoods where people of color deserve green, safe, vibrant spaces to gather, heal, and thrive, and that's exactly what community gardens do.
5:24:08
Urban heat and climate justice, gardens cool down overheated blocks and absorb storm water.
5:24:15
Willow structures and tree canopy provide shade and beauty while improving air quality.
5:24:20
Youth education and leadership, our free programs teach environmental science, food justice, and art to youth.
5:24:27
Gardens are open air classrooms and platform for leadership.
5:24:31
Public health and mental wellness.
5:24:33
Community gardens reduce stress, support healing, and offer access to healthy food and herbal medicine.
5:24:39
They are sanctuaries in the heart of the city.
5:24:42
Cultural vitality and community pride.
5:24:44
Our gardens host festival rooted in Iranian diaspora, Afro Caribbean traditions, and indigenous practices.
5:24:52
These spaces build joy, connection, and belongings.
5:24:56
Grassroots stewardship saves cities money.
5:24:59
Thousands of volunteer hours care for these public spaces.
5:25:03
Modest funding multiplies comp impact by supporting the people already doing the work.
5:25:09
Safer, more beautiful streets.
5:25:10
Gardens transform vacant lots into sanctuaries, reducing dumping crime and blight.
5:25:15
So, as I said, we do need a lot more funding for the parks, and we also need permanent protection for the community gardens.
5:25:25
We also want the parks and city council to kind of work together with housing.
5:25:33
Know, there's so much housing, housing, housing.
5:25:35
Well for every 99 units of housing, there should be a community garden mandated especially on city owned land.
5:25:45
Yes.
5:25:46
And this way we can create about thousands more community gardens that are desperately needed.
5:25:53
Green and again, expanding gardens into open streets, greenways, and plazas, funding coordination in youth gardens, and legalizing and protecting all community gardens as soon as possible.
Justin Brannan
5:25:44
Thank you.