SUSAN REDICH: gardeners have a responsibility to protect the right of their members to grow food. She says gardeners need to define their objectives and find effective spokespeople. REDich: don't RELY on one bureaucrat to save the day. Cultivate the support of many community leaders.
SUSAN REDICH: gardeners have a responsibility to protect the right of their members to grow food. She says gardeners need to define their objectives and find effective spokespeople. REDich: don't RELY on one bureaucrat to save the day. Cultivate the support of many community leaders.
SUSAN REDICH: gardeners have a responsibility to protect the right of their members to grow food. She says gardeners need to define their objectives and find effective spokespeople. REDich: don't RELY on one bureaucrat to save the day. Cultivate the support of many community leaders.
ORGANIZERS OF COMMUNITY GARDENING programs have a responsibility
to protect the right of their members to produce food on community land. Before doing ‘battle’, review this list of proven strategies:
• CONSIDER REDEFINING the • RESEARCH THE SYSTEM. How
way you state your objective. are decisions made? Who has the • FIND SPOKESPEOPLE who are How about “advancing your power? Know your community’s effective communicators and community’s basic needs” or petition procedures, special-use are representative of your con- “organizing to resist a threat permits, zoning board, hearings stituency. Make statements that to community welfare”? These that may be required, etc. connect the garden to the bigger phrases give a more positive picture of neighborhood control, tone to your efforts. • DO NOT RELY on one bureau- environmental health, etc. crat to save the day. Cultivate • CREATE YOUR OWN special- the support of many community • CONSIDER ESCALATING the issue organization. Choose leaders. confrontation after you have tried a name that directly com- your best to negotiate quietly. municates the issue and your • TAP RESOURCE PEOPLE for This may involve legal action such purpose. Elect officers. Do not leverage. For instance, get as seeking a restraining order or depend on an existing organiza- support letters from important organizing a public demonstra- tion to be the mainstay of your officials such as agency heads tion. campaign; request support and and local elected officials, ask for help from other groups and get resolutions passed by • GET THE MEDIA INVOLVED. when you need to. local government and citizen’s Keep reacting publicly to ‘official’ groups. actions and statements. • COMMUNICATION, both internal and external, is impor- • WITH WHOM OR WHAT are • DEVELOP THE ART of negotia- tant. Build a mailing list, circulate you battling? It may be with the tion. Know what you want – and newsletters, form a telephone entire Real Property Department know your fall-back position. chain, and keep enthusiasm at a or with the mayor, but it may be high level. only one assistant administrator. • PUBLICLY AND WARMLY To be successful, you need to THANK and recognize your • HOLD INFORMATION meetings carefully apply pressure where it supporters, allies, and workers in where you invite local officials in will do the most good. the campaign. to your neighborhood.
• INVOLVE THE NEIGHBORS! • BE PERSISTENT!! • GET IT IN WRITING !!!