west oakland is rich with social history - a port city with a strong union, this city has gone through its share of changes.

working on a west oakland backyard was a gift - not only did I literally discover treasures in the backyard (from years of humans’ dumping there), but I deepened into my understanding of redlining and racialization of housing access

my neighborhood was predominantly black, at least years before I moved in.

neighbors who’d lived there the longest were uneasy entering the house i lived in, and appropriately uneasy with me (a white woman whose sheer existence seems to bring gentrifying coffee shops).

of critical interest to me was creating an outdoor space where folks could both honor the history of the home, land, and neighborhood as well as cultivate new connections and opportunities

project priorities

• get moving! support athleticism and easeful access to shared equipment
• eat together! make food easily and host, comfortably, 10 people for a meal
• invite pollinators! help bring beautiful plants and animals back to

implementation

• remove overgrown plants, dirt and trash

• level the ground and pave the entire backyard

• build and install mat for heavy lifting equipment

• re-seal shed

• re-finish existing outdoor furniture, supplement

• install string lighting, additional power for yard

• reorganize shed for easy access

• build a raised bed

• plant, seed, and grow