A thank you message for all gardeners, volunteers, donors, sponsors and friends of the East Side Garden Walk

Thank you to all the gardeners, volunteers, sponsors, and visitors in 2023. Enjoy this video created for you by the East Side Garden Walk and Get Fokus'd Productions.

There once was a seed who
sang songs of future growth
soliloquies beneath the surface
that seek through the soil
stretching towards the sun
each space supply solace
from a symptoms of
a shaken society
all saturated in the sacrifice
of a gardener's hands.

Sow seeds of peace with us
and embrace the rain from above.

Walk with us on the east side of our dreams
pull up the weeds that suffocate growth
and watch us spring forth.

Walk with us on the east side of freedom
between the shadows of legends
and surround yourselves with nature's tranquility.

Hold fast to this moment
and imagine the possibilities
then open your eyes
and experience this reality
that together emerging
from the soil of the earth,
we are the garden.
– Aitina Fareed-Cooke

More than a garden tour, the ESGW is a way for residents to take control of the narrative for their community. They share gardens, stories, and a spirit of perseverance with those from within and outside its neighborhood – countering the negative stigma often portrayed on the news – by creating positive stories. Love of gardening and community creates connections between gardeners, neighbors, and visitors. The ESGW transforms its neighborhoods by providing a spotlight for residents to show out and by encouraging everyone to be the change, because this community matters.