Back in April, RADIO IQ brought you a story about a project bringing gardens and food to families throughout central Virginia, called 'Resiliency Gardens.' Since the effort began organizers have installed more than 300 raised beds. But their latest undertaking is a bit more high-profile than someone’s backyard.
Founder of the Resiliency Garden project, Duron Chavis, is putting the finishing touches on 30 raised beds in an empty lot beside the Institute of Contemporary Art, or ICA, at the corner of one of Richmond’s busiest intersections.
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“If you’ve cruised by this intersection and you’ve been around since the ICA’s been up you’ve noticed the space has been empty," Chavis says. "But now (you) see all this verdant green energy and in the space and artwork.”
In addition to the raised beds, he and volunteers have brought in fruit trees and painted murals. The work is being done with support from Groundwork RVA, a nonprofit that connects kids to conservation projects.
This latest large-scale 'Resiliency Garden' is also done with support of the ICA. It's part of the museum’s newest exhibit, called Commonwealth, exploring the unequal structures in society and how people can come together to fix them. Chavis says he hopes this space can be restorative, especially for people of color in the community.
“You can escape from all of the stresses and all of the issues that’s going on in the world," he says. "And then also reflect on how we can build agency and cultivate self determination and respond to the inequities that exist within our own neighborhoods.”
The exhibit runs through January. When it’s over the raised beds will be distributed to community gardens throughout the city.