GARDEN AT UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Met with David Silver at USF on Thursday, Nov. 12 - a very interesting man with diversified  interests. He is an assistant professor of media studies and the director of the Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies at the University of San Francisco. David's teaching and research interests include digital media, contemporary cultures, and social movements. He teaches Digital Democracy, Digital Journalism, and Intro to Media Studies. 


In addition he is in charge of the students' garden at USF - they have been growing, donating and receiving donations for their organic foods for a long time now. 


I wanted to talk with David as he is part of a large program at USF in which students participate in communities - We talked about the "commonality" of gardens and discussed the network of community gardens in the city and the people who are not involved presently, but who could benefit from and enhance these  communities - along with the gardeners.


We discussed how I, as an artist, work with community as my medium and how this project - sowing seeds of hope throughout San Francisco - has become a "piece. " The Community Living Campaign has introduced the concept of a city sown with seeds of hope in the 150+ gardens that exist here.  Each garden becomes a "Seeds of Hope Garden/Community" and designated as such with a small sign stating so (only with the agreement of the gardeners).  The image of all of these "designated" gardens throughout the city has become a visual and mental concept to all who hear about it.  It has created a bond - they become a group with something in common, the vision spreads as they talk about it - the piece is realized and new communities are formed as existing ones grow larger.


We don't want ownership of any of the gardens - we want to see isolated seniors and people with disabilities included in the lives of their communities - sharing what they have to give and becoming  active participants in the communities in which they choose to live and age.


And we want to invite gardeners and isolated people to garden parties, staged and produced entirely by the Community Living Campaign, in as many neighborhoods as will have us - the vision grows.