In honor of Juneteenth, Equity and Transformation, (e.a.t.) will have a community celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony for the launch of EAT’s newly established Joliet community garden and wellness center on Saturday, June 21st from 12 pm-3pm at 616-620 Woodruff Ave, Joliet, IL
The Community Garden and Wellness Center was specifically designed as part of EAT’s United We EAT Campaign was created as an extension to the organizations Black Wellness Program with the goal of improving food security by providing fresh food to families living in food apartheid, or communities that lack access to healthy, affordable food as a result of systemic disinvestment, according to a statement provided by organizers. The program also encourages community participation in the food growing process which supports sustainability and self-reliance while also promoting community healing and engagement.
The event will celebrate both the historic significance and legacy of Juneteenth – commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the U.S. and to build together through community-rooted alternatives like food justice and land stewardship.
The day of the event there will be a ribbon cutting, refreshments, Cultural performances, Storytelling, a Tour of the land and amenities, resource table and a special guest speaker.
The community garden in Joliet is “more than a plot of land – it is a space for healing, self-determination and a practice in collective care.”
Equity and Transformation, Nicole Laport, Director of Communications noted that they “could not think of a better time to come together and officially open this space to the community we serve than on Juneteenth. We will gather not only to honor our history but to grow a future where our communities thrive. This land reflects the continued fight for Black liberation; it honors the Black farmers that built this country as well as honoring our ancestral traditions of cultivation and land connection.” For more visit www.eatchicago.org
