Cambodian Community Garden Opening in Oakland, CA

women from the Cambodian community picking Chinese cabbage

Farming, harvesting and growing food has been a tradition for many Southeast Asian communities for generations. Yet in urban areas like Oakland, farming and harvesting has often been a challenge for many Cambodians who were forced to leave their country in the 70's and 80's.  In the past few years, however, CHAA, along with other community partners have worked with the Cambodian community to develop small plots of land to grow produce and utilize their gardening and farming skills.

Sotheavy Tan, CHAA's Cambodian outreach staff ,showing off the garden

On March 30, the Cambodian community, CHAA advocates and community allies came together to celebrate the opening of a community garden at Lakeside Park in Oakland.  The lush green garden was full of vegetables as Cambodian women who had worked on the plot for weeks were able to collect their bounty and share the vegetables with guests.

homegrown produce

Though the garden is a small plot, community members were grateful for what the the garden provides. It gives members of  the Cambodian community the opportunity to utilize traditional gardening methods and skills, as well as connect to each other and to younger generations.

Stony, the daughter of one of the women who has been active in the garden related to the positive outcomes of having space to garden "It brings everyone together, they're helping each other, supporting each other, having fun and having conversations."

CHAA staff and friends enjoying the garden

The garden brings together older and younger generations as well, as mothers and grandmother teach younger people about farming and cultivating crops that they have grown themselves. It is a special bonding experience and though this may be a small plot of land, it symbolizes a bigger connection and experience for a community maintaing their  heritage and cultural connections.

Choun, above, proudly shows the beautiful vegetables she helped grow

Photographs taken and edited by S. Nadia Hussain