“Betty” by Sfera Louis, Oil on Canvas, 2026
Like many other community gardens in Central Brooklyn, our garden was created by a small group of strong and capable Black women leaders in the 90s, and nurtured with the help of Latinx community members. This page features some of our founders’ and elders’ oral histories.
Betty:
Before she passed in 2021, I recorded her oral history with help from her family, using her favorite flowers as the Zoom background. I could only talk to her in 3 short sessions. She was the most animated when she talked about her immigration journey to England in 1974. This is that segment.
Sarah
Sarah is a co-founder of our garden. She was very close to Betty, and they always worked together in the garden. She moved away to Bed-Stuy in 2024.
Angela
Angela is Betty’s daughter. She joined our garden in 2025, but we invited Angela to ask about Betty’s thoughts on the garden since I ran out of time and couldn’t ask Betty.
Juan
Juan has been our garden’s carpenter for a long time.