The Hmong Community Garden
Im sure many of you have heard something of the recent contraversy at the community garden in southeast fresno. The fresno bee, along with 2 informative articles have printed 2 very misleading articles about the state of the gardeners and garden itself. Other news outlets, especialy ABC30, have put much more revealing and accurate information on thier websites, take a look.
If you would like to get on the list to recieve regular updates about whats going on and how you can help send an email requesting subscription to:
www.hmongfriendshipgarden@gmail.com
please note that this list is intended to send out consolidated information of hapenings between other networks, and response to questions sent to this email may be limited or unanswered. There should be a myspace up soon, and fliers posted online with more info.
Please stay interested, this is an important issue that affects the entire city of fresno.
If you would like to help, the best 2 things to do right now are:
-Call/email the city council through their website letting them know how you feel, Cynthia Sterling and Blong Xiong are the 2 council members we are asking people to contact most.
-Show up and show solidarity with the gardeners to next weeks city council meeting, time TBA soon.
Thanks
-supporter of the hmong community garden.
Hmong Community Garden Update
Last night at least 100 people packed the Fresno City Council in support of the Hmong Community Garden. The City Council had to listen to public comments for around 3 hours, which were mostly in support of keeping the garden at the current location. There were many different people speaking in support of the garden - including a Vietnam Vet, a local American Indian Movement women, some of the gardeners, many Hmong residents, and a wide variety of Fresnans.
Despite the overwhelming public support, and the fact that the City of Fresno could possibly save millions of dollars by having the developers of Fancher Creek build the police substation -
City Councilmembers Blong Xiong, Cynthia Sterling and Paul Caprioglio still would not support keeping the garden were it is, and building the SE Police Substation at Fancher Creek.
Paul Caprioglio was possibly the worst of the councilmembers in his relation to the garden issue, though Blong Xiong has been about equal in his steadfast support of wasting millions of taxpayer dollars and destroying the Hmong Community Garden.
Caprioglio and his staff have been extremely disrespectful to Mai Summer Vue, with one of his staff members even telling Summer "Fuck you bitch" at a press conference. Councilmember Caprioglio displayed a similar level of disrespect and extreme ignorance at that same press conference and when confronted about it, walked away. Yesterday he was told by Summer and another lady who was at the press conference that he needs to apologize for his actions at that press conference. When he spoke at length against the Garden later in the meeting he chose to not apologize and didn't even address the matter.
Blong Xiong is possibly even worse than than Caprioglio though because he was largely elected with support from the Hmong community in Fresno, and he represents the district that is most likely the most supportive of progressive things like community gardens. Yet somehow Blong decided to try to manipulate the Hmong community in Fresno by holding a press conference with so called "Hmong Community Leaders" speaking against making an issue of the Hmong Community Garden. Many community members spoke at the meeting about how they know that those weren't "Hmong Community Leaders", and that they were just public employees, relatives, and business people. Blong has tried to brush the garden issue under the rug from the start and has voted continuously against the garden and in favor of wasting millions in taxpayer dollars to build the police substation where the garden is.
Cynthia Sterling tried her best to save face with the community, while supporting the destruction of the garden and the wasting of taxpayer money. Cynthia should know better and should have done the right thing by voting in favor of the resolution last night, and yet somehow she tried to figure out a way to make it seem like she cared about the gardeners. She also never fully addressed the added costs of building the police substation at Belmont and Dewitt, and refused to ask the tough questions that needed to be asked.
Councilmembers Dages, Perea, and Duncan were in the right and attempted to save the taxpayers of Fresno millions of dollars and protect the Hmong Community Garden at its current location.
There is still a possibility that if the Fancher Creek developers go public with their desire to build the SE Police Substation that the garden could be temporarily protected, and that millions of dollars could be saved in the process. However, the City Manager(Andy Souza)continues to make this an extremely difficult option, and refuses to make any effort to do follow up on the Fancher Creek proposal. It seems like the City Manager does not truly care about the Hmong Community Garden, and could care less about saving Fresno taxpayers millions of dollars.
more later
not logical
why not build substation at the park
Hmong are fighters!
I just want to say that leaving a community without a choice and a fair share decision, is kind of like saying that you could buying mansion of your choice, pay the monthly mortgage and the bills, but one day the builder of your mansions decides to sell your mansion to another builder and you are given a 30 notice to pack up your belongings and move to a 1 bedroom apartment... No human beings should be treated this way.....
Please city council officials, reconsider your votes and don't taking this piece of land away from the Hmong Gardners....
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