Sandra Shelton Everyone in the neighborhood knows Sandra Shelton because she brings the community together. She is a strong and determined leader who has a vision for her community. She is also a loving mother. Ms. Shelton’s family migrated from the Deep South in 1970. After settling in a new community, she joined the Church of God in Christ that taught her how to be passionate, help others, and be resilient. She explains, “this is where my values were refined”. She remembers growing up in this neighborhood when it was vibrant and full of life. She witnessed how violence, crime, drug dealing, shooting, prostitution, and fear transformed her community. Houses were torn down; young kids were fighting with each other, getting involved in drugs, neighborhood stores were leaving, and the community was in a mess. Ms. Shelton promised to take back her community. She has inherited a strong will from her mother, and she attributes her determination not to quit to her grandmother. She chose to be a community activist and has worked relentlessly to revive the community. Her work brought her several recognitions, but her journey as a community activist was not easy. At first, people didn’t listen to her, many stood against her, and a few even threatened her. But she didn’t give up. She stood strong--even when she was shot at. She worked hard to address problems such as drug dealing and prostitution. But it was her community garden that brought the community back together. She remembers two big houses on the block where the current Cherry Street Community Garden is located. She recalls that those homes caught on fire in the late 1990s. The residents left the neighborhood. The empty lots remained filled with debris. As a farmer’s daughter, Ms. Shelton was well aware of the power of gardening. She knew that a community garden could bring life back to those vacant lots. She discussed this idea with her neighbors. Ms. Dorothy, Ms. Dorothy’s stepmother, and Ms. Lee stepped forward. They cleaned the land, created beds, and planted seeds. Soon, others joined. Older women from the community actively got engaged with the garden. They taught the younger generation how to grow, harvest, and cook good food--their secret of healthy living! The garden fed the hungry and supported the families who were in need. It taught the people to care for their community and care for each other. People could walk again on the streets without fear. Drug-dealing and violence stopped, and neighborhood peace and harmony were restored. The transformative power of the community garden was reflected in a “peace dance” and in the block parties that Ms. Shelton organized. She remains grateful to WNOV 860 radio for the live broadcast of the first block party at the garden. She remembers how all the local residents fearlessly participated in that events, with their freshly cooked food from the garden. Even those who were once drug dealers joined the revelry and enjoyed the food, dance, and music. Residents got their community back. Unfortunately, Ms. Shelton’s work at the garden was interrupted several times. When she had to have a major surgery, Ms. Lee volunteered to take charge of the garden. But more disasters followed. Ms. Shelton had to go through a prolonged medical treatment and then her house caught fire. The garden struggled to survive without her active presence; fences were vandalized and plants were uprooted. Without Ms. Shelton, the garden lost its magic. The elder gardener used to call her “Baby girl! You are the glue that tied our community together”. Yet, she needed to take care of herself. Sandra needed time to heal. That is when Rick and Lisa Roszkowski took charge of the garden. Sandra believed in the power of the garden to heal. She had faith that Rick and Lisa could bring life back to this community garden and become an integral part of the Cherry Street Community Garden Club. |
Sandra Shelton describes how she became an activist.
Sandra Shelton explains why and how she fights for her community.
Sandra Shelton tells us the story of her garden.
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