Sandra Salazar D’Eca, a city farmer in London, is facing challenges in preserving her community’s green sanctuary due to rising costs of living. For over a decade, Sandra has been teaching the art of growing food in North London, focusing on empowering the Black community. What started as a hobby has now become a vital survival strategy for many in the area.
However, Sandra’s food growing projects are at risk as the council announces a significant increase in annual rents for local farming allotments. This move threatens the livelihoods of many, including 88-year-old Momma Selma who has been growing food in the allotment for 50 years and now fears for her future.
In response to the rent hike, Sandra leads a grassroots resistance to save the community’s sanctuary, but she also grapples with the possibility of losing herself in the process.
The struggle to preserve the green space and the community’s way of life is captured in the documentary film “London Grown” by Richard Mejeh. The film sheds light on the challenges faced by urban farmers in the city and the importance of solidarity and resilience in the face of adversity.
Sandra’s fight to protect the community’s green sanctuary serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving urban farming spaces and the vital role they play in sustaining communities amidst the pressures of urban development and gentrification.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
