Saving our Beloved Green Space!
A Question of Future and Directory of Updates <3
Hello everyone. It’s been a whirlwind of intensive work and activity, and I wanted to take a moment to share updates with you all.
I’ve been working extensively with Joseph, the Director of Elizabeth Street Garden, on the urgent fight to save it from demolition. As you might know from previous posts, Joseph is a dear friend to us, and the garden is a dear place to us. It’s a place we love to visit, perform, host concerts, participate in annual events, gather for celebrations. It’s where I did my first poetry reading, a beautiful setting to play piano, watch movies under the stars, bring friends who are visiting from out of town. I planted tomatoes there almost 20 years ago. My new studio space is on the same street. It’s how I met my boyfriend, a garden volunteer for nearly a decade. It’s a place to find peace, to discover magic, to be reminded of why NYC is unique and extraordinary.
This fight has been going on for 11+ years and is now in a state of dire emergency as the city moves to evict the garden on September 10th, which is why nearly all of my active attention has been on this for the last 2 months or so, with more passionate energy surrounding it with every ensuing day and hour.
We are not giving up! <3 Local organizations, businesses, institutions, and masses of individuals are using their voices to make noise around this story. And this topic goes beyond that of only our beloved garden - this is about the protection of all green spaces, community gathering spaces, and public art throughout NYC and throughout the nation. This is a question of priorities, an urgent conversation around the direction we are moving into as a society. What is the future of our cities? What is the future of our communities? What do we need? We will always need spaces of quiet, of solace and peace. Places to slow down, to clear our minds, to find inspiration for new creations. To want for nothing. Commune with nature. We need places to gather together, to find commonality, collective consciousness, to share ideas and brainstorm possibilities. We need to take a serious look at the landscape, neighborhoods, and skyline of NYC and re-evaluate our concerns. The world is changing fast, and we need to continuously question whether things are changing for the better. There are ideas to be left behind, and there are things which must be held onto with full strength. These are the things we need to fight for - unrepeatable examples of culture and humanity - the reasons we loved this city in the first place. There are urgent changes we also must commit to, and as we move to transition away from fossil fuels, into a fully renewable and sustainable future, we need to honor and protect our existing green community spaces more than ever before.
The garden is a place for everyone - people from all walks of life, languages and nationalities, a place that connects generations together. It’s a beating heart and life blood of lower Manhattan - the greenery and landscape, the visiting animals and birds, the bees and flowers, the sculptures and living art, the people. As individuals, especially those of us living in bustling cities, we visit places like the garden to recharge, to reconnect with ourselves and each other, bringing that energy back into our personal lives and local communities. A place like this creates a ripple effect of positive energy and is essential for the health and wellness of a city. This is not a unique fact - these are basic ideas that are fading from common sense at increasingly rapid speeds. It is 2024 and we are fighting battles we shouldn’t have to be fighting, but this is where we are and we cannot give up.
We need to continue to work together to create the cities we want to live in - and that is precisely what we’ve been doing - keeping the beacon of hope alive and brightly beaming. It’s possible to stay optimistic and hopeful because we have each other.
Yesterday morning we were interviewed and featured on the news here in NYC, on Good Day New York, and we’ve been slowly releasing articles in the press, with more to come as the days continue. The focus of the press has of course been on the overall fight to save the garden, while spotlighting the incredible letters sent to the Mayor and massive campaigns engaging and highlighting the voices of different populations of New York City and beyond. An article featuring handwritten letters from children-age students from P.S. 130, another hearing from local seniors, and yesterday we released letters from Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and my mom Patti Smith - iconic voices of the arts in NYC defending an iconic place of art in NYC. Here are each of these recent news releases and images of the letters for you to read:
Watch my mom, Joseph, Angel Marinaccio, and me on Good Day New York
Read New York Times Article with Letters from Students
Read New York Post Article with Letters from Seniors
Letters to the Mayor from Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Patti Smith:
“The Garden is not only an oasis of green space within our city, but truly stands as a work of art. The effort to save it is reflective of a mass effort to preserve the natural and ever evolving character of New York City.”
- Patti Smith
“When I was growing up, Little Italy was more or less a concrete jungle. We used to play in the alleys. There was no shade, no greenery, no respite-something that every neighborhood needs. The make-up of Little Italy may be different, but the need for a beautiful, refreshing oasis like the Elizabeth Street Garden has not changed. I wish it had been there when I was young…Mr. Mayor, I am urging you to put a halt to this project before the September start date for demolition.”
- Martin Scorsese
“Taking away the Elizabeth Street Garden is erasing part of our city’s unique cultural history and heritage.”
- Robert De Niro
Below in this post you can find ways to write your own letters to the Mayor and many other ways to get involved and support. I hope this also inspires local action wherever you are reading from in the world, as we all must use our voices and platforms to protect our local green + art spaces, and majorly shift the way our governments value these essential community assets moving forward into the future.
**Thank you so much to our dear Bill McKibben who wrote about the garden in his Substack post today, ‘What Democrats Do and What Democrats Don’t’ **
With our Pathway to Paris partners, Kin Ship Goods, yesterday we also launched a limited edition line of our ‘People Have the Power’ shirts to support the garden.
The colors are designed to reflect the green of the garden and all green spaces throughout the world. Proceeds will support the fight to save ESG from eviction and demolition.
Since 2018, sales of our PHTP shirt have helped support the Pathway to Paris mission of bringing musicians and artists into the climate movement, as well as our main initiative of transitioning cities to 100% renewable energy as soon as possible.
Seeing this shirt all over the world, worn by citizens walking down the street, in the crowds of concerts, and in pictures online, has brought me a sense of comfort - of unity and togetherness - global solidarity in these urgent and important movements. Sales of these ESG colors will help support the garden financially, and I also hope to see them worn on the streets of NYC, and in gardens and cities everywhere. If you do purchase one, please share your pictures online and tag us.
How You Can Help Save ESG
As our efforts continue, it is vital that we continue to raise the necessary funds. We sincerely thank you for your continued support.
Donate Today - Support the legal defense fund, ongoing garden maintenance, and administrative expenses
Volunteer - If you are located in NYC, you can join the ever-growing community of volunteers helping to keep the garden open & beautiful for all
Support the plan to preserve ESG as a Conservation Land Trust - Join over 130 local organizations, Elected reps, and leaders in supporting the plan to preserve the garden in the best most cost-effective way for the community.
Share This Post - Here also is a link to the ESG newsletter from yesterday
Sign up for the Garden’s newsletter to stay updated
If you would like to introduce the Garden to potential donors or partners, or have any other creative ideas of how to support and help the fight, please email info@elizabethstreetgarden.com
Join the urgent letter writing campaign: Send a pre-written letter (from anywhere in the world) to Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) demanding they stop the eviction and work with the community to save Elizabeth Street Garden. It’s so simple to do, only takes a few seconds, and makes a big difference. We need as many voices as possible.
Share your letter and the urgency of this campaign with friends, family, colleagues, your Substack community, etc.
Read the garden’s win/win proposal and the articles below. Learn about what is happening at ESG and what the plans are for the future
Write your own post about the garden, green spaces, and this topic of urgent preservation - on Substack, Instagram, website, etc.
Share about this story on any platform and with any audience you have access to - newspaper, radio, stage, etc.
Create artwork, music, poetry etc. inspired by the garden. You can find many moving examples of this in their ongoing Call to Artists campaign
Any other creative ideas that you have to raise awareness, drum up more attention, build the choir of voices trying to protect our green spaces. Talk to each other, ask questions, connect and collaborate, be in touch, think outside of the box and act outside of your comfort zone. It’s a time to be wildly creative and push ourselves without hesitation. We need to set new precedents for the future. This fight is urgent. Let’s make history together.
Send A Letter To The Mayor
Help us keep the pressure on while we work on the next legal steps! Send a pre-written letter to Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) demanding they stop the eviction and work with the community to save Elizabeth Street Garden!
We've extended our goal to 500,000 letters!
The City is moving forward with their attempt to evict and destroy the garden. Our legal team is working hard in court and we are doing everything we can to achieve a solution that saves the garden and gets much-needed affordable housing at existing alternative sites within our Community Board and Council districts.
Community green space and affordable housing should never come at the expense of one another!
Open Letter From Local Businesses & Organizations
Over 120 local organizations & businesses have signed on to an open letter to Mayor Adams so far! If you are a local business or organization you can join the list by filling out this google form. Thank you to everyone who has signed on so far!!
Over 130 seniors from the neighborhood have signed an open letter to Mayor Eric Adams urging him to save Elizabeth Street Garden.
More Press
FOX 5 NY - The Battle to save Elizabeth Street Garden in Little Italy: 'It’s so magical
New York Post - Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese and Patti Smith join fight to save Little Italy garden
New York Times - Celebrities Make Last-Ditch Effort to Save Elizabeth Street Garden
The Village Sun - Elizabeth Street Garden’s last stand: Little Italy green dream faces City Hall’s wrecking ball
New York Times - Elementary Students Try to Save Elizabeth Street Garden
New York Post - NYC seniors pen last-ditch plea to save beloved Elizabeth Street Garden: ‘I believe in miracles’
NBC New York - Manhattan neighborhood fights to save Elizabeth Street Garden
NY Daily - OP-ED: Elizabeth Street Garden Must Be Kept
The Atlantic - What Gardens of the Future Should Look Like
Artnet - Beloved Art Oasis Elizabeth Street Garden Faces Destruction
Here are some of my previous Substack posts where I wrote about the Garden:
Quick Links:
Elizabeth Street Garden Website
Elizabeth Street Garden Instagram
Kin Ship x Pathway to Paris Shirts
Facts about the Current Situation
Win/Win Proposal for the Mayor
Thank you so very much for reading through this post, and for any support you can offer. Your actions locally and from anywhere in the world will be appreciated and felt. Please share any thoughts in the comments and as always, I will be grateful and so happy to read anything you would like to share. Sending good energy to you all and thankful for your energy. Good wishes always from NYC. <3
Elizabeth Street Garden, Inc. (ESG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 2016 in New York with the mission to protect & preserve the magic of Elizabeth Street Garden as a public community green space and to determine how the City together with the community can protect the Garden for generations to enjoy.
Just sent the letter to your mayor. Here in Toronto, we are fortunate to have many green spaces. I can only imagine the protests that would arise if any if them were slated for development. Of course affordable housing is important, indeed, vital but not at the expense of our natural environments. I commend you, Jesse, and Joseph and your mom and everyone involved in this struggle. Wishing you nothing but the best. From the photos I've seen, the destruction of this wonderful spot would be a tragedy.
Thank you Jesse & Patti. I sent my letter this morning. I know you have been fighting this fight for many years and I hope the Mayor of New York steps in to save this wonderful neighborhood garden. People have the Power!!