The Magnolia Tree Earth Center
was founded by luminary, first African-American EcoEducator, and Bed-Stuy champion, Hattie Carthan. In the 1960’s, Hattie combined three brownstones near Herbert von King Park and founded the center, a community space to teach the next generation about land stewardship and ecology. The property boasts a landmarked magnolia tree on the front lawn (one of two trees landmarked in New York State). In 2023, the center fell into disrepair and was in threat of eviction by the City of New York, giving way to rapid gentrification already underway in Bed Stuy, for luxury housing.
For our final project for the Laundromat Project’s Create Change 2023 Fellowship, we reached out to the organization to assess their needs, map community assets and pitch in as local artists, cultural producers and community advocates with social practices. Our project had three main components - creating a visual suite for an awareness campaign, creating a zine with a nod to the original stewards of this land, the Lenape People, and an activation during Juneteenth. With the support of the Laundromat Project, we were able to assist the center with fundraising efforts to meet their urgent goal of over $100k within the span of 45 days.
Creating a Visual Suite for an Awareness Campaign:
With our team’s combined strengths in illustration, graphic design and advocacy, we created a wheatpasting poster for a local campaign with a hero image and an informational QR code, a double-sided poster for sale with the hero image above, the other side linking Hattie Carthan’s legacy with the Lenape People’s original methods of land stewardship and self-sufficiency. With the latter, we conducted research on the practices of the Lenape People and sought to convey the local flora and fauna’s original use in Lenape language.
Our inspiration and motivation for the suite posits Black and Brown people’s historical values of self-sufficiency, land stewardship, community care and radical imagination to combat the denigrating effects of gentrification, capitalism and white supremacy.
“The Anti-Capitalist Approach to a Self-Sufficient Bed-Stuy: Lenape Land Stewardship as a Model for Black and Brown People” A Zine
Our team produced a zine for sale, meant to inspire Black and Brown folx to reflect on the nature of abundance, community care and decolonizing gardening practices. The zine draws on Hattie Carthan’s legacy and work, as well as the Lenape People’s methods of land stewardship.
“The Anti-Capitalist Approach to a Self-Sufficient Bed-Stuy: Lenape Land Stewardship as a Model for Black and Brown People” posits critical thinking questions, as well as a list of community resources.
The zine is available at Mil Mundos, with 50% of the proceeds going to the center.
Juneteenth Activation
In community with Bed Stuy and supported by the Laundromat Project, our team hosted a booth during a Juneteenth block party at Restoration Plaza, where we sold our products in support of the Magnolia Tree Earth Center and raised awareness within the community. In addition to the posters and zines, we also sold native plants donated by the George Street Butterfly Garden.
The event raised funds towards the center’s fundraising goals and awareness about the center’s urgent needs. Our team continues to engage with the center’s leadership, providing support with advocacy as needed.