Creating places of healing for people in need
By: Jose Jasso (he/him) Canyonlands Outreach Coordinator
Nature is a resource, and like any must-have resource can be abundant in certain communities and scarce in another. Southeast San Diego is one such area where the lack of access to nature spaces is being tackled. We talked to Khalid Alexander Founder and President of Pillars of the Community, an organization where community members come together to learn about one another, foster relationships, and mobilize for community change and social justice.
Inspired by natural healing spaces like the Cuyamaca Water Conservation Garden, Khalid had originally gotten the property on which the Oasis Garden now lives with the idea to create a large indoor space for the community. But when COVID hit, they pivoted instead to make an outdoor healing space for southeast San Diego. When asked about why connecting the community to a nature space was so important, Khalid responded, “Nothing can replace outdoor healing spaces.” He went on to say that public parks are just large areas of green grass, there is no real connection between that and nature. “Nature can be great when it is not strictly manicured.”
Right now, the Oasis Garden is specifically for people who have been incarcerated or for those who have a loved one that is incarcerated. Visitors have reported that they are all impacted to the point that it makes them want to create their own spaces of healing. “The City and County should be a lot more attuned to focusing on these types of spaces, creating public spaces into oasis gardens” Alexander says, “people are disconnected from nature because they don’t have the opportunity to experience the beauty of a 150 year old olive tree. It's impactful to see nature you wouldn't see in a public park.”
Nature is essential to human life and, as great as technology gets, there is no replicating the sensation of being under a tree, smelling the aromas tied to plants, or rubbing native plant life between your fingers. Khalid is doing what we strive to do as an organization and bringing nature to a community in need. When asked what tips he would give to get started in creating a natural space he replied, “talk to somebody who knows what they’re doing.”
As our communities continue to fill with concrete and pixels, there is more of a need for the greenery that used to dominate this land, and we applaud Mr. Alexander for his work in bringing a much needed healing space to people who do not have the same access to botanical gardens or green spaces as others.