Field of Dreams-Aijalon Farms and Healing Center
Donation protected
If You Build It, They Will Come...
Phase I:
***We Need to Secure $530,000 by December 31, 2020 for the purchase of the land and for water rights and access + fees***
Aijalon Farms and Healing Center Pitch Deck
***This property sits on Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux and Ute Land and will be recognized for Reparations and Healing*** Updated 8/26/2020 Native Land Map
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HERITAGE
If you looked at my parents, you wouldn’t know they were products of slavery unless you knew their story. My father was born on the riverbanks of the Marks River in the poorest state in the Union, the state of Mississippi. He was the son of a Southern Baptist preacher’s son. He was also the product of an unwanted affair, much like his grandfather, who raised him, being an unwanted bi-racial child of slavery himself.
Then there’s my mother, an immigrant from South Korea who was born during the Japanese occupation and lived through the Korean war. Her journey of servitude started at the young age of 8, being sold into slavery to feed her starving family during South Korea’s recovery.
Both stories are tied to land, the results of wars that sacrificed millions of lives just to acquire it. This is my heritage. Hearing the very word, “heritage,” reminds us to contemplate on the past and to honor those who made sacrifices to pave the way for future generations. A future that reflects in me and my family members.
HISTORY
Farmers of color, immigrant farmers, and female farmers, who typically have smaller farms receive less government support than any other farmer. The 2018 Farm Bill continues to perpetuate discriminatory trends and by doing so, will inevitably fall short of transforming the U.S. food system.
Farmers of color face other challenges as well, from challenges in succession planning and a lack of capital to pay taxes and liens, to resistance to farming rooted in the historical trauma associated with slavery. And while the attraction in farming seems to be growing, many ethnic farmers start out from a disadvantage, often lacking access to family land or wealth. Now facing a pandemic, access is virtually non-existent.
LIBERATION
My dream has always been to create a healing space for marginalized populations. As a woman of color, a single mother and a caregiver of two family members living with multiple disabilities, I have seen and experienced these inequities.
It is time for change. We can all acknowledge that in order to change, we must heal from the history of pain and trauma that has been maintained by a dominant society, especially here in Colorado. We are now taking contributions to build Aijalon Farms and Healing Center in Ft. Collins, CO., where the population of BIPOC residents is less than 2.5% combined! As a human being, I am asking to build a better future that is inclusive to everyone. That means a seat at the table for every individual who has ever felt that they didn’t belong.
GRATITUDE
We need you! Yes, YOU! You can make a difference today, right now, in this very moment to make an impact. You can transform someone’s life by helping to build a path to healing. You can support us in giving voice to the voiceless and to stop the pain of so many who have suffered in silence.
From My Family to yours, "Thank You"!
Remember, we are building something amazing here. For those donors who are interested in research and development, especially in rebuilding a new, more resilient food system, we are your incubator! Please check out our pitch deck online and our views on regenerative practices.
***For every donation, your name will be engraved into a brick to build our walking labyrinth as a memory of your gracious gift in building the farm and center***
Phase I:
***We Need to Secure $530,000 by December 31, 2020 for the purchase of the land and for water rights and access + fees***
Aijalon Farms and Healing Center Pitch Deck
***This property sits on Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux and Ute Land and will be recognized for Reparations and Healing*** Updated 8/26/2020 Native Land Map
______________________________________________________________________________________
HERITAGE
If you looked at my parents, you wouldn’t know they were products of slavery unless you knew their story. My father was born on the riverbanks of the Marks River in the poorest state in the Union, the state of Mississippi. He was the son of a Southern Baptist preacher’s son. He was also the product of an unwanted affair, much like his grandfather, who raised him, being an unwanted bi-racial child of slavery himself.
Then there’s my mother, an immigrant from South Korea who was born during the Japanese occupation and lived through the Korean war. Her journey of servitude started at the young age of 8, being sold into slavery to feed her starving family during South Korea’s recovery.
Both stories are tied to land, the results of wars that sacrificed millions of lives just to acquire it. This is my heritage. Hearing the very word, “heritage,” reminds us to contemplate on the past and to honor those who made sacrifices to pave the way for future generations. A future that reflects in me and my family members.
HISTORY
Farmers of color, immigrant farmers, and female farmers, who typically have smaller farms receive less government support than any other farmer. The 2018 Farm Bill continues to perpetuate discriminatory trends and by doing so, will inevitably fall short of transforming the U.S. food system.
Farmers of color face other challenges as well, from challenges in succession planning and a lack of capital to pay taxes and liens, to resistance to farming rooted in the historical trauma associated with slavery. And while the attraction in farming seems to be growing, many ethnic farmers start out from a disadvantage, often lacking access to family land or wealth. Now facing a pandemic, access is virtually non-existent.
LIBERATION
My dream has always been to create a healing space for marginalized populations. As a woman of color, a single mother and a caregiver of two family members living with multiple disabilities, I have seen and experienced these inequities.
It is time for change. We can all acknowledge that in order to change, we must heal from the history of pain and trauma that has been maintained by a dominant society, especially here in Colorado. We are now taking contributions to build Aijalon Farms and Healing Center in Ft. Collins, CO., where the population of BIPOC residents is less than 2.5% combined! As a human being, I am asking to build a better future that is inclusive to everyone. That means a seat at the table for every individual who has ever felt that they didn’t belong.
GRATITUDE
We need you! Yes, YOU! You can make a difference today, right now, in this very moment to make an impact. You can transform someone’s life by helping to build a path to healing. You can support us in giving voice to the voiceless and to stop the pain of so many who have suffered in silence.
From My Family to yours, "Thank You"!
Remember, we are building something amazing here. For those donors who are interested in research and development, especially in rebuilding a new, more resilient food system, we are your incubator! Please check out our pitch deck online and our views on regenerative practices.
***For every donation, your name will be engraved into a brick to build our walking labyrinth as a memory of your gracious gift in building the farm and center***
Organizer
Benu Amun-Ra
Organizer
Fort Collins, CO
