The Laney Garden, located near Eagle Village and the Laney Bistro, is a hidden gem on campus. The garden creates an oasis-like environment, but it is so much more.
The Oakland branch of the International Rescue Committee uses the garden to help new Cambodian immigrants stay connected to their culinary and agricultural practices. 
With a place to garden, new immigrants can practice traditional agriculture, create cuisine that reminds them of home, and grow organic produce in the process.
Though the garden flourishes, it remains at risk of being replaced by a “flex zone” for construction projects, including the proposed Student Center and Library. The garden was recently spared but it is still at risk in the future. 
Although the Garden supports Cambodian immigrants, brings joy to students, and creates a beautiful atmosphere, it is still underutilized. In order to save the garden from future construction projects, it’s important to integrate the garden into our campus community. 
For example, if the Laney College Bistro and cafeteria donated their food scraps, they could be turned into fresh, inexpensive compost that could be used to grow healthy fruits and vegetables. 
Those fruits and vegetables could be used in food production at Laney that is inexpensive, organic, and truly garden-to-table. 
Through garden cultivation, volunteers could start a small farmer’s market on campus, bringing inexpensive produce to other community members. Volunteers could also utilize the garden space to continue campus sage-building workshops, in order to create safe spaces for women of color to participate in indigenous cultural practices organically and cost efficiently. 
It is imperative that the Laney community support the Laney Garden. 
The garden is already thriving and creating positive ripples throughout our community. Those effects will increase if the garden is fully integrated into our campus.

Lauren Jelks is a staff writer at the Laney Tower. E-mail her at laurentjelks(at)gmail.com.