Planting Change at UIC’s Heritage Garden
To the casual observer, UIC’s Heritage Garden may seem like just a space to work with plants and greenery. However, it’s a place where individuals can nurture their wellness alongside horticulture and amplify the voices of underserved communities. Here, students cultivate plants, connections, change, and understanding—recognizing that plants represent cultural significance beyond their environmental impact.
What is the Heritage Garden?
The Heritage Garden is an experimental garden; a hands-on collaborative project with the seven Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change (CCUSC), rooted in the Latino Cultural Center (LCC). Sarita Hernàndez, Heritage Garden Program Director and Student Support, explains, “It’s a student run program with a big emphasis on the arts and creative engagement with the environment.”
Dr. Rosa Cabrera, Executive Director of LCC, and Dr. Lori Barcliff Baptista, former Director of the Black Cultural Center (BCC), formed the Heritage Garden by helping a group of students write a proposal to the UIC Sustainability Fund. Since then, its conservation efforts have been funded by the Sustainability Fund and continue to grow with increasing support. Project-based grants from the US Forest Service International Program support initiatives like the 2022 pollinator mural project with artist Mario Mena and the Monarch Butterfly habitat: one of the nine satellite gardens located on the east side of campus!
Jeshaun Creswell-Jones, a Heritage Garden student leader, explains that the garden is built on three pillars: environmental sustainability, social justice, and cultural diversity. CCSUSC’s joint efforts empower all students, faculty, and staff to build a strong sense of identity and belonging at UIC, through its mission of promoting intercultural learning, student mentorship, cultural programming, advocacy, and community relationships. The Heritage Garden is open for everyone to enjoy, whether admiring its beauty or diving into its learning opportunities.
Initiatives
Satellite gardens
Seed Library
Creative projects
Getting involved
Each semester, students can apply for an internship at the Heritage Garden. All projects are conducted by the students and adapt to each season.
The Heritage Garden also hosts public programs such as volunteer dates, providing hands-on gardening experiences and insights on connecting horticulture with its three pillars. Activities vary from low-intensity tasks like seed sorting and seed bomb making to high-intensity tasks such as olla burying and weeding, providing a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.
Volunteers should be ready to get their hands dirty, make new friends, learn new skills, and have fun!
Keep an eye out for new events during the semester as well as annual programs such as the Fall harvest fest and Spring seed swap, which are open for everyone to visit. To learn more about the Heritage Garden, follow @uicheritagegarden, visit the satellite gardens, or attend their public events.
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Through hands-on projects, student-led initiatives, and collaborative efforts with local organizations, the garden fosters a sense of belonging and purpose. Whether you're looking to learn, volunteer, or simply enjoy the beauty of native plants, the Heritage Garden offers something for everyone.
Check out this video and then visit the garden in person to see it nurturing the land, celebrating diversity, and working towards a more just and sustainable future for all.