Students Harvest Solutions by Gardening at UIC

At the heart of the Heritage Garden are its mission, initiatives, and the dedicated students who bring them to life. The vibrant space isn't just for plants—it's where students engage with the critical issues of our time. The garden's pillars focus on environmental sustainability, cultural diversity, and social justice.

Sarita Hernández, Program Director and Student Support, ensures the garden thrives as a hub for education and empowerment. Her dedication nurtures both the garden and the students, fostering an environment where new ideas flourish. Jeshaun Creswell-Jones, a student leader, energizes and guides the garden's mission, emphasizing sustainability and social justice in their initiatives. To get an overview of the gardens, check out this blog post.

In this follow-up, students can learn more about each satellite garden, explore a few of the programs, and hear directly from Jeshuan to learn about his experience as an intern.

Satellite gardens

1. Monarch butterfly habitat: This habitat is in response to the 80% decline in the Monarch butterflies due to habitat loss. The Monarch, symbolizing immigration for the Latino community, inspires environmental action and promotes discussions on cultural understanding and social justice. By planting milkweed, the habitat supports pollinators like butterflies, birds, and bats.
2. LCC North: Ideal spot for growing plants, vegetables, or fruits that don't need direct sunlight all day. Previous plants include swamp milkweed, diviner’s sage, chocolate mint, bok choy, kanna, marsh mallow hibiscus, brussel sprouts, and more!
3. Bioswale: Features a variety of culturally significant native plants from Illinois, many were donated by the American Indian Center of Chicago. Over time, these plants will spread across the site, recreating a native prairie.
4. Quad west - Library: Similar to LCC North, the location grows plants, vegetables, and fruit. Previous plants include: watermelon, chamomile, bee balm, kale, dill, basil, peppers, banana, marigolds, corn, and more!
5. Quad east - SCE: Previous plants in this garden include: strawberry, pasture rose, black raspberry, chia, Russian mammoth sunflowers, okra, peonies, and beans. Try to identify as many as you can the next time you are at Quad east.
6. LCE (wheelchair accessible): Designed for easy garden access and inclusiveness, this bed features aromatic plants like lavender, sage, and eucalyptus, offering a unique way to experience UIC's gardens.
7. Native American Plants: Also known as Shikaakwa, this satellite site was created with the American Indian Center of Chicago, honoring Indigenous land of Chicago and its centuries-old plants that sustain humans and wildlife.
8. AACC and AARCC: Previous plants at this location include: hosta, blackberry, garden phlox, blueberry, rosemary, curry plant, lemon verbena, lemon balm, stevia, and more.
9. Native Garden Demonstration Site: This newest garden addition is already becoming vibrant, thanks to students and Dr. Eli Suzukovich III. Future plans include interactive features. Sarita notes, “While we showcase tropical plants in summer, native gardens are crucial for community connection, storytelling, and climate change mitigation.”

Use this map to visit each garden.

Seed Library
The Heritage Garden Seed Library began in 2014 with seeds from the Jane Addams Hull House Museum, evolving into an educational mobile toolkit developed by Heritage Garden interns to promote sustainable gardening practices. It continues to grow as it travels, exchanging seeds with donors and garden enthusiasts during events such as its annual Spring seed swap.

Creative projects
Each year, the Heritage Garden creates a project to explore the intersection of culture, social justice, and environmental issues, often using reusable materials as a form of social action. Check out the Flickr Feed to see photos from last month’s soap making workshop. Past projects include the 2022 community recipes and stories, the 2021 recipe zine, the 2018 art bottles, the 2017 Shikaakwa scrapbook, and more dating back to inception!

Internships
Students can apply for an internship to work with the Heritage Garden. Emphasizing that this is a student-run program, Sarita explains, “Student leaders are promoted from those who have previously been in the program, allowing generational knowledge to be passed down. My role is to ensure students feel supported and provide a helpful process informed by their feedback and ideas…” as the students have the ability to hire new interns.

Jeshaun was initially drawn to the Heritage Garden by its campus-wide gardening efforts and its commitment to activism. The experience not only introduced them to gardening and land stewardship but also educated them on environmental and social injustices, both locally and globally. Now a leader, Jeshaun explains that students are actively involved in maintaining the gardens. With the guidance of Sarita, student leaders plan weekly agendas for the Heritage Garden.

For students not sure where to begin, Jeshaun recommends “Our yearly fall harvest fest! During the Harvest fest we have many different stations where you could build seed bombs, make teas, take home seeds, any herbs that we may have, and many more! This and the seed swap are very important events that we prepare for heavily each year. These showcase the fruits of our work in the gardens.”

-------

The Heritage Garden showcases how educational spaces can tackle global challenges, unite diverse communities, and inspire positive change. Students' passion and hard work breathe life into the garden, making it a place of growth and connection.

Each helping hand involved contributes to a larger vision of interconnectedness and stewardship. They are the driving force behind innovative projects and initiatives that extend far beyond the garden beds.