Planting A Legacy for Za’layia
Episode #079
“Each year we want [the garden] just to grow, and grow and grow.... Her little body can’t grow anymore so this is her body, and I want people to realize that. This is her...
“I know the whole neighborhood heard what happened in my house that night because it spills over and the screams and fighting and the arguing. And so why... then you see me the next morning and you don’t even say, are you okay? You know, is everything okay, Venice? Say something! Say something to a child! Say something!”
Venice Williams is Executive Director of Alice’s Garden, a two acre community garden with programming centered around helping young people.
Recently a few young boys with a BB gun shot out the windows of the van and truck she uses to transport produces to the farmer’s market. In an open note on her Facebook wall, Venice invited the boys to apple pie and conversation at her home. Because she worries about what might happen if they destroy someone else’s property. She hasn’t received a response.
Because of her reaction, Venice got a lot of attention in local news. And since then youth serving groups have reached out. Including St. Rose, a group home for girls. They took a recent field trip to Alice’s Garden, where Venice taught them about resiliency.
Venice Williams runs programming centered around helping young people out of Alice’s Garden. Credit: Emily Forman
A close up of some of the damage to front window of a van used by Venice William, executive director of Alice's Garden. Credit: Angela Peterson | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Read more about Alice's Garden by Journal Sentinel reporters Jim Stingl and Marion Renault
