Milagro Allegro Provides Place for Community to Grow Together

One of the major concerns facing gentrifying communities is that the neighborhood will be divided up along racial and class lines. 

However, one placewhere neighborhood newcomers and long time residents can blur those lines is Milagro Allegro Community Garden. According to a recent interview with Occidental College student Emie George through KCET's Young Voices Project, Mark Mihm of Milagro Allegro explained how the garden's lottery system has brought Highland Park's diverse population together. 

From KCET: 

What do you see as Milagro Allegro's impact on neighborhood identity, the community and public life?

Good question, I think the impact has been huge. The neighborhood has really embraced the garden and has had a softening effect on everyone. On a personal level I now know everyone in the neighborhood. I lived in the neighborhood for seven years without meeting anyone and suddenly we all know each other. It's quite amazing.

Another interesting example is that, when we opened the city suddenly decided to redo the sidewalks around the garden, even though neighbors had been requesting new sidewalks for fifteen years. Since we had a direct line to Councilmember Ed Reyes, suddenly our once neglected community was being fast-tracked. We felt like the garden put us on the map.

[Click here to read the full interview.]