Reading and Writing the Book of our Lives

School isn't just about reading books, studying for tests and putting our thoughts on paper. We try to bring our eyes, ears, hands and hearts into the learning process. That was the intention as the Dreamers and college students met at Nautilus for the first time this semester, four days after working together at the Roots in the City community garden to celebrate Martin Luther King Day. Half of the students illustrated patches of cloth with messages and images of peace that will eventually form a quilt honoring Dr. King. We're sending the quilt to the Nicaraguan Sonadores in Chacraseca as a gift this summer. A colorful symbol of our love for each other started emerging before our eyes.

The other goal of the class was to introduce the main project for the semester, also for the Sonadores: a book about the garden they can read to learn about Miami. We’ll hold class at the garden three times in the next few months to observe its beauty and reflect on its importance—an experience that will form one of the main “readings” for our class.

The garden book will say something about not just that little square block of dark soil and green plants in the middle of Overtown, but also about our everyday lives. We’re structuring the book as a tour of the garden with thirteen stops, each the basis of student essays. As half of the students illustrated and patched the MLK quilt, the other half looked at pictures of the garden and reflection questions to start developing their essays. Trenice chose to write about sunflowers. Malana chose to write about Dr. Marvin Dunne, the founder of the garden. And Sendy chose to write about the Dorsey House across the street (a historical building that was once the residence of D.A. Dorsey, Miami’s first black millionaire.)

Here are the thirteen garden stops on our tour and some reflection questions for each--the seeds of what we hope turns out to be an interesting story about where we live and who we are!

--Alex Salinas

1) Garden Itself: Welcome!
What are the different tasks in maintaining a healthy garden? What part do people play? What part does mother nature play? What other things in life are like maintaining a garden?

2) Food Crops
The garden has sustained collard greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, bananas...does anyone cook these foods in your family? Do these foods bring back any special memories? What does food have to do with traditions?

3) Dr. Marvin Dunn
Why did Dr. Dunn start the garden? What do you think he has learned from working there?

4) Jackson's Soul Food
What kind of food and atmosphere this restaurant offers? Why do you think the owners chose this kind of food and atmosphere? Why are restaurants important to neighborhoods?

5) Church
Have you been to this church or one like it? What do you gain from the experience and what do you learn from it?

6) Expressways
Where do these expressways go? How did the expressways affect the development of Overtown? Are most people in Miami aware of these effects?

7) Doug Dunn
Doug organizes work at the garden. What is the biggest challenge you think he faces doing his work? What do you think he has learned from working there?

8) Dorsey House
Who was Dorsey? Why is this house preserved? Why is it important to preserve old buildings? Is Dorsey's story still important today?

9) Sunflower
What is unique about this plant? What does it contribute to the experience of enjoying the garden? What do the colors and shapes of the flowers remind you of?

10) Herb
How do people use these plants?

11) Garden Staff
How does the staff believe the garden benefits the community? What have they learned from working at the garden?

12) Mound of Dirt
Why is soil important to plants? Describe the process of moving the soil to the beds and what this says about the importance of teamwork in everyday life?

13) Condominiums
What is gentrification? Do you think the residents of the condominiums know about the garden? What would you tell them about it?