Planting seeds of change in East Los Angeles

Alfonso Aceves says much has improved in the once-violent East L.A. area since his family moved there six decades ago. But one thing has gotten worse for a community that includes many farmworkers: the availability of fresh, affordable produce. City Council members are hoping to change that with a motion to encourage property owners to turn vacant lots and spaces into urban gardens, bringing the farms to the neighborhood. Supporters are excited about an urban garden project sponsored by city government, rather than going through what can be a cumbersome process involving non-profits. “We are 100 percent independent and self-sustained, no loans, no grants, no government takedowns, no nonprofits – and we want to keep it that way. We don’t want to answer to grants and go by what they say. We want to go by what we say.” The full story and a video are on Boyle Heights Beat.[youtube=http://youtu.be/UUkLjf6DGKM]