by Andy Naja-Riese March 16– Assembly Member Robert Rivas (D- Hollister) made an exciting announcement about a bill he introduced called the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act (AB 125). If you missed it live, you can watch the press conference here. Agricultural Institute of Marin is […]
Guest Post
AIM’s 5-Year Strategic Plan
The Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM)–an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the San Francisco Bay Area through the Grand Lake Farmers Market, seven other Certified Farmers Markets, and other food- and hunger-related social programs–released a new, far-reaching 3-Year Strategic Plan that seeks to create a model for a local and regional food system that is healthy […]
Rotary Nature Center Friends Lakeside Chats
ROTARY NATURE CENTER FRIENDS LAKESIDE CHATS by David Wofford Our next Lakeside Chat with Hilary Powers of the Golden Gate Audubon Society will be on Friday March 5th, 7:00pm-8:00pm. Join us as Hilary takes us to some of her favorite birding spots at Lake Merritt. She will share her perspectives on the species and ecological […]
AIM’s Path to Racial Equity
From Andy Naja-Riese, AIM CEO – In partnership with AIM’s Board of Directors, we have developed and published our Path to Racial Equity where we can contribute to creating an equitable food and farming system. Racial equity is the fair treatment of people of all races. We will achieve racial equity in the food and farming system […]
Farmers Market AIMing for a Five Year Lease
by Jerry Barclay – After two-plus years of on/off negotiations for the operation of the Grand Lake Farmers Market at Splash Pad Park, a long-sought agreement between the Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM) and the City of Oakland is expected to be completed in early 2021. One last issue has delayed a deal, but that appears […]
From Vietnam to the Land of Opportunity
by Marcia Lam – I was born in North Vietnam. In February 1978, as property was being confiscated and relations with China were deteriorating, my parents (like thousands of other ethnic Chinese) decided to leave with their four kids (ages 8, 6, 4, and 2) plus one in my mom’s tummy. We were accompanied by […]
From Gujarat to Lakeshore: Living the American Dream
by the Patel family – In Gujarat, India, Jessie’s family tended to a sugarcane and rice farm, which may help explain why she still loves working in her garden. In 1974, when still a teenager, she emigrated to the United States along with her parents and four siblings in search of better economic opportunities and […]
Splash Pad’s California Native Garden
A message from Mary Jo Sutton:The California native plant beds in Splash Pad Park are maintained solely by volunteers. If you are interested in learning about native plants and have a little time to spare, please join us on the 4th Sunday of every month. We work from 9 am – 12 pm but some […]
Splash Pad News – August 2020
Salsa By The Lake by C.J.Hirschfield You really could call communications/public affairs professional Isaac Kos-Reed the ultimate Lake Merritt lover. He lives on its shore and, for 13 years, he’s been dancing by it. And now? He’s taken a sworn oath to protect it. But the current weekend craziness at his beloved Lake threatens to […]
Elida Scola – Celebrates 35 Years on Grand
In 1983 when I met Michael, the owner of Donoho Gallery at 3421 Grand, we had dark brown hair. We were both skinny and anxious, he as the caregiver to a partner with a mysterious disease and me on the brink of self-employment. Mothers with children were no longer forced to cross the street since […]