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Posted on 12/15/2021 3:33:00 PM PST by george76
Over a year into the completion of San Diego State University’s racial healing garden, few students, scholars and staff appear to be spending time within its circumference.
The $250,000 Native and Indigenous Healing Garden at the public university was built amid tensions regarding the Aztec warrior mascot, accused of racism, cultural appropriation and toxic masculinity.
The healing garden is meant to honor Native Americans and the Aztec culture “at a time when we need to ‘heal’ over the issue of indigenous identities,” according to a 2018 Aztec Identity Task Force report.
The garden was completed in March 2020. A grand opening fete never occurred due to the onset of COVID.
Campus sources say that, since then, it sits unused.
“I pass it nearly every day I go to my office. It cost a quarter million dollars, and every day, it’s empty,” one SDSU professor told The College Fix on the condition of anonymity.
“There’s not a single person sitting on the one bench they installed. So it’s a quarter million dollars for … what precisely? A garden that nobody visits.”
The College Fix also reached out to the SDSU College Republicans regarding the garden.
“We can say will full confidence that most, if not all, of us at SDSU CR have not noticed the garden being used or enjoyed by anyone,” the GOP group said in an emailed statement.
“It is sad to see such an incredible amount of money spent on something that seems to be forgotten by most of the students of SDSU. This is especially sad because such a project like a garden should foster a positive community environment on campus. We hope to see the university take more steps to encourage engagement with the garden and it’s surrounding area.”
Pictures and videos of the completed garden show it largely lacks user-friendly features such as grassy areas and shade. It includes only one bench. It consists mainly of a spiral sidewalk flanked by native shrubs and rocks.
“The majority of the plants are annuals and will have a seasonal growth period and then go to seed, die down, and return as new plants while the trees and shrubs will grow larger over time and create a space reflective of the natural environment,” according to the university’s website.
La Monica Everett-Haynes, associate vice president of strategic communications and public affairs, and Cory Marshall, associate director of media relations, did not respond to emails from The College Fix seeking comment.
Question left unanswered include whether there’s plans to host events at the garden in the near or far future and if any classes or outside groups utilize the garden in any way. The campus spokespersons also did not answer a question about the cost to maintain the garden annually.
In Spring 2021, the garden did play host to a concert to promote environmentalism.
According to the university’s website, the garden “embodies the symbols and plants of life and of healing – physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
The College Fix asked the professor who passes the garden daily if medicinal marijuana is being grown among the indigenous shrubs.
“At least if they grew pot, it would have a use,” the professor replied.
expensive masturbation garden
Ooohh..., yeah, pretty grisly.
Somebody made off with 240K bilk job.
A racial healing garden is a place where black people can watch whites pick cotton.
Not a good idea to isolate oneself in a garden around there.
The is a place for what? Aztecs to sacrifice a young virgin from one of their subjugated peoples?
It’s a cleansing ritual, which, you know, is a kind of healing.
Hey, where are they going to get a virgin in California these days? No wonder we’re suffering from tornadoes and stuff. The gods aren’t happy!
My neighbor loves her Garden she thinks it’s great and I don’t have the heart to tell her it’s 99% weeds
The Aztecs never ruled in California before the Spanish came. If they had, the local people would not have experienced peace and healing.
Turn it into a homeless camp and they will come in droves.
Not very big and are the green poles to hold onto so you don’t fall down from laughing
It’s not inviting. That’s why no one goes there.
SDSU has performed a major public act of virtue signaling. That was the point and that is all that matters.
Note the difference in the figures. I think the darker look of the Aztec priests/priest assistants is due to their religious cult’s tradition of not bathing...but at least they haven’t put on a victim’s raw skin yet.
Do they have a second volume on intertribal slavery and rape?
I thought those were fancy fireplugs for the doggies.
Sitting and contemplating are Western imperialist constructs. This garden is for squatting on burning hot grit and chanting healing prayers.
BWAHAHA!!!!
There’s a picture of it at the link. Ugly as sin.
No wonder nobody is using it. There’s no shade, no green and no flowers.
Good place to crap your dog.
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