Seattle, Washington story
A Garden of Activism
What does a community garden have to do with civil rights? In 1975, in Seattle's Chinatown-International District, it had everything to do with it. Asian American activists looked…
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What does a community garden have to do with civil rights? In 1975, in Seattle's Chinatown-International District, it had everything to do with it. Asian American activists looked at a piece of steep, undeveloped land owned by a businessman named Danny Woo and saw a possibility.
They negotiated with Woo to convert his property into a space for the people. The result was the Danny Woo International District Community Garden. It wasn't just about planting vegetables; it was about claiming space and fostering community strength in an urban landscape.
Today, the garden bears Danny Woo's name in his honor, serving as a lush, green sanctuary. It's a living testament to the power of grassroots organizing and the simple, radical act of growing something together.
Updated June 2026