SOUTH CENTRAL FARM, 14 June 2006--The nightly vigils at the South Central Farm are growing. Hundreds of candle-bearing marched the perimeter of the Farm with Aztec danzantes dancing with a Korean band playing nong-ak, or farmers', music. The overnight encampment continues, now on the sidewalk around the Farm, with preparations for vegetarian meals (contributions are welcome). New artwork is lovingly crafted and appearing around the outside of the farm. Rescued camping gear is carefully folded up and placed in the lost and found area. And, above all, plans to take back the Farm are emerging.

For the past three weeks, until the Los Angeles sheriffs stormed the Farm, a parade of celebrities shored up the occupation of the Farm by dozens of Farm denizens and hundreds of supporters who flowed through the Farm daily to volunteer their assistance, support, and vigilance. The celebrity messages were heard around the world. On Monday, just hours before the dawn raid on the Farm, the occupiers sent out their messages. Here are those messages, now more important than ever, from the ordinary people who are making extraordinary sacrifices to save the Farm, and who are now even stronger in their commitment to take back the Farm.

The South Central Farm is an example for the future of all major metropolitan areas, all of the cities and all of the suburbs all over the world. Aside from Farmers growing their own food to provide sustenance for both their families and the surrounding community, the South Central Farm is cleaning LA's air and water while reversing the greenhouse effect. It is mandatory that we save the Farm and spread this message of conservation and hope to cities all around the world in an effort to preserve humanity and Mother Earth.

When I think of this whole ordeal, I think of the cause and effect of both sides. Their side: jobs would be better for the community than the Farm. However, what the Farm has to offer, what strip malls and warehouses don't, is a way of life and a sustainable sense of community, and that affects generations with much more impact and longevity than the previously mentioned.

I'm learning things here, the things I'm forced to do here. It's making a difference in the world to take the attitude that's needed to survive, that's needed to make things happen in the world. The attitude here, if taken to the world outside without the context, of why we need it here would truly make a difference.

I want the Farmers to get their message out.

People need to grasp the significance of the Farmers and ordinary people and the work that they're doing to draw attention to the Farm and to the larger issues of environmental protections and power.

I'd heard before about the Farm, I'm here from North Carolina, traveling up the West Coast. This is incredible. It's like its own little world, like an oasis in the middle of LA. I'm dumbstruck.

I'm in my second day of a hunger strike, and I intend to see it through as long as necessary to secure the Farm that has struggled so long, for three years, and has raised the requisite funds and met all the requirements of Horowitz who purchased the Farm, to secure the Farm for the community. I'm asking for people to support Rufina in her fast, me on my hunger strike, support people on the ground, and keep calling Horowitz, Villaraigosa, and Jan Perry. There's no reason this can't work.

Villaraigosa should support the people who supported him. He should have some sort of accountability to the community.

The Mayor has the power to make this deal happen. We know he has the power. It's time to step up to the plate.

When the leaders lead, the people will follow. Now the people are leading, and Antonio should follow.

I feel this struggle potentially has historical significance, and it's incumbent for people of conscience to be present, both for social justice issues and environmental reasons.

What's more important: jobs or the importance of the community? Jobs are basically tax dollars. We need more open spaces like this. The Farm is going to be key in the future for these urban areas when the population is doubling or tripling, for when people are living on top of each other, and they don't have a place to garden. They need more of these places in urban areas. We need more open spaces like this.

Come on and join the struggle of the Farmers, because it's the struggle of every person trying to gain some self-sufficiency.

Help liberate more lots to start more autonomous zones, so that people can feed themselves and don't have to rely on all this supermarket crap or just, like, meat--so they have alternatives. Start places like this.

As a children's social worker, I work with kids in this community, and this kind of an environment is one of the few alternatives to the gang activity that's in the street.

I've learned a lot about my own Indigenous heritage just by being part of the protests, and I can see clearly now that the levels of learning extend deeper the longer I'm here, those levels being farming and horticulture, tradition, family, grassroots living. It's taught me that, although the people who cultivate this land are impoverished, they're living what a lot of intellectual people with money are just beginning to live, and what I mean by that is the whole trend to organic whole foods, back to basics. I'm not saying that the Farm is a substitute for this, but I've seen a classroom here, I've seen a rehab here, I've seen a therapeutic setting, I've seen people learning about business and politics, and how community can develop when people have a passion and a common goal.

Hey, Mama, I just got enrolled in school, my phone got disconnected, I'll call you when I can. Send me some sage. I love you.

P.S.
Stop talking, listen, and act.

We need change in this world to advance humanity, a revolution of sorts for all people and the environment . . . hang on, I've got to open the door . . . We need change cause it's always a story of the exploiter few and the exploited many. And it's a shame how most media pushes materialism coming down on the listeners and the watchers for them not to think on their own. For them not to think, period. Telling them that consumerism and that you can make millions by being a part of our system, the capitalist system. Everyone please open your eyes, emancipate your mind form mental slavery and never forget we're all human beings

Horowitz--How much money do you need, and are you going to spend it in your lifetime?

It's safety right here. Nobody don't get shot on da outside, we don't be feeling sick from all the junk food, and I'm starting to gain a six-pack. It's a cool place to be--no drugs, no beer, no weapons, and crazy parties. It's a place where we can all come together from celebrities to gangbangers. We can all come here and share our space. Fuck the Mayor, fuck the City Council and corporate media. Here you can learn about what's real and what's not. Perspectives change, and your mindset will never be the same.

I really appreciate about this whole thing, the workers here, when it's over and the Farm is still here, we can all go home knowing we've helped people. And to me that's the most satisfying thing--the small community I never would have known and to have the opportunity to be of some benefit to them. And hopefully, someday, if I'm ever in a similar situation, there'll be a group of people to come help me out. Like, a friend of mine says, "You guys are wasting all that good activism. Why don't you go try to stop a war or something like that?" So I said, "Well, we can win this battle." He still didn't get it, but I understand that mentality about forgetting about the smaller causes, but you can't win the war without winning the battles.

Whether or not local politicians are OK with it or not, Indigenous people are taking back our land and practicing our culture adamantly and aggressively. Even if we have to use civil disobedience to practice who we are, to carry out our world view, our way of life, and our culture, we will do that. And the South Central Farm is a necessity in our community, and the politicians see that, they know that. But Indigenous people's needs are so far from politician's needs in a society that depends on capitalism.

Our existence, our very existence depends on practicing our culture: agriculture, use of medicinal plants, scientifically observing our surrounding. Them trying to stop us from preserving our culture is tantamount to genocide.

It's very important for everyone to realize that although we're occupying this land, Mexicans and Central Americans are the majority, that we are indigenous to the Western hemisphere, and we have ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and historical ties to this land, and our people have practiced this way of life for over four thousand three hundred years. The artificial boundaries and divisions that descendents of European people have created for our people should not be acknowledged.

In our attempt to gain the favor of those in power, I have made my ability as an artist a means to that outcome.

Estados Unidos es un imperialista yankis que manipula a toda latinoamerican porque se cree los poderoso del mundo, no se confirman de manipular a los pobres de otras naciones, y todavía manipulan a su propio pueblo sin tener corazón del pueblo. Basta ya con la depresión de los campesinos, obreros, niños y niñas. South Central Farmers no somos criminales, no somos rateros, somos campesinos fue comen de nuestras tierras. Abajo con el imperialista yanki, Arriba los obreros y campesino.

Patria Libre or Morir. Le Lucha Sigue.

This is my third day of fasting, and my third day of treesitting at the Watchtower, the Heart of the Farm. Every day at 7:00 when people come to visit, to see all the volunteers coming from all different parts, I hope that that message is transferred to the Mayor. It speaks to the caliber of people in L.A., that people really care about the environment, that they really care about helping to save the Farm here, in its geographic location for the people here. There's a lot of violence in the area--it's good to see that there's a lot of support for ending that and for the environment. There are six hundred trees here, so we hope that the Mayor would look at that and close the deal. There are a lot of people who've taken time from their own obligations, and there's a lot of people who've been suffering for three years not knowing if this place was going to stay, depending on the goodwill of people who have the power to save this place.