Cada hoja, cada semilla y cada voz en el jardín forman parte de una historia más grande: una historia sobre recordar quiénes somos, cuidar la tierra y crecer juntos.

Mixtec Community Garden (El Jardín Mixteco) was born in the spring of 2016, when members of the Mixtec Community in Linda Vista who were part of Familia Indígena Unida came together with the dream of creating a space to grow food, share traditions, and keep their cultural roots alive here in Linda Vista. On a small plot behind the Access Community building, the first seeds were planted—not only in the soil, but also in the community. Students from the University of San Diego joined the community in solidarity and support.

For the Mixtec people, the milpa—an ancestral farming system where corn, beans, squash, and other crops grow together—is much more than agriculture. It is a way of life, based on respect for the land and for one another. Here in the garden, that ancient knowledge is being recovered and shared, helping the community reconnect with their food, medicinal plants, and healing practices handed down through generations.

The garden is also a gathering place: a space to speak our languages, share our stories, and strengthen our cultural identity. From this work, another beautiful project was born: a multimedia trilingual book in Tu’un Savi (Mixtec), Spanish, and English. This book brings together recipes, plant stories, memories, celebrations, and the voices of the community. Through words, images, and audio recordings, it carries ancestral wisdom into the future, ensuring that our children, families, and neighborhood are part of this shared legacy.