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Part 4 Building Community Through Affordable Membership

Here is another contribution to our Growing Freedom in Brooklyn series. Its based on archival research done on the East at the Brooklyn History Center. TWCG structured itself as a truly community-controlled organization. Membership was affordable for everyone – just one dollar annually for adults and twenty-five cents for children. This low barrier to entry ensured that economic status wouldn't prevent anyone from participating in this movement toward food sovereignty. Membership came with real benefits and real power. Members had the right to grow plants in TWCG sites, giving them direct access to fresh food production. They could vote in TWCG elections and run for elected office within the organization, ensuring democratic control over how the gardens operated. Members also gained access to TWCG workshops, seminars, and other educational events that built both practical gardening skills and broader understanding of community development. This wasn't just about individual garden plots – it was about building a movement of people committed to community self-determination. The democratic structure meant that the people most affected by food apartheid had direct control over the solutions. Rather than waiting for outside organizations or government programs to address their needs, communities could organize themselves and take immediate action.

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Part 5 Community Control for Community Survival

Part 3 A Path to Food Sovereignty