This episode features an inspiring panel conversation with members of the Planting Justice project and continues our series of live recordings from the exhibition program which accompanied Broken Boxes: A Decade of Art, Action, and Dialogue.

Broken Boxes: A Decade of Art, Action, and Dialogue co-curator Josie Lopez introduces this conversation with members from the Oakland, CA based project Planting Justice. This panel conversation took place live on October 17 2024 at the Albuquerque Museum. Broken Boxes founder and exhibition co-curator Ginger Dunnill joins Josie Lopez in conversation with artist Kate DeCiccio and Planting Justice members Covonne Page and Sol Mercado. 

This conversation touches on the important work taking place at Planting Justice with formerly incarcerated community members and expands on the act of gardening as a form of justice and healing. This conversation covers community advocacy, social justice, and long-term actionable care. 

Shout out to artist Chip Thomas and his work with the Painted Desert Project. Chip was slated to be a part of this panel conversation but was not able to make it in person. 

Episode Image: Planting Justice workshop. Photograph by Kate DeCiccio
Featured song: AMERIKKA by Xiuhtezcatl & Jaiia Cerff

More about Planting Justice:

“Our purpose is to empower people impacted by mass incarceration and social inequities with the skills and resources to cultivate food sovereignty, economic justice, and community healing. We are working toward economic and environmental justice by building a network of sustainable land–based social enterprises. We counter systemic oppression, violence, and inequity by creating good jobs with nature-based work, a healing environment with holistic community support, and real opportunities for personal growth.”

https://plantingjustice.org/

More about artist Kate DeCiccio:

"I’m an Oakland based artist, educator & creative strategist. My work centers portraiture for counter narrative, community storytelling & cultural strategy on behalf of abolition and collective liberation.  I’m from Central Massachusetts where I grew up on occupied Nipmuc territory on my family’s 4th generation farm. I’m the 3rd generation of my Polish and Italian ancestors and descends from 11 generations of English colonizers. Before working as an artist full time I was a mental health and substance abuse counselor and taught art at San Quentin Prison,  St Elizabeths Forensic Psychiatric hospital &  Leadership High School. The intersections of creativity, mental illness, addiction and ancestral investigation have been driving themes in my art practice since I was a teenager. I’m committed to repairing the harm of my inherited legacy and working to heal our collective imagination by learning how to stand squarely in truth, accountability, renewed resilience and unknown possibility."

https://www.katedeciccio.com/

More about the exhibition Broken Boxes: A decade of Art, Action, and Dialogue:

Broken Boxes: A Decade of Art, Action, and Dialogue, curated by Ginger Dunnill and Josie Lopez, features large-scale installation, sculpture, video, and a robust programming line-up celebrating the work and ideas of 23 artists who have contributed to Dunnill's Broken Boxes podcast. The exhibition celebrates ten years of the podcast of the same name and amplifies the collective strength of contemporary artists.

https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/albuquerque-museum/exhibitions-1/broken-boxes-a-decade-of-art-action-and-dialogue