Broad Perspectives

Greta Anderson has been advocating for the plants and animals of the western United States since 1998. A graduate of Prescott College and the University of Arizona, Greta has been working in conservation and trying to limit the adverse effects of public lands livestock grazing since 2004, including advocating for the restoration of predators including wolves across the landscape. She resides on the lands of the Tohono O’odham and Yaqui people in the lands now known as Tucson, Arizona.

Running with the Wolves by Aurora was played during our music break.

For nearly three decades, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) has been observed nationally in October as an opportunity to bring light to the issue of domestic violence and its effects on victims, survivors, families and communities.

Self-taught painter, VaiBionic has exhibited her work on a constant basis since first coming to prominence in 2022. It was painting that fueled her recovery, after surviving a violent attack.

The abrasive, yet delicate, approach towards – and philosophy behind – her art has acted as a catalyst for what has been referred to as “Apocalyptic Impressionism”.

Vai’s work has appeared in both solo and group exhibitions and has received a great deal of critical praise, admiration, and respect due to her unapologetic portrayal of beauty uprooted through her own personal trauma and suffering.

The music below was played during our music break, take a listen.

Karen Fasimpaur lives in a remote part of the Chiricahua Mountains and is a full time community volunteer, working in areas including conservation, immigration, and family advocacy.

Brittany Guerrero is the organization’s first Executive Director. She has more than a decade of non-profit experience and joined Community Gardens of Tucson (CGT) in 2021. She is a Northern Arizona University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable community development.  She has been instrumental in evolving CGT into the thriving, connected, community driven, well-integrated, and inclusive community resource that it is today. With a passion for gardening, Brittany is committed to creating a resilient local foodshed and ensuring that community members have access to healthy food options.

Cassandra Wensel- Kanne is a Midwest transplant to Tucson who has been active in sustainable lifestyles here for 30 years. Relocating to the Sonoran Desert was transformational and eye-opening for her understanding the importance of water and land stewardship and her commitment to serving Community Gardens of Tucson as a Board Vice-Chair. A retired teacher and curriculum development manager who is actively a writer, poet, artist, healing arts practitioner and a 500CYT yoga instructor. Cas enjoys the music, art, culture, microbrew community, camping, hiking, regional food enthusiasm, and amazing diversity that Tucson has to offer and is happy to serve the community by sharing the joys of gardening and preserving the environment.

We played the following recording on our music break. Green Garden by Laura Mvula

Karen Falkenstrom received an MFA from the UA creative writing program in 1991. Over the next decade, she served as Director of the Tucson Poetry Festival, Event Coordinator at the UA Poetry Center and she co-founded Kore Press as well as InConcert!

Tucson. In 2002, she co-founded Odaiko Sonora, Tucson’s Japanese ensemble drumming group, and later established Rhythm Industry Performance Factory, AZ’s only artist-owned performing arts incubator space. Karen is also known as one of North America’s top builders of wine barrel Taiko drums. Honors