Looking at the history of Albina, it is clear it was a place of Black joy and prosperity. Being one of the only places in Portland where Black folks could lay their roots, it became both a haven and a home. Eventually it faced a harsh reality with redlining and displacement, creating a destructive cycle to remove family after family and destroy home after home. While these white supremacist tactics led to a loss of physical places, it never destroyed the resilient spirit of Albina and its people.

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The work being done in this community today hopes to reestablish physical places in Albina where the Black community can return. Not only to visit and remember the place they came from, but also to become participants in its growth and to find opportunities that they were previously denied.

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The Shared Roots Urban Farm (non-profit) seeks to build on this work and partner with many established community groups, to replace the old destructive cycle with a regenerative one that ensures resilience in the future.

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Overall this project is envisioned as a source of empowerment, joy, and wealth. Overseen by a board of community members, it can provide jobs, increase access to healthy food, increase knowledge of healthy food practices, provide additional green space, and strengthen community relationships in the Black community. Becoming a regenerative cycle that can endure.