“Be still summer. Summer be still."
Cass Ghiorse
Last week I spent time visiting a coastal town along the Rhode Island
/Massachusetts border. Open fields were everywhere. They enchanted me throughout my stay. Some were wild and free, others tamed and manicured, many were used to grow crops, or for grazing livestock.The field in the photo above was across from where we stayed. Its sole purpose, or so it appeared, was simply to be beautiful, host wildlife, and hold water – to offer its presence and hum, the soothing sounds of late summer.
Due to development, poor planning, red lining and other issues, open fields are rare in our communities. In the current cultural imagination, we take this as a given, assuming the tyranny of development and even wonder why a given field or lot is “empty”. How can we imagine a society where everyone has access, and the right, to healthy, thriving landscapes and shorelines? The projects and resources shared below, mostly led by people of color, help us to expand our imaginations and demonstrate some pathways forward.
