A.L.I.V.E (Art Living In Vibrant Environments) engages community in three intersectional topics: urban microfarms, native ecology and responsive, community-led artworks.
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The Rebel Garden
An A.L.I.V.E partner site since 2021, The Rebel Garden at Chuco’s Justice Center began as a few raised beds initiated by a small group of community members. Now, it boasts a community-created mural, and 800 sq ft of organic raised bed gardens, hydroponic towers, & fruit trees.
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The Friendship Garden
The very first on-campus native plants garden in Hawthorne, CA, The Friendship Garden at Eucalyptus Elementary School (formerly a grass lawn) was created by RuckusRoots between 2023 and 2024. It is now a thriving 2000 sq ft space filled with native plants & student art.
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The Willows Wetland Preserve
In 2024 we created a 70-foot public mural honoring the native plants, animals and people of the Gardena region, in collaboration with 120 students from Environmental Charter Middle School Gardena. Stay tuned for more from this A.L.I.V.E location!
A.L.I.V.E (Art Living In Vibrant Environments)
A.L.I.V.E. unites art, plants, and people to transform industrialized and underutilized urban areas into thriving, garden-centered learning hubs focused on artmaking & local ecology. Our established partner sites in youth-centered spaces in South L.A and South Bay implement cohesive program plans that engages participants across (3) topics:
urban microfarms
native ecology education
responsive, community-led artworks
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A.L.I.V.E intersects creative and environmental justice for urban communities. Besides sustainable art-making, this program creates or enhances green spaces that then become our outdoor classrooms. By encompassing climate resilience and creativity, A.L.I.V.E. bolsters equitable community outcomes and safeguards both the arts and the environment for urban Angelenos.
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Partner sites include:
Public Schools (Eucalyptus Elementary)
Community Centers (Chuco’s Justice Center)
Urban Nature Preserves, and more!
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We’ve seen our partner sites flourish with heightened community engagement, burgeoning creativity, increased food sovereignty and safe and beautiful outdoor space for all to access.
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As of 2025, A.L.I.V.E programming has partnered with communities in:
Gardena, CA
Hawthorne, CA (The Friendship Garden)
South Central L.A (Rebel Garden)
“One of my biggest dreams is to start a farm one day, so I’m going to take a lot of what I learned [here at Rebel Garden] onto my farm one day.”
Knowledge Increase by Topic
400+ direct participants have engaged in A.L.I.V.E programming over the past year
Over 85% of participants have never made art outdoors before engaging in our A.L.I.V.E program
500+ individual & collaborative artworks created from 2024 to 2025 as part of this program
“These programs are 100% properly aligned for this day and age, and in this current political environment where art education and the environment are both under unprecedented attack. .
If we want to foster creativity and creative solutions to our environmental problems, there is nothing better than RuckusRoots out there.”
— Donor