THE PEOPLE OF LOPEZ COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
|
|
Juan Velázquez came to Lopez Island 12 years ago at the age of 22 to work for a landscaper. He met Sandy Bishop, LCLT's executive director, in 2006 when LCLT was about to build the Common Ground Development, and he became its youngest homeowner.
“Juan is a generous person by nature,” says Sandy. “He has taught me a lot about the value of extended family. His nine-year-old son often asks me if I am a part of his family! Juan is curious and he takes time to ask questions. He dreams about what changes he would like for his family and takes steps to realize them. He is also articulate about the sensitive subject of racism. He can often articulate its subtleties and pinpoint just what is going on while at the same time claiming the piece of the interaction that has nothing to do with race.
|
"We don’t need all this stuff. We don’t need so many big homes. We need to build community ," Juan Velazquez maintains.
|
|
Since moving his family into their Common Ground home, Juan started a landscaping and construction business, and is the island’s first Hispanic business owner. Here he explains how the Land Trust community has changed the way he views the world and his work in it.
Sandy first approached me to do some work on Sally's Garden, a community green space in the village, because she knew I was a hard worker. She realized my dream was to stay on Lopez. We had conversations over a long period and I made a decision to get involved.
I found out there was a real community with the land trust, everyone socialized with everyone else and helped one another. At the time my family was living on the south end of the island, far away from everything. I saw myself living closer to the village and being around a lot more people. I knew that would benefit my wife, Lilibeth, because she was going to apply for work. And my son Juan Anthony would have more kids around and more buddy relationships. And I would be saving on gas.
Being part of Common Ground has opened my eyes. Everyone is unique; everyone has a different skill and background, and what they have learned through life. A lot of people have knowledge to offer, especially some of the retired people. It has made me a new person.
Sandy first approached me to do some work on Sally's Garden, a community green space in the village, because she knew I was a hard worker. She realized my dream was to stay on Lopez. We had conversations over a long period and I made a decision to get involved.
I found out there was a real community with the land trust, everyone socialized with everyone else and helped one another. At the time my family was living on the south end of the island, far away from everything. I saw myself living closer to the village and being around a lot more people. I knew that would benefit my wife, Lilibeth, because she was going to apply for work. And my son Juan Anthony would have more kids around and more buddy relationships. And I would be saving on gas.
Being part of Common Ground has opened my eyes. Everyone is unique; everyone has a different skill and background, and what they have learned through life. A lot of people have knowledge to offer, especially some of the retired people. It has made me a new person.
|
Juan says his son Juan Anthony [at right] has made lots of friends in the Common Ground community, and is listening and learning "from the unique people around him."
|
When I came in, like a lot of other people, I didn’t know a lot about energy efficiency and green building. But when they started breaking it down before we began building and described the benefits for the environment and that we would not be paying as much for electricity it made sense. It also gave me a different long-term goal for my business.
I have, for example, built a couple of cabins using recycled materials and sold them. One of my neighbors does solar installation and he can teach me about that and prepare me to do green remodels. Now when I do insulation on a house I can make a home airtight. That is the kind of work I want to do now. Lilibeth is a great cook and she is now working at the deli in the grocery store.
I have a heat pump that creates cold and hot air and it is really energy efficient. We bought it 3 months ago with help from a grant from the LCLT. We are so close to net zero energy but I am still teaching my children to save energy, to turn off the lights. But long term I predict we will get there.
Juan Anthony is nine and I am waiting to involve him in everything that I learn. But he is already learning from others in the community. For example my neighbor is a vegetarian so my son is not eating from MacDonald’s any more. He listens and understands, he is learning from the unique people around him.
Lopez is unlike any other place. We have everything; great weather, good soil and we share information with one another. Having more information has made me think, what is our long term as Americans, what will we be in 20 years? It doesn’t look good. The future is to change this whole system, how we consume so much. We don’t need all this stuff. We don’t need so many big homes. We need to build community.
I have, for example, built a couple of cabins using recycled materials and sold them. One of my neighbors does solar installation and he can teach me about that and prepare me to do green remodels. Now when I do insulation on a house I can make a home airtight. That is the kind of work I want to do now. Lilibeth is a great cook and she is now working at the deli in the grocery store.
I have a heat pump that creates cold and hot air and it is really energy efficient. We bought it 3 months ago with help from a grant from the LCLT. We are so close to net zero energy but I am still teaching my children to save energy, to turn off the lights. But long term I predict we will get there.
Juan Anthony is nine and I am waiting to involve him in everything that I learn. But he is already learning from others in the community. For example my neighbor is a vegetarian so my son is not eating from MacDonald’s any more. He listens and understands, he is learning from the unique people around him.
Lopez is unlike any other place. We have everything; great weather, good soil and we share information with one another. Having more information has made me think, what is our long term as Americans, what will we be in 20 years? It doesn’t look good. The future is to change this whole system, how we consume so much. We don’t need all this stuff. We don’t need so many big homes. We need to build community.
|
Lopez Community Land Trust's annual Harvest Dinner.
|
Michelle McDarmont (left) and her partner, Audrey, have pursued their entrepreneurial dreams since becoming shareholders in LCLT's Common Ground development. Photo credit: Robert Harrison
|
Marjoe Davidson is a co-owner of one of Lopez's favorite community gathering spots, the Just Heavenly Fudge Factory.
|
The Greacen Family—Chom, Sara, Chris & Ty, residents of Common Ground.
|