Projects & Initiatives
Program Development Rooted In Progress
HUG's Wellness & Ecology Park
HUG has developed an outdoor 4,800-square-foot empty lot on 23rd Street into a Wellness and Ecology Park by planting new-growth fruit and shade trees, providing a healthy outdoor ecology for the neighborhood. The innovative community park is the summer vending site for our bi-weekly Black Community Market, the weekly Black Sunday summer event, and the site for HUG’s Queer/Trans Black Birth Worker Initiative herbal medicinal garden beds to name a few of the programs that operate out of this vibrant outdoor site. We're committed to resisting climate change by any means necessary. The Wellness & Ecology Park achieves our environmental justice objective by currently housing a sustainable rain garden and water-conserving plant medicine and garden beds. Our 2025 climate change resiliency goal is to add a renewable energy utility station, upcycled seating, the greenhouse, and a composting bathroom to the amazing and beneficial outdoor project.
Black Birthworker Initiative (BBI)
Queer and Trans Black birth workers from King County to Pierce County are joining forces with HUG to counter the alarming rates of mortality among Black birthing people and Black infant low birth rates by harnessing the power of HUG's holistic plant medicine. Through our collective efforts, we are pioneering a transformative approach to reproductive justice that not only preserves the lives of marginalized people but also promotes wellness, inclusivity, and empowerment within our communities, paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future in perinatal healthcare. The initiative goal is to teach and support 15 Black Birth Workers growing culturally relevant medicinal crops to use in the 4 herbal clinics planned in partnership with HUG for 2025. This partnership is supported by the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department and the TPCHD Black Infant Team. We are actively recruiting participants! If you're a Black birth worker interested in applying to join this powerful gender and sexuality reproductive justice movement, please click HERE!
The Storefront & Artivism Hub
In a world where art and content creation are often marked by inequities and exploitation, HUG is embarking on a revolutionary journey to establish the Artivism Hub. This visionary project is dedicated to dismantling oppressive art procurement and content creation models that disproportionately affect BiPOC creatives. The Artivism Hub aims to empower, fairly compensate, and protect the well-being of BiPOC artists, including urban youth, who grapple with the nuance of art, creating content, and the economy. The HUG Artivism Hub is committed to creating a nurturing and empowering space for BiPOC creatives and urban youth to share their stories, advocate for social justice, and defy the capitalist-driven content creation industry. Together, we will advocate for an equitable and compassionate approach that centers the voices and experiences of BiPOC communities. The wellness measures of the HUB feature farming nutritious micro-greens, a basic needs pantry, and affordable food service.