Our Garden community is growing and there are so many cute and unique desks around the farm and office area. I am excited to spotlight Sun's desk for our Tiny Desk Spotlight series.

The Tiny Desk Spotlight is a series where where we spotlight Garden members' desks and get to learn more about them and their creativity through their intentionally decorated desks.

Brown skinned avatar with black and white headphones, and a blue dolphin next to a palm tree
Sun (26) / They & He Prounouns / The Appalachian Mountains

Sun says they first learned about Garden late last year after they saw a flyer on J Mase's instagram page about Garden's NYE Party. They had been looking for a community to connect with that wasn't on zoom. Sun came back again for the Pandemic Solidarity for the Long Future convening and ever since then, he's been visiting Garden almost every other day. Sun says being in Garden feels like a mix of Zelda & Club penguin, “definitely my vibe, now I don’t have to do it in hiding."

brown skinned avatar at their desk with trees, plants, and a desk surrounding them
Sun's desk

You can find Sun's desk in the Offices building farm area. Shortly after entering the Farm Office area, you'll see their colorful desk area with balloons, rose bushes, plants, a moat and a bridge. Sun intentionally picked this area because it was close to the farm office exit, which they explained is very much like them to be sitting near an exit or entrance IRL, never facing their back to the door.

Sun says their space has a sense of biodiversity, which is a homage to their Virginia southern roots (where they grew up) of always being around plants and nature. Sun shared that he's had a traumatic, tug of war relationship to water but has been trying to listen and connect to it more by letting it pull or wash away what he no longer needs to carry. At their desk, you will also find a Trinidadian flag (a nod to their Trinidadian roots), a trumpet (a wind instrument to use as non verbal way to communicate), and a Venus flytrap (to keep them safe).

When you enter the portal at their desk, you are transported to a remote island, with a small pond, a library, and a firepit.

Sun mentioned the pond and palm trees reminds them of the Caribbean. They hope in the future to link their books to the library for others to read and relax while visiting his island. Between their desk and island area, Sun prefers their island as it has soundscapes and a more relaxed vibe.

As Sun and I sit next to their firepit, we listen to the crackling sounds of the fire he shares his big three: Leo (sun), Aries (moon), Gemini (rising). "I'm more of a water sign than a fire sign to be honest” they added.

When Sun isn't at their desk or island, they are exploring the Enchanted Garden as the graphics remind them of fantasy games they used to play. Sun also likes to attend movie nights on Wednesdays, game nights (especially Among Us), and the Bonfire for Black folks.

Sun says taking precautions is important to them because taking precautions means "believing in myself, in my community, it means collective safety, and gives us alternative ways than what the state is giving us...I cant be queer, want liberation, and not take covid precautions. It’s not in alignment, they all integrate and intersect with each other."

They shared a quote by Gwendolyn Brooks, "we are each other’s harvest we are each other’s business we are each other’s magnitude and bond."

That's all for now, until next our avatars meet!

😸Gata

PS: Wanna show us your desk for the Tiny Desk highlight? email info@meetatgarden.com.

Garden is a free 24/7 space, but it does cost money for us to maintain it on GatherTown. If you'd like to donate to this work, consider throwing some money in the pot here.