Patti Smith performed at a rally in New York City on Tuesday (April 1) in an effort to preserve the Elizabeth Street Garden from being converted into an “urban oasis.” The garden serves as a cherished sanctuary for the community but faces potential transformation by the city, despite opposition from prominent figures like Smith, Robert De Niro, and Martin Scorsese. While the city’s proposal aims to address the need for affordable housing, Smith emphasized that both affordable housing and green spaces are essential assets that should not be pitted against each other. “The Elizabeth Street Garden is an entirely unique public sanctuary, where art, nature, literature and activism peacefully abide,” Smith wrote in an August 2024 letter to former Mayor Eric Adams. The non-profit managing the park also issued a federal lawsuit to protect the space, calling for a solution that embraces both the preservation of the garden and the creation of affordable housing in the neighborhood. (Rolling Stone)