Culminating in a parade and festival on Sunday, Feb. 23, in downtown Oakland, the week-long celebration includes a Black women’s basketball museum at OakStop in Oakland and a wine festival at the Ciel Creative Space in Berkeley.
On Saturday Feb. 22, Hella Plants Market is giving away 1,000 plants during their Black Planter Party at the Hella Bees event space on Harrison Street in Oakland.
A young man in a Black Panther comic shirt poses in a wicker chair, paying homage of Black Panther Party co-founder Dr. Huey P. Newton, while surrounded by plants. (Janay Masters)
Janay Masters, founder of Hella Plants Market, says the event is about creating space for plant lovers and simultaneously inviting newcomers into the fold.
Masters, who founded the Oakland-based international pop-up plant market in May of 2021, says above all, she wants to make sure Black folks are connected to plant life.
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African Americans and plants have a long history, says Masters. “Our grandmas, they’ve been loving plants, even if we didn’t realize it,” Masters tells me on a phone call.
A firm believer in the healing powers of plants’ aesthetics, as well as the medicinal benefits of being plant-based, Masters says some plants are decorative and others are for spiritual reasons. “And there are certain plants,” says Masters, “we use to protect ourselves.”
Her journey into botany began as a respite from her former gig as a conductor on the Union Pacific Railroad. She started outside first, dabbling in gardening. Then she got into indoor plants.
“And that got out of hand,” Masters admits. “I ended up with over 100 houseplants.”
A monstera deliciosa was Masters’ first plant; it’s one that she still holds dear. But she’s quick to say that she doesn’t have a favorite plant.
“A parent isn’t going to pick their favorite kid, I wouldn’t pick a favorite plant. That feels wrong,” says Masters. “I love them all equally,” she says, adding “some of them are just harder to take care of others.”
Attendees of a past Hella Plants Market event leave with plants in hand. (Janay Masters)
To find like-minded plant lovers, Masters created Hella Plants Market, which has since held pop-up events in Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose, plus two gatherings in the West African country of Ghana.
Masters is hoping attendees come out on Saturday afternoon and enjoy the music, food and purchase some plants to “spice up their space with some greenery.” Masters says folks will inevitably come with the intention of getting a new houseplant, and leave with new plant-loving friends.
She adds, “There will be plants, hella plants. Everywhere.”
Hella Plants Market’s Black Planter Party event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 p.m.–7 p.m. at Hella Bees (2340 Harrison Street) in Oakland. Details here.
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