The DV Community Apothecary is a free/by donation herbal dispensary filled by local herbalists and plant people with homegrown medicinal plants, lovingly-made potions and remedies.
The mission of The DV Community Apothecary Project at the Tower is to support those of us struggling with life under the white-supremacist-cis-heteropatriarchy by offering plant medicine to strengthen our individual and collective resilience and resistance as we face state violence and repression, capitalism, and an ecological/climate crisis.
About Dave: the “DV” in our name
Dave Vasey was a son, brother, uncle, friend, comrade and mentor to many. As a long-time activist and anarchist, Dave touched many people’s lives through personal and political projects. He understood the importance of inclusion, connection, growth through challenge, and standing up for friends including – when needed - punching white supremacists.
Unfortunately, Dave was also no stranger to state repression, community conflict and accountability, struggles with mental health, and the hardships and hardness of the world at large. In January 2019 at the age of 40, Dave killed himself.
His decision still leaves his community reeling, grieving, and asking for ways we could have done better while also recognizing we did so much.
We come away knowing that repression and this world takes its toll, that we need to be gentler with ourselves and each other, and that we need to strive for both personal and interpersonal healing. We all carry the trauma of our lives and this world; our defiant hearts equally fragile as they are strong. We are perfectly imperfect and indispensable – and we can always do better showing each other that.
Without pedestalization or erasure, this project aims to recognize Dave and others in our collectives and communities who have been lost to su***de by creating a material and communal way to care for ourselves, and each other.
Let’s be hard on our enemies and gentle with each other.
