Podcasts about Karen Washington

Our guest is Karen Washington from Rise & Root Farm in Chester, NY. Karen shares her journey from starting a community garden in a vacant lot in the Bronx to co-founding an organic farm in upstate New York. She talked about how racism creates food apartheid in our communities and why it is important for all of us to support black and brown farmers across all levels from urban farming to full blown rural farms,

This sermon was taken from the May 4th, 2k25 Sunday morning service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

This sermon was taken from the April 27th, 2k25 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

On this episode of Special Sauce we revisit our provocative conversation with the food activist, farmer, and force of nature Karen Washington, one of the stars of the terrific documentary 'Food and Country'. In times like these, when many of our cherished institutions are coming under attack, we need more voices like hers. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This sermon was taken from the March 23rd, 2k25 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

Revisiting a (still quite relevant) episode from 2023: Kathleen Finlay, president of Glynwood, and Mark talk with Black Farmer Fund co-founders Olivia Watkins and Karen Washington about the special, specific challenges facing Black farmers; who the food system "belongs" to; and how to combat the inherent racial injustices in the US food system, notably as applied to farmers.Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and please help us grow by leaving us a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts.Follow Mark on Twitter at @bittman, and on Facebook and Instagram at @markbittman. Want more food content? Subscribe to The Bittman Project at www.bittmanproject.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Food Tank, in partnership with Driscoll's and Huston-Tillotson University and with the support of Organic Valley, recently hosted the “All Things Food” Summit at SXSW. This bonus episode of Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg features two conversations from the event. First, Dani sits down for a fireside chat with Sam Acho, an author, humanitarian, ESPN analyst, a nine-year NFL veteran, and the Director of Human Capital at AWM Capital. They discuss how Acho worked with young entrepreneurs in Chicago to transform a liquor store into a food mart, the importance of letting the ego die to drive progress, and what it looks like to support a community as they build the future they want to see. Then, Dani is joined by Karen Washington, a farmer, activist, author, and the Co-Owner of Rise & Root Farm. They discuss the intention behind the chaos and confusion that many feel today; organizing to leverage communal wealth; and the recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives — and what it looks like to fight back.   While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” wherever you consume your podcasts.

This sermon was taken from the February 16th, 2k25 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

The influences of Africans and Black Americans on food and agriculture is rooted in ancestral African knowledge and traditions of shared labor, worker co-ops and botanical polycultures.  In this episode, we hear from Karen Washington and Bryant Terry on how Black Food culture is weaving the threads of a rich African agricultural heritage with the liberation of economics from an extractive corporate food oligarchy. The results can be health, conviviality, community wealth, and the power of self-determination. Featuring Karen Washington, co-owner/farmer of Rise & Root Farm, has been a legendary activist in the community gardening movement since 1985. Renowned for turning empty Bronx lots into verdant spaces, Karen is: a former President of the NYC Community Garden Coalition; a board member of: the NY Botanical Gardens, Why Hunger, and NYC Farm School; a co-founder of Black Urban Growers (BUGS); and a pioneering force in establishing urban farmers' markets. Bryant Terry is the Chef-in-Residence of MOAD, the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, and an award-winning author of a number of books that reimagine soul food and African cuisine within a vegan context. His latest book is Black Food: Stories, Art and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora.  Credits Executive Producer: Kenny Ausubel Written by: Kenny Ausubel and Arty Mangan Senior Producer and Station Relations: Stephanie Welch Program Engineer and Music Supervisor: Emily Harris Producer: Teo Grossman Host and Consulting Producer: Neil Harvey Production Assistance: Monica Lopez Additional music: Ketsa Resources The Farmer and the Chef: A Conversation Between Two Black Food Justice Activists Karen Washington – 911 Our Food System Is Not Working Working Against Racism in the Food System Black Food: An Interview with Chef Bryant Terry The Food Web Newsletter This is an episode of the Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature series. Visit the radio and podcast homepage to learn more.

Food Tank, in partnership with Nespresso, recently hosted the “All Things Food and Environment” Summit, held during Sundance 2025. This episode of Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg features two conversations from the event highlighting the inspiring stories of food systems transformation that can be told through film. First, Chef Pierre Thiam, an author and the Founder of Yolélé, and Anne Marie Hagerty, the Host and Founder of The Envoy Show, sit down with Dani to discuss the forthcoming episode of a new docuseries focused on the power of fonio. They talk about the importance of scaling production of traditional crops for farmers and the planet, why this grain is a Trojan horse, and culinary diplomacy. Then, Lynn Waymer, a social impact producer with Kontent Films, talks to Dani about the new documentary “Farming While Black.” They dive into the trust that is foundational to telling an effective story, the Black farmers including Leah Penniman and Karen Washington behind the  movement for more regenerative and equitable agriculture systems, and how the documentary is being used as an educational tool. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” wherever you consume your podcasts.

This sermon was taken from the January 26th, 2k25 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

On this episode of Special Sauce, grassroots food activist and farmer Karen Washington joins us to spread her message of food justice, the concept that healthy, nutritious food is a human right.

The new documentary,"Farming While Black," explores the triumphs and challenges of being a Black agricultural worker and farm-owner. Director Mark Decena and farmer and subject Karen Washington join us to discuss the film.

During a recent event, speakers came together to celebrate food diversity, scientific advances, and community innovation. This week's episode of “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” features two panels from the program moderated by Dani. First, panelists discuss the power and privilege that shape food and agriculture systems, what we can learn from looking back at traditional foodways, and why communities must be engaged in growing their own food. Then, speakers explore the educational approaches that are nurturing the next generation of food systems leaders, the value of bringing culturally relevant ingredients into the classroom, and how programs can connect food, nutrition, and planetary health.  Speakers include Rachel Atcheson, Deputy Director for the New York City Mayor's Office on Food Policy; Sheryll Durrant, Board President of Just Food and the Food and Agriculture Coordinator for the International Rescue Committee; Jessica Harris, an author and journalist, leading expert on foodways of the African Diaspora and Professor Emeritus at Queens College; Tony Hillery, CEO and Founder of Harlem Grown; Michael Kotutwa Johnson, a member of the Hopi Tribe in Northern Arizona, an Indigenous Resilience Specialist at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment and an Associate Faculty at the Indigenous Resilience Center at the University of Arizona; Stephen Ritz, Executive Director of Green Bronx Machine; Karen Washington, a farmer and activist with Rise and Root Farm; and Marion Williams, National Program Director for Wellness in the Schools. This event was held in partnership with the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, Food EDU, The Rockefeller Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the Alliance of Bioversity International - CIAT.  While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” wherever you consume your podcasts.    

Join us and 15 of Karen Washington's dear friends, family, mentees, and collaborators in wishing her a very happy 70th birthday with this episode featuring food and plant stories about our Farmy Godmother. Karen has been instrumental in the creation and guidance of neighborhood organizations such as Garden of Happiness, La Familia Verde Coalition and Farmers Market, and Bronx Green Up, as well as Farm School NYC, Black Urban Growers, and the Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners Conference. She serves on the board of Soul Fire Farm, the Black Farmer Fund, and the Mary Mitchell Center and has been a part of so many others such as Just Food (where we first met) and New York Botanic Garden, and was once the president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition, organizing to protect the gardens from development. She is one of the four co-founders and owners of Rise & Root Farm in Chester, NY. More importantly, Karen is a fierce fighter for gardens and justice and loves her friends and families with gusto and grits. We hope these stories reveal her love and knack for investing in community and her life-long commitment to rising and rooting for justice.  PEOPLE WITH KAREN STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Karen Washington Lorrie Clevenger - Rise and Root Farm, Black Urban Growers, and Farm School NYC; formerly of Just Food and WhyHunger. Leah Penniman - Soul Fire Farm Cheryl Holt - Karen's neighbor, Garden of Happiness Kendra Washington Bass - Karen's daughter Kitty Williams - Taqwa Community Farm, Iridescent Earth Collective; formerly of Bronx Green Up Ashanti Williams -Taqwa Community Farm, Black Yard Farm Julian Bass - Karen's grandson Nicole Ndiaye - NAHE, Bathgate Community Garden Gabriela Pereyra - Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust  Aleyna Rodriguez - Mary Mitchell Center Ursula Chanse - Bronx Green Up, New York Botanic Garden Michael Hurwitz - Landing Light Strategies; formerly of Added Value and Greenmarket Kathleen McTigue - AmeriCorps; formerly of Just Food and New Roots Community Farm Frances Perez Rodriguez - Farm School NYC Jane Hayes Hodge - Rise and Root Farm; formerly of Just Food and Farm School NYC THIS EPISODE SUPPORTED BY: YOU! Please become a Patron for $1 or more a month at Patreon.com/trueloveseeds A Bookkeeping Cooperative: https://bookkeeping.coop/home/ ABOUT: Seeds And Their People is a radio show where we feature seed stories told by the people who truly love them. Hosted by Owen Taylor of Truelove Seeds and Chris Bolden-Newsome of Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram's Garden. trueloveseeds.com/blogs/satpradio   FIND OWEN HERE: Truelove Seeds Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter   FIND CHRIS HERE: Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram's Garden   THANKS TO: Queen Karen Jane Hayes Hodge for helping make this happen Emilio Sweet-Coll for help with audio editing   Our Patreon members and A Bookkeeping Cooperative

This sermon was taken from the April 14th, 2k24 Sunday morning service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

This sermon was taken from the March 17th, 2k24 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

This sermon was taken from the February 18th, 2k24 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

The influences of Africans and Black Americans on food and agriculture is rooted in ancestral African knowledge and traditions of shared labor, worker co-ops and botanical polycultures.  In this episode, we hear from Karen Washington and Bryant Terry on how Black Food culture is weaving the threads of a rich African agricultural heritage with the liberation of economics from an extractive corporate food oligarchy. The results can be health, conviviality, community wealth, and the power of self-determination.

This sermon was taken from the January 14th, 2k24 Sunday morning service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

This sermon was taken from the November 26th, 2k23 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

Today I speak with Zoe Adjonyoh, who is a pioneer in bringing West African flavors to a wider audience. She's the author of the acclaimed cookbook, Zoe's Ghana Kitchen and is the founder of the spice company by the same name. Zoe describes her background as half Irish and half Ghanaian, and how she used food to connect her to her Ghanaian roots as well as to her father. Zoe describes some of the iconic dishes and flavors of Ghanaian cuisine and explains how Zoe's Ghana Kitchen, which started as a pop-up restaurant, went hand-in-hand with her spiritual awakening, when she uncovered and embraced her authenticity and autonomy. We also talk about the downfalls of the hospitality industry, and we get into sustainability, consciousness, and more. A note about today's audio. Zoe and I had a very “mercury in retrograde” experience when recording this episode in August, and you'll notice that her sound occasionally dims out. I therefore recommend wearing headphones or ear buds when listening if you can, which will help (although I relistened in my car and could still understand her audio). Links and resources mentioned in the episode:* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/* Zoe's Ghana Kitchen: https://www.zoesghanakitchen.com/* Zoe's Ghana Kitchen cookbook: https://amzn.to/45kgqYA* Podcast episode with Liz Carlisle (Regenerative Farming, Climate Change, Racism, Food & Pleasure): https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/regenerative-farming-climate-change#details* Karen Washington: https://www.karenthefarmer.com/about * Soul Fire Farm: https://www.soulfirefarm.org/ Get full access to Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD at mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

This sermon was taken from the October 1st, 2k23 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

This message was taken from the August 6th, 2k23 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

This sermon was taken from the July 23rd, 2k23 Sunday evening service at the Jesus is Lord Family Worship Center - 501 Redman St. Jacksonport, AR

On today's episode of All in the Industry®, Shari Bayer has a special “On the Road” show from the 2023 James Beard Awards in Chicago, which took place June 3-5 in Chicago, IL. Shari's coverage includes exclusive red carpet and media lounge interviews with nominees, winners, and presenters at the Chef and Restaurant Awards at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. It was an amazing awards weekend celebration. Congratulations to all! Today's show also features Shari's PR tip to know it's never too late to go after your dreams; and Solo Dining experience at Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranan's Kalaya in Philadelphia, PA, who was this year's JBFA winner for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Listen at Heritage Radio Network, and check out Shari's YouTube Channel (youtube.com/@sharibayer) to view our video coverage from #JBFA, including our long format and highlight reels. ** Check out Shari's new book, CHEFWISE – Life Lessons from Leading Chefs Around the World (Phaidon, Spring 2023), now available at Phaidon.com, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold! #chefwisebook ** 2023 James Beard Awards -- Shari's red carpet and awards ceremony interviews in chronological order:Kris MoonPresident and COO, James Beard FoundationSalvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, IDNominee: Best Chef: MountainOlivia Watkins and Karen Washington, Black Farmer Fund2023 Humanitarian of the Year Award HonoreesDavid and Jennifer Uyger, Lucia, Dallas, TXNominee: Outstanding RestaurantAaron Verzosa, Archipelago, Seattle, WANominee: Best Chef: Northwest and PacificAna Castro, Lengua Madre, New Orleans, LANominee: Best Chef: SouthPaul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Charleston, WVNominee: Best Chef: SoutheastGloria Varney, Nezinscot Farm, Turner, MaineWinner: Restaurant and Chef America's Classics AwardJunghyun Park and Ellia Park, Atomix, New York, NYWinner: Best Chef: New York StateGail SimmonsCo-Host; Judge, Top Chef; Author, TV PersonalityAndrew ZimmernCo-Host; James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writerAlex Perry and Kumi Omori, Vestige, Ocean Springs, MSNominee: Best Chef: SouthMacarena and Grecia Ludena, Coracora, West Hartford, CTNominee: Outstanding RestaurantEric AdjepongCo-Host; Chef and TV PersonalityCarla HallPresenter; Author, Chef and TV PersonalityMary Attea, The Musket Room, New York, NYNominee: Best Chef: New York StateEllen Yin, High Street Hospitality GroupWinner: Outstanding RestaurateurGregory Gourdet, Kann, Portland, ORWinner: Best New Restaurant Justin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Sherman Oaks, CAWinner: Best Chef: CaliforniaAaron Hoskins and Sarah Simmons, CITY GRIT Hospitality GroupNominee: Outstanding RestaurateurStephanie Leichtle-Chalklen, Kuluntu Bakery, Dallas, TXNominee: Outstanding BakerySimon Kim, Victoria James, and Mia Van De Water, COTE, New York, NYNominee: Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages ProgramValentine Howell, Krasi, Boston, MA Nominee: Best Chef: NortheastDamarr Brown, Virtue, Chicago, IL Winner: Emerging ChefRob Rubba, Oyster, Oyster, Washington, DCWinner: Outstanding ChefJonathan Sawyer, Kindling, Chicago, ILFormer Winner: Best Chef: Great Lakes 2015Kaley Shannon, on behalf of Margarita Manzke, Republique, Los Angeles, CAWinner: Outstanding Pastry Chef or BakerMarissa Gencarelli, Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MOWinner: Outstanding BakeryJustin Park and Tom Park, Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu, HI Winner: Outstanding BarChutatip “Nok” Suntaranan, Kalaya, Philadelphia, PAWinner: Best Chef: Mid-AtlanticJunghyun “JP” Park, Atomix, New York, NY Winner: Best Chef: New York StateJustin Pichetrungsi, Anajak Thai, Sherman Oaks, CAWinner: Best Chef: CaliforniaEllen Yin, High Street Hospitality GroupWinner: Outstanding RestaurateurFull List of 2023 JBFA Winners: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2023-james-beard-award-winners•• Photo Courtesy of Shari Bayer.Listen at Heritage Radio Network; subscribe/rate/review our show at iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify. Follow us @allindustry. Thanks for being a part of All in the Industry®. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support All in the Industry by becoming a member!All in the Industry is Powered by Simplecast.

Wythe and Melissa are delighted to chat with not one but two experts on urban agriculture from two different parts of the United States Department of Agriculture: Nina Bhattacharyya, Urban Agriculture Specialist at the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP), and Blake Glover, State Conservationist at the New York State Office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).Nina and Blake clarify how the USDA supports urban growers around the country, with a focus on the People's Garden program, founded in 2009 and renewed in 2022, which includes sites in Washington D.C. and New York City (Garden of Happiness, Taqwa Community Farm, and the Urban Soils Institute on Governors Island). In fact, gardens across the country can participate in the People's Garden program by registering online at usda.gov/peoples-garden/registration-form.We talk with Nina and Blake about urban agriculture policy across levels, local conservation practices, composting, how people in cities come to engage in agriculture, and how that interest empowers communities and transforms food systems. We also discuss the hurdles that many community gardens face, including zoning and permitting, access to water, and funding. One key point is that the People's Garden program can provide funds to upgrade urban garden and farm infrastructure. And NRCS supports via funds and knowledge regarding high tunnels and other technologies that not only conserve soil but help local gardeners and farmers grow food for more of the year, and thus help communities become more food-secure.And in recent news, the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) has provided additional resources and networking opportunities for the 1300+ registered gardens network. These resources include a webinar series and a subgroup on the Extension Foundation Connect site to help gardens network with each other. This is also a way for USDA to share funding opportunities with the garden network. Finally, OUAIP is highlighting gardens from across the country through our People's Garden website, the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production newsletter (sign-up here), and USDA social media.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Fields by becoming a member!Fields is Powered by Simplecast.

In celebration and recognition of Earth Day 2023, we are resharing a deeply meaningful and inspiring conversation with Karen Washington of Rise and Root Farm about soil health, intergenerational knowledge, and heeding nature's wisdom that was really well-received last year. Karen recently received and shared the 2023 James Beard Humanitarian Award with Olivia Watkins for their ongoing leadership and vision for community-focused change. Karen recalled how planting a tomato seed changed her life and introduced her to nature, land, and soil. She emphasizes the importance of having hard conversations about eating healthy so people and communities are all part of the solution and meet people where they are with soil health and environmental justice. There is room for everyone to grow food. Additionally, Karen Washington encourages all of us but especially the youth to sit down with our grandparents and parents to understand history, capture intergenerational knowledge, and listen to Mother Nature. What is nature telling us about soil health and the environment? What do previous generations know about soil health and nature? In the end, Mother Nature can guide us in what is needed; sometimes that means stopping and listening to the land and soil.To learn more about Karen Washington and her ongoing work, please visit https://www.riseandrootfarm.com/. We also encourage you to check out the new 4 The Soil blog at https://www.4thesoil.org/blog

A conversation with Karen Washington, a food justice activist who coined the term "food apartheid" to both describe our current food system in America, as well as to provoke a reckoning in our political consciousness.   

In this episode, FFJ co-founding editor Zoë Johnson had the honour of speaking with Melanie Allen and amanda david about their work with the incredible Black Farmer Fund. They cover power in our food systems, the complexities of cultivating land in a capitalist settler-colonial context, and much more.CreditsThis episode features writing and sound editing by Zoë Johson; Research by Zoë Johnson & Isabela Vera; and original music by the Electric Muffin Research Kitchen.Audio clips include Dr. Alice Ragland, from her recording of “More Radical Than It May Seem” from Feminist Food Journal, and Karen Washington, from the video “Community Wealth Building” by Black Farmer Fund.TranscriptFull transcript of the podcast available here.ShownotesLearn more about Black Farmer Fund on their website, where you can also watch the powerful “Black Farmers Thriving” video series. For more information on investing, you can email invest@blackfarmerfund.com.Check out amanda david's initiative, Rootwork Herbals and read about the Jane Minor BIPOC Community Medicine Garden.Further Readings“The Great Land Robbery” (Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic)“Help Black Farmers, Who Know Hyperlocal Doesn't Mean Fancy” (Tressie McMillan Cottom, The New York Times)“Race, Land, and the Law: Black Farmers and the Limits of a Politics of Recognition” (Brian Williams and Tyler McCreary, Black Food Matters: Racial Justice in the Wake of Food Justice)“The USDA Is Set To Give Black Farmers Debt Relief. They've Heard That One Before” (Emma Hurt, NPR) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.feministfoodjournal.com/subscribe

Kathleen Finlay, president of Glynwood, and Mark talk with Black Farmer Fund co-founders Olivia Watkins and Karen Washington about the special, specific challenges facing Black farmers; who the food system "belongs" to; and how to combat the inherent racial injustices in the US food system, notably as applied to farmers.Subscribe to Food with Mark Bittman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and please help us grow by leaving us a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts.Follow Mark on Twitter at @bittman, and on Facebook and Instagram at @markbittman. Subscribe to Mark's newsletter The Bittman Project at www.bittmanproject.com.Questions or comments about the show? Email food@markbittman.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The influences of Africans and Black Americans on food and agriculture is rooted in ancestral African knowledge and traditions of shared labor, worker coops and botanical polycultures.  In this episode, we hear from Karen Washington and Bryant Terry on how Black Food culture is weaving the threads of a rich African agricultural heritage with the liberation of economics from an extractive corporate food oligarchy. The results can be health, conviviality, community wealth, and the power of self-determination. Featuring Karen Washington, co-owner/farmer of Rise & Root Farm, has been a legendary activist in the community gardening movement since 1985. Renowned for turning empty Bronx lots into verdant spaces, Karen is: a former President of the NYC Community Garden Coalition; a board member of: the NY Botanical Gardens, Why Hunger, and NYC Farm School; a co-founder of Black Urban Growers (BUGS); and a pioneering force in establishing urban farmers' markets. Bryant Terry is the Chef-in-Residence of MOAD, the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, and an award-winning author of a number of books that reimagine soul food and African cuisine within a vegan context. His latest book is Black Food: Stories, Art and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora.  Resources The Farmer and the Chef: A Conversation Between Two Black Food Justice Activists Karen Washington – 911 Our Food System Is Not Working Working Against Racism in the Food System Black Food: An Interview with Chef Bryant Terry The Food Web Newsletter Credits Executive Producer: Kenny Ausubel Written by: Kenny Ausubel and Arty Mangan Senior Producer and Station Relations: Stephanie Welch Program Engineer and Music Supervisor: Emily Harris Producer: Teo Grossman Host and Consulting Producer: Neil Harvey Production Assistance: Monica Lopez Additional music: Ketsa This is an episode of the Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature series. Visit the radio and podcast homepage to find out how to hear the program on your local station and how to subscribe to the podcast.

In 2017, two Black former activists, Karen Washington and Olivia Watkins, met at a conference. Sharing their frustrations about the lack of financial assistance available for Black farmers, the two decided to create the Black Farmer Fund as a new way to nurture Black community wealth and health by investing in Black agricultural systems in the Northeast. In today's podcast, we will talk with Olivia Watkins, President of the Black Farmer Fund. Interview Summary   I'm really excited to start getting into the conversation. We mentioned a little bit in the introduction about your connection with Karen Washington. So can you tell us about the impetus for the creation of the Black Farmer Fund?   It was really created out of a community ask that we were hearing over and over again. There's so many great organizations out there that work in policy, education, that work in bringing farmers together, and that work in creating self-determination for farmers, and so many farmers themselves that are doing great work in their businesses. But, there was not a financial institution that existed that was able to provide this type of assistance for farmers in a way that they felt like they could trust, and in a way that was safe and culturally appropriate. There are lots of historical evidence to show that where there is high levels of discrimination in some of the major agricultural lending financial institutions. So, we decided to be able to figure out how we can offer an alternative to some of the realities that exist today.   So thinking about those gaps that you are seeking to fill, and acknowledging the cultural and historic realities of those gaps, so those issues of trust, those issues of safety, and those issues of culturally appropriate connection and access to capital, what are the goals of the Black Farmer Fund?   This is a great question, because we just went through our theory of change, where we are continuing to refine what exactly is the change that we're trying to see, and how will we know if we made that change happen. But, in terms of what the reality is that we want to create, we're seeing there are Black people that are in right relationship with land, in a healed relationship with land and food. We're also seeing that's happening through centering ancestral wisdom, practicing community-led decisions, and building out collective power and autonomy. Really, we want to be able to see a thriving and racially just Black food system. The main bucket of our work is building community wealth, and so that is making sure that we have networks of Black agricultural businesses that are resourced. That there is money flowing into Black agricultural communities so the people are well equipped with other sources of assistance that they need. And making sure that we have the tools, and systems, and people to do that, and making sure that those tools and systems, especially in our operations, mirror how we operate externally into the world. One of the things that's really hard for a lot of organizations is the messages and the abundance that we are putting out into the world oftentimes isn't reflected internally in the organization. I don't think that's really any organization's fault, that's the reality of the systems in place. But, there are ways that you can shift that in order to make sure that staff feel supported and held in organizations. That there are processes to make work go smoothly, that there's increased transparency, and that there are different places for people to be able to influence and have autonomy in the outcomes of an organization. I think that is pretty rare, but it's becoming more so required in order for organizations to really embody the change that they want to see in the world.   I love that framing of your theory of change as it relates to your explicit goals. I think about one of the things that you said that feels core to all of those goals, which is that right relationship, whether that's internal or external, or the land, connection to food, connection to capital, what community wealth looks like. So it feels as if that's so rooted in your values, and I know that the Black Farmer Fund is explicit about its values. I was hoping you could share with us what your values are, and just a few examples of how you operationalize those values?   I appreciate this question, because oftentimes, we are not asked about internally, what goes on in the organization in order to produce the work externally. So, we have six values. At the beginning of the organization, we had, like 12, but we wanted to whittle it down and consolidate our values and put specific principles or behaviors around how we would be expressing the values in the world. So the first one is called love. And, with our value of love what that looks like for us is being able to prioritize relationship building, gathering around food, and expressing gratitude in any interactions that we have. And, generally having a culture of care and concern for one another on our staff and our board. So the way that we interact internally as an organization is from the lens of we really care and respect one another, and check in on one another when folks are feeling overwhelmed or need support with work. And, to always make excuses to relationship build and have a good meal, ideally, produced by some amazing Black cooks. Also, to have site visits and community workdays where we bring people to the land of our farmers to be able to put their hands on the land for us. To bring food with us, to bring community, and really show that love for the work that they do and the appreciation and gratitude that we have for them as they continue to do this work.   The second value that we have is community-centric. So, this to us means that we are creating opportunities for Black agricultural businesses to have decision-making power within Black Farmer Fund. This is really important for us as a community-led organization. It's important to have some elements of community governance, and community governance is a really wide spectrum. But for us, it meant having an Investment Committee that has Black food business entrepreneurs and organizers on it who are making the decisions. And, in order to make that real versus just being an advisory board, we legally shifted the power from the Board of Directors to the Investment Committee, so that way, the Board of Directors wouldn't have the power to veto any of the decisions that the Investment Committee made.   The third value is abundance. So it's showing up authentically and honestly in the organization and with people, and being able to speak of success for our communities. I think it's really easy, when you're dealing with a really complex problem that's been generations long, to be in a scarcity mindset. So how we operationalize this is in the way that we do our financial modeling, and make investment decisions, and in thinking about what's the risk of not investing. Typically, a lot of lending institutions would not invest if the risk is super high, or would not give money if the risk is super high. But we're trying to do the opposite, because oftentimes, the businesses that are considered highest risk traditionally are offering the most impact to communities.   The fourth value is wisdom. So we really value wisdom, we value elder knowledge and counsel, we value intergenerational leadership, we value Afrocentric leadership. Just all the different, I guess, non-traditional leadership sources, are really important to our organization. So we make sure that this diversity happens across any decision-making committees that we have, across our staff, across our board, to make sure the knowledge that those folks from those different categories are reflected into how we make decisions and move as an organization.   The fifth value is accountability. It's important, and especially as we're working in community, to make sure that we are accountable to community, and make sure that community feels accountable to us. Making sure that we show up as a dependable organization, that we are disciplined, that we're effective, but then we're also clear on why decisions are made. If there are any conflicts, being able to have processes in order to address those. The biggest accountability piece for us lately has been being able to have a clear matrix of how power is distributed across the organization. So the Black Farmer Fund, we have hierarchy in our organization, and we have different pockets of horizontal leadership. Being able to name where that power is, and where and how things are influenced in our organization, it not only makes it transparent for everybody in the organization, but also provides opportunity to be able to shift things if they're no longer working - because it's clear.   The final value is financial sustainability, which is an important value to us because we are a financing institution, and we are community-centric. We really value being able to provide non-extractive financing for farmers, and being able to maintain the highest standards of our fiscal responsibilities to all of our stakeholders. To make sure that we're doing right by everybody as we continue to steward resources into our communities, and make sure that we're not doing harm with those resources. So this looks numerous different ways that are mainly pretty standard, but I think transparency is the biggest piece. So making sure that as many stakeholders as possible understand what's going on financially in the organization. That people are educated and empowered on what financial best practices are, even if they might not be in the finance or investing team. So just bringing folks along with us in this journey of being able to distribute wealth into our communities.   Olivia, I feel like I've heard you mention so many different things that I would love to dive into so deeply. There are several aspects of the values that are dynamic in terms of how they show up in each of the values. I heard a lot around transparency and flexibility. I love this idea of redefining risk. I don't know if there's anything in terms of each of those themes you might like to speak to just a little more deeply, that resonates with you and your team at the Black Farmer Fund?   Yes. Across the board, a thread that weaves through all these different things is prioritizing the wellness of our staff and our team. We are a very new organization, a young, scrappy organization, and we've accomplished so much within the past couple of years. We've been able to distribute over $600,000 in loans and grant capital to businesses, distribute other pools of capital, like $60,000 to nine Northeastern ag businesses that we don't work with now but hope to work with in the future. We provide emergency relief. We provide technical assistance. There are so many things that we do in our organization and that we've been super successful at. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication and passionate people in order to make that happen. Something that comes up a lot, especially in new organizations, is dealing with burnout or intense workloads. We want to make sure that as we're continuing to do our work, we can build our organizational capacity. We are doing that because there's just a general care and concern for staff and wanting to make sure that people don't feel burnt out and have space and time to rest and process. But I think another thing, as well, that we've been learning about from one of our facilitators who's been our wellness facilitator, is that we deal with vicarious trauma every day. We're dealing with a group of people that have been and currently are marginalized, people who experience hostility every day, on the land, from neighbors, who have financial troubles, who are isolated. We interact with folks who are dealing with really real issues and serious problems on a day-to-day basis. That vicarious trauma can pass on to staff and make it really hard to carry out our work. So I think wellness and rest has been a really important thing. We have different PTO practices that are a little bit more progressive. We're currently developing a sabbatical policy. We always try to find any reason to give people time off to process what they are working on in the organization, and make sure that folks feel well-rested to continue this important work.   That's beautiful. I love that the Black Farmer Fund is so rooted in that culture of care and concern, and, when you named specifically the excuses to relationship build. But really, this role of the Black Farmer fund, the explicit goal of getting dollars to Black farmers, but what it sounds like, is how to do that from a space of healing. Clearly, there's outcomes that you have in getting money to Black farmers. I think a lot of organizations think about connecting folks to capital from the perspective of a transaction, and it sounds like you think about this from the process of relationship. An authentic relationship, both internal and external. I'm wondering, with that grounding in relationship and that grounding in a culture of care and concern, if you'd have any guidance to offer to organizations who might not have started the framework of connecting their outcomes to their values, but might be in a space of seeking to retroactively operationalize their values. What advice might you offer to organizations that are in that space?   Yes. I think something that we've learned along this journey is that values can be interpreted in many different ways. So Black liberation, for instance, means something different to everybody, and that's okay. But what does it mean to BFF, and, what does it mean to that organization that's looking to have that as a value? What are the specific ways that we know we will be operating within a framework of Black liberation, and even what are the specific ways that are clear that we're not operating in that framework? So having a clear understanding of what's important to the organization, and how to define it or not define it, I think has been really helpful. That has been an ongoing and an iterative process to define every year, what's important to us in terms of values, changes, and shifts. It evolves and continues as a iterative learning process. So making sure that all staff are involved in the development of and the defining of what the values means I think can help organizations go down that path.   Thank you so much for that. I think that transformative aspect of what this is, and that really understanding of WHAT any organization might be not just seeking to do but HOW they seek to do that. Both WHAT and HOW the organization chooses to center is going to be so imperative for all of us as we're really thinking what might our food system look like when we're centering those who are most directly impacted. Before we close today, I just want to ask if there's anything else that you'd like to explicitly note about the Black Farmer Fund, and the amazing team and network of farmers with whom you work.   Yes. I'm really honored and super proud. I'm honored to be working with the people that I have been working with to date to make this happen And I'm really proud of how far we've come as an organization, and also all the work that my colleagues have done in order to contribute to this initiative. The stats that I listed, were surface level in terms of what we have achieved so far. I think, moving forward, we're looking to increase that impact we have been making. That includes being able to continue to provide technical assistance and hosting skill shares for the larger community. We are also excited to expand our investment pipeline from New York into the Northeast. Last year, all of our investments were in New York, and now they will be in the Northeast. We're just excited to continue to figure out how we can develop as an organization, collective responsibility for the organization, and what that will look like. What are the different circles of people who will be a part of influencing how we will go about doing our work.   Bio:   Olivia Watkins is a social entrepreneur and impact investor. For the past seven years, she has financed, developed, and operated environmental and social projects across the US. She currently serves as a co-founder and President of Black Farmer Fund, a non-profit impact investing organization creating sustainable and equitable food systems by investing in black farmers and food businesses of NY. She also serves as a board member for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders and previously for Soul Fire Farm Institute. Prior to founding Black Farmer Fund in 2017, Olivia worked in several production roles at Soul Fire Farm Institute and Kahumana Organic Farms, leveraging her environmental biology background to manage and grow environmentally regenerative and socially impactful business operations. Olivia has an MBA from North Carolina State University in Financial Management, and a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University in Environmental Biology. She was also recognized on the 2021 Forbes 30 under 30 Social Impact list and The Grist 50.

Through the Portal is a podcast from the Social Justice Portal Project, a national collaborative think tank hosted by the Social Justice Initiative at the University of Illinois Chicago. Each month, grassroots activists and radical scholars will give voice to community struggles, national strategies and sustainable alternatives for the future. The guest speakers, who are also Portal Project participants, explore what it means to walk through the portal of the current moment by centering racial and social justice issues. On the final episode of the series, Dame and Teresa are joined by the brilliant Leah Penniman. A leading voice in the fight for food and land sovereignty for Black farmers and community, Leah is the Co-Director and Farm Manager of Soul Fire Farm, an Afro-Indigenous centered community farm in upstate New York. She talks about the deeply rooted connections between our food systems and incarceration, how Afro-Indigenous planting practices protect and rejuvenate the land, and how the organization has grown from dropping off carrots to hungry neighbors to leading the fight to reimagine our food systems (while still dropping off carrots to neighbors). SHOW NOTES Tiffany LaShae - https://www.soulfirefarm.org/food-sovereignty-education/3d/tiffany-lashae/ Soul Fire farm - https://www.soulfirefarm.org Farming While Black - https://www.soulfirefarm.org/media/farming-while-black/ Baba Curtis Muhammad - https://snccdigital.org/people/curtis-hayes/ Freedom Food Alliance - https://freedomfoodalliance.wordpress.com/ Rev Garrison Frazier - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrison_Frazier Greenwood food blockade - https://www.southernfoodways.org/the-greenwood-food-blockade/ Dr Gail Myers - https://www.drgailmyers.com/ Rhythms of the Land - https://www.rhythmsoftheland.com/ Booker T Whatley - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/you-can-thank-black-horticulturist-booker-t-whatley-your-csa-180977771/ Kombit (Haitian Work Parties) - http://www.haitiobserver.com/blog/the-agricultural-system-of-kombit-in-haiti.html Phytoremediation - https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-04/documents/a_citizens_guide_to_phytoremediation.pdf Hazel Johnson - https://www.peopleforcommunityrecovery.org/ Karen Washington - https://www.karenthefarmer.com/about All We Can Save - https://www.allwecansave.earth/ Working the Roots - https://bookshop.org/books/working-the-roots-over-400-years-of-traditional-african-american-healing/9780692857878 Freedom Farmers - https://uncpress.org/book/9781469643700/freedom-farmers/ Black Nature - https://ugapress.org/book/9780820334318/black-nature/ Highlander Center - https://highlandercenter.org/ Reparations map - https://www.soulfirefarm.org/get-involved/reparations/ Learn more about the Portal Project - sjiportalproject.com/ Subscribe to AirGo - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/airgo/id1016530091

Producers/Hosts: Holli Cederholm, Caitlyn Barker Editing: Clare Boland Common Ground Radio is an hour-long discussion of local food and organic agriculture with people here in the state of Maine and beyond. The September episode of Common Ground Radio is a rebroadcast of the 10/14/21 Common Ground episode. Featured are two of the keynote speakers from the 2021 Common Ground Country Fair. Karen Washington, of Rise & Root Farm and Black Urban Growers and Stacy Brenner, state senator and organic farmer at Broadturn Farm. Some of the topics discussed: Changing the food system Valuing our communities Land stewardship Guest/s: Karen Washington, co-owner and farmer at Rise & Root Farm and cofounder of Black Urban Growers Stacy Brenner, organic farmer at Broadturn Farm and Maine state senator FMI Links: 2022 Common Ground Country Fair Keynote speakers at the 2022 Common Ground Country Fair About the hosts: Holli Cederholm has been involved in organic agriculture since 2005 when she first apprenticed on a small farm. She has worked on organic farms in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Scotland and Italy and, in 2010, founded a small farm focused on celebrating open-pollinated and heirloom vegetables. As the former manager of a national nonprofit dedicated to organic seed growers, she authored a peer-reviewed handbook on GMO avoidance strategies for seed growers. Holli has also been a steward at Forest Farm, the iconic homestead of “The Good Life” authors Helen and Scott Nearing; a host of “The Farm Report” on Heritage Radio Network; and a long-time contributor for The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, which she now edits in her role as content creator and editor at MOFGA. Caitlyn Barker has worked in education and organic agriculture on and off for the last 17 years. She has worked on an organic vegetable farm, served on the Maine Farm to School network, worked in early childhood education and taught elementary school. She currently serves as the community engagement coordinator for MOFGA. The post Common Ground Radio 9/8/22: Rebroadcast 2021 Common Ground Fair keynotes first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producers/Hosts: Holli Cederholm, Caitlyn Barker Editing: Clare Boland Common Ground Radio is an hour-long discussion of local food and organic agriculture with people here in the state of Maine and beyond. The September episode of Common Ground Radio is a rebroadcast of the 10/14/21 Common Ground episode. Featured are two of the keynote speakers from the 2021 Common Ground Country Fair. Karen Washington, of Rise & Root Farm and Black Urban Growers and Stacy Brenner, state senator and organic farmer at Broadturn Farm. Some of the topics discussed: Changing the food system Valuing our communities Land stewardship Guest/s: Karen Washington, co-owner and farmer at Rise & Root Farm and cofounder of Black Urban Growers Stacy Brenner, organic farmer at Broadturn Farm and Maine state senator FMI Links: 2022 Common Ground Country Fair Keynote speakers at the 2022 Common Ground Country Fair About the hosts: Holli Cederholm has been involved in organic agriculture since 2005 when she first apprenticed on a small farm. She has worked on organic farms in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Scotland and Italy and, in 2010, founded a small farm focused on celebrating open-pollinated and heirloom vegetables. As the former manager of a national nonprofit dedicated to organic seed growers, she authored a peer-reviewed handbook on GMO avoidance strategies for seed growers. Holli has also been a steward at Forest Farm, the iconic homestead of “The Good Life” authors Helen and Scott Nearing; a host of “The Farm Report” on Heritage Radio Network; and a long-time contributor for The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, which she now edits in her role as content creator and editor at MOFGA. Caitlyn Barker has worked in education and organic agriculture on and off for the last 17 years. She has worked on an organic vegetable farm, served on the Maine Farm to School network, worked in early childhood education and taught elementary school. She currently serves as the community engagement coordinator for MOFGA. The post Common Ground Radio 9/8/22: Rebroadcast 2021 Common Ground Fair keynotes first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

The little girl who grew up in the public housing projects of New York City becomes an urban farmer, helping establish community gardens around the city and founding Rise & Root farm for the BIPOC community in Hudson Valley. Listen to the remarkable tale of Karen Washington, who fans and food activists now refer to as "Mama K." We share the poignant moments of her long and illustrious career.

For quite some time, urban agriculture has been the red-headed stepchild of farming. Sneered at and not taken seriously, urban farmers didn't care. They just wanted to grow food for themselves, for their families and for their communities. But as urban agriculture progressed and operations grew and became more sophisticated, there were many leaders who felt that urban agriculture did not deserve it's place in the shadows, that it was just as legitimate form of agriculture as other forms of farming. And that it deserved recognition and most importantly the support that most farming operations get from the USDA. So people like Karen Washington in New York, Malik Yakini in Detroit, yours truly and my guest today, Rashid Nuri in Atlanta began to promote and advocate for the important role that urban agriculture plays in our food systems. Today we talk about that work.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens and Rupa Health. We are living in an epidemic of chronic disease that is destroying our health, our communities, and our economy. The common denominator between all of these things is food, or more specifically, our food system. The way our food is grown, transported, processed, and consumed is making us sick and driving health disparities related to income and race, especially among marginalized groups. In today's episode, I talk with Dr. Marcia Chatelain, Dr. Rupa Marya, Raj Patel, and Karen Washington about creating a society that cultivates health, how our existing social structures predispose us to illness, and how we can make great changes to our food system through grassroots efforts. Dr. Marcia Chatelain is a professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University. The author of South Side Girls: Growing up in the Great Migration, she teaches about women's and girls' history, as well as black capitalism. Her latest book, Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, examines the intricate relationship among African American politicians, civil rights organizations, communities, and the fast food industry. Dr. Rupa Marya is an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, where she practices and teaches Internal Medicine. Her research examines the health impacts of social systems, from agriculture to policing. She is a cofounder of the Do No Harm Coalition, a collective of health workers committed to addressing disease through structural change. Raj Patel is a research professor at the University of Texas at Austin's Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs, a professor in the university's department of nutrition, and a research associate at Rhodes University, South Africa. He is the author of Stuffed and Starved, the New York Times bestselling The Value of Nothing, and coauthor of A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things. Karen Washington is a farmer, activist, and food advocate. She is the co-owner and farmer at Rise & Root Farm in Chester, New York. Karen cofounded Black Urban Growers (BUGS), an organization supporting growers in both urban and rural settings. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the country, and in 2014 Karen was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award. This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens and Rupa Health. Right now when you purchase AG1 from Athletic Greens, you will receive 10 FREE travel packs with your first purchase by visiting athleticgreens.com/hyman. Rupa Health is a place where Functional Medicine practitioners can access more than 2,000 specialty lab tests. You can check out a free, live demo with a Q&A or create an account at RupaHealth.com. Full-length episodes of these interviews can be found here:Dr. Marcia ChatelainDr. Rupa Marya and Raj PatelKaren Washington See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In celebration and recognition of Earth Day 2022, Mary Sketch Bryant, Eric Bendfeldt, and Jeff Ishee share a deeply meaningful and inspiring conversation with Karen Washington of Rise and Root Farm about soil health, intergenerational knowledge, and heeding nature's wisdom. Karen recalls how planting a tomato seed changed her life and introduced her to nature, land, and soil. She emphasizes the importance of having hard conversations about eating healthy so people and communities are all part of the solution and meet people where they are with soil health and environmental justice. There is room for everyone to grow food. Additionally, Karen Washington encourages all of us but especially the youth to sit down with our grandparents and parents to understand history, capture the intergenerational knowledge, and listen to Mother Nature. What is nature telling us about soil health and the environment? What do previous generations know about soil health and nature? In the end, Mother Nature can guide us in what is needed; sometimes that means stopping and listening to the land and soil.To learn more about Karen Washington and her ongoing work, please visit https://www.riseandrootfarm.com/. We also encourage you to check out the new 4 The Soil blog at https://www.4thesoil.org/blog

What has Africa brought to the United States in terms of produce and farming knowledge?   Today on the Thriving Farmer Podcast we're proud to be hosting Karen Washington, Founder of Rise & Root Farm, located in The Bronx, New York. Rise & Root Farm is a women owned and collectively run farm. They grow top notch vegetables, flowers, herbs & seedlings. Since 1985 Karen has been a community activist, striving to make New York City a better place to live. As a community gardener and board member of the New York Botanical Gardens, Karen worked with Bronx neighborhoods to turn empty lots into community gardens.  She also co-founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS), an organization of volunteers committed to building networks and community support for growers in both urban and rural settings. Join us today to hear about Karen's long journey improving her community with pure, nutrient rich produce! You'll hear:   How Karen got into agriculture 1:44 What prompted Karen to start Rise & Root Farm 2:55 What food insecurity looks like in the Bronx neighborhood 5:36 How American history has impacted the African American community's role in farming 14:07 What crops were brought to America from Africa 18:06 What plants Rise & Root Farm raises 30:51 What marketing strategies does Rise & Root employ 38:55 What Black Urban Growers is all about 45:25 What advice Karen has for newer farmers 55:40 What Karen does in addition to farming 56:34   About the Guest:   Karen is a farmer and activist. She is Co-owner/Farmer at Rise & Root Farm in Chester New York. An activist, food advocate; in 2010, Co- Founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS) an organization supporting growers in both urban and rural settings. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of their 100 most influential African Americans in the country and in 2014 was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award. Karen serves on the boards of the New York Botanical Gardens, Mary Mitchell Center, SoulFire Farm and Black Famer Fund.   Resources:   Website: www.riseandrootfarm.com    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karwasher   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karwasher/

In this episode, Mary Sketch Bryant, Jeff Ishee, and Eric Bendfeldt have a conversation with Karen Washington of Rise and Root Farm. Karen Washington was the recipient of the 2014 James Beard Leadership Award and continues to work for food justice, community change, and the overall wellness of the planet for everyone. She shares about the deeply rooted connections of soil health to power, dignity, racial justice, community, and a sense of belonging. As a physical therapist and grower, she reflects on the impact of soil fertility on where people live, where people play, and where people eat. Good soil means good health. Soil is alive and can reconnect people to the history and intergenerational knowledge of agriculture as a starting point for cross-pollinating greater understanding and wellbeing.To learn more about Karen Washington and her ongoing work, please visit https://www.riseandrootfarm.com/. We also encourage you to follow the four core principles of soil health and take the 4 The Soil pledge at https://www.4thesoil.org/take-the-pledge.html

Producer/Host: C.J. Walke -Karen Washington – “Food Justice is More Than Growing Food and Feeding People” -Stacy Brenner – Farm Viability Through Land Justice and Farmworker Rights -2021 CGCF Keynote addresses Speakers: Karen Washington, Rise & Root Farm, Black Urban Growers Stacy Brenner, Broadturn Farm, Scarborough, ME About the hosts: C.J. Walke has been involved in Maine agriculture for over 20 years and has worked in numerous capacities for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) starting in 2006. Since 2012, C.J. has worked as farm manager for College of the Atlantic’s Peggy Rockefeller Farms in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he works with students to grow organic fruits, vegetables and livestock products. He holds degrees in park management/environment education and library science. Common Ground Radio debuted in June of 2010 and C.J. has been the show’s host since 2014. Holli Cederholm has been involved in organic agriculture since 2005 when she first apprenticed on a small farm. She has worked on organic farms in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Scotland and Italy and, in 2010, founded a small farm focused on celebrating open-pollinated and heirloom vegetables. As the former manager of a national nonprofit dedicated to organic seed growers, she authored a peer-reviewed handbook on GMO avoidance strategies for seed growers. Holli has also been a steward at Forest Farm, the iconic homestead of “The Good Life” authors Helen and Scott Nearing; a host of “The Farm Report” on Heritage Radio Network; and a long-time contributor for The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, which she now edits in her role as content creator and editor at MOFGA. The post Common Ground Radio 10/14/21: Keynote Addresses from the 2021 Common Ground Country Fair – Karen Washington and Stacy Brenner first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Your diet is everything. Our diet is a way to empower ourselves and create change within our bodies. It's time for us to use it as a tool for changing racial injustice and helping Black, Brown, and low-income communities achieve better health, economic opportunities, and even creating wealth and legacy in the form of land ownership. Karen shares her story of how starting a garden in her backyard in The Bronx led her to acknowledging the bigger issues of food insecurity in underserved communities. Karen and I discuss how our food system in the United States is intentionally designed to harm to Black, Brown, and low-income neighborhoods, how she got involved as an activist to create change, why she doesn't like the term food desert, and more. Guest IG: @KarWasher Guest Website Link: www.karenthefarmer.com Everybody's Juice Website Link: www.everybodysjuice.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dosomethinggoodtoday/support

The Dietitian Against Diets Podcast Season 2: Episode 9 w/ Karen Washington As a farmer, she has used her skill and passion to bridge the gap of community needs. Also as a community activist, she is also the co-founder of Black Urban Growers which is an organization committed to building networks and community support for growers. A TEDX speaker and voted one of Ebony Magazine's 100 most influential African Americans she continues to move her mission to undoing racism and injustice in the food system Learn more: https://www.karenthefarmer.com/

This week we had the privilege of having on Karen Roberts Washington, attorney, mediator and arbitrator. Karen specializes  in business and employment matters in state and federal courts. She is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Texas A&M.Chad and I discuss how to pay properly, what the difference between 1099 and W2 is, and why it all matters.

Episode #33 Notes1:00 - How did you become a community organizer?3:00 - What necessitates organizing in The Bronx?6:45 - Defining food apartheid.10:50 - How did you get started in the community garden movement?16:45 - What inspired you and others to organize Black Urban Growers (BUGS)24:15 - Rise and Root Farm and worker ownership.31:15 - What role has food played in the black freedom struggle?38:15 - Black Farmers Fund45:00 - Who are some of the people from the Black Freedom struggle who inspired your work?51:00 - How do you define food sovereignty?53:00 - Justice for Black Farmers Act.59:00 - Reading Recommendations!The Color of Wealth: Black Banks and The Radical Wealth Gap, Mehrsa BaradaranFarming While Black, Leah PennimanFreedom Farmers, Dr. Monica M. WhiteGrowing Out Loud, K. Rashid Nuri

A discussion about New York City's food insecurity crisis and the underlying system of food apartheid at its root. This event recording features Sophie Collyer, Karen Washington, and Liz Accles.

Cara Meredith is a writer, speaker, and activist. She is the author of The Color of Life: A Journey Toward Love and Racial Justice, which released in 2019. As a white woman, Cara journeys toward understanding the racial realities of individual and systemic racism through falling in love with the son of a black icon and raising two mixed-raced sons. Cara, a former high school English teacher and outreach director, lives with her husband and two sons in Oakland, California.Josina Guess is the assistant editor of The Bitter Southerner. She has contributed to an anthology called Fight Evil with Poetry as well as to a forthcoming book called Rally: Communal Prayers for Lovers of Justice and Jesus. Josina grew up in Washington, D.C., and now lives in northeast Georgia in an old farmhouse with her husband, four children, and lots of animals.Cara and Josina join Jen to talk about the reading life in our cultural moment. They bring a wide range of recommendations, especially for following writers of color. They also recommend some fantastic children's books!Books Mentioned in this Episode:Fight Evil with Poetry edited by Micah Bournes and Chris CampbellThe Color of Life: A Journey Toward Love and Racial Justice by Cara MeredithUnmarriageable: A Novel by Soniah KamalWrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Valerie BoydGathering Blossoms Under Fire: The Journals of Alice Walker by Valerie Boyd (forthcoming)The Color of Compromise by Jemar TisbyNew Kid by Jerry CraftBrown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline WoodsonOrdinary Light: A Memoir by Tracy K. SmithThe Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth AlexanderReal American: A Memoir by Julie Lythcott-HaimsHunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxanne GayBetween the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi CoatesMother to Son: Letters to a Black Boy on Identity and Hope by Jasmine L. HolmesGuidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys Into Race, Motherhood and History by Camille T. DungyCitizen: An American Lyric by Claudia RankineA Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation by Barry Wittenstein and Jerry PinkneyLoving: Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy by Sheryll CashinReconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical's Inside View of White Christianity by Edward GilbreathMartin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan CollierChildren of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond TutuManna and Mercy: A Brief History of God's Unfolding Promise to Mend the Entire Universe by Daniel ErlanderThe Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. edited by Clayborne CarsonFarming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman and Karen Washington

In episode six of the Food Confidence Podcast we talk to Leah Hackney, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition. Leah shares how she came to be an Intuitive Eating and HAES (Health At Every Size) -informed practitioner, and how she applied these philosophies when working in an in-patient setting at a Children's hospital. She talks about how she has seen weight-stigma show up in the clinical setting, and how parents and caregivers can advocate for the health of family members if and when a weight concern is brought up. We also talk about our own experiences in using positive food and body language as a way to help foster health and wellbeing. Finally, Leah shares some perspectives on the intersections of health and social justice, which we learn is can often be a factor that is overlooked in both individual and public health initiatives. Show notes & recommended resources 1. Love it, Like it, and Learning it language - https://veggiesandvirtue.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-love-it-like-it-learning-it 2. Karen Washington on Food Apartheids: https://www.guernicamag.com/karen-washington-its-not-a-food-desert-its-food-apartheid/ 3. Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon: https://lindabacon.org/health-at-every-size-book/