Food Justice & Community to Converge in Tempe this Month [EVENT POSTPONED]
UPDATE: THIS EVENT, AND LEAH PENNIMAN’S VISIT TO ARIZONA, HAS BEEN POSTPONED INDEFINITELY IN LIGHT OF GROWING CONCERNS OVER THE NEW CORONAVIRUS DISEASE, COVID-19.
On March 18th, Good Food Finder is proud to support Rio Salado Community College as they host Food Justice: Creating Equity Through Sustainable Food Systems. The event will focus on equity in food systems and how we can solidify every community's right to grow, sell, and eat healthy foods that are culturally appropriate and economically accessible.
Keynote speaker for the event is Leah Penniman, renowned author of Farming While Black and co-director and program manager of Soul Fire Farm. Through Soul Fire, Penniman has become a recognized leader in the pursuit of food justice and has taken a firm stance against the exclusion of black and brown communities from the production and consumption of nutritious food. Soul Fire has been a prominent source for high quality, organic produce for many households in the Troy and Albany, New York area. Payments are made according to income, based on a sliding scale, meaning no one is turned away due to a lack of income.
““In order to free ourselves, we must feed ourselves””
Penniman’s book, Farming While Black, provides readers with information on how to find, buy, and make productive use of land while also being sustainable. It not only focuses on usable farming techniques, but also taps into the history of Black, Latin, and Indigenous traditions that were important in American history. By tapping into such rich history, Penniman hopes to inspire these demographics to rise above the inequity.
Attendees will be able to engage with industry experts and take part in multiple breakout sessions.
Wednesday, March 18th, 2020
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Rio Salado College - Conference Center
2323 West 14th Street | Tempe, AZ 85281
FREE
Register here
In addition to Ms. Penniman’s presentation, the event will feature remarkable local talent, including:
Darren Chapman of TigerMountain Foundation speaking to land and food as tools to end mass incarceration
Joshua Sundberg of Rio Salado College sharing on restorative, carbon-negative, biodiversity-positive farming practice
Jessie Green Gruner of Pinnacle Prevention speaking to Nutrition-related health disparities; and
A panel presentation on Faith Responses to an Unjust Food System, featuring Rev. Doug Bland of Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, Imam Omar Tawil, Islamic Community Center of Tempe, Eddie Calderon of Arizona Jews for Justice, and Souta Calling Last of Indigenous Vision.
To register for the Food Justice event, click here. We can’t wait to see you there!
This post was prepared with great support from Local First Arizona Media Intern, Frank Calandra.