Transcripts
Hi, there. I'm Aileen and welcome to my kitchen.
Speaker:I just finished baking Bibingka. It's this chewy and fragrant sweet rice
Speaker:cake, and it's cooked for holidays, for celebrations, for every day gatherings,
Speaker:or for a snack, which is why I've made it today.
Speaker:Making this in my California kitchen, I realised it's something more than
Speaker:a dessert, it's actually a blend of migrant histories. While I was making
Speaker:the batter, I was using a recipe from my immigrant Filipino parents but
Speaker:with rice grown by a multi generational Japanese American family owned farm,
Speaker:with rice cultivated in California soil, the sticky textures of the dish
Speaker:make me think about lineage, which brings me to the topic that we're
Speaker:gonna learn about today, grounding a global mindset with local work.
Speaker:I brought together two leaders, with deep wisdom and insight on this topic.
Speaker:Martín Lemos is a farmer advocate and reformer who works to change policy,
Speaker:build networks and provide business services to ensure all young farmers
Speaker:have the chance to succeed. Ma'raj Sheikh is a community builder and strategist
Speaker:who works to build racial justice and food systems resiliency, focusing
Speaker:on local governance and systems of equitable resource allocation.
Speaker:Settle in and enjoy our conversation. Thank you both for coming together
Speaker:in this conversation. So I know that food work, like people carry so
Speaker:many different layered identities, whether we're talking about diaspora
Speaker:migration, interwoven history, solidarities. There's a lot of complexity
Speaker:there. And so when I think about grounding a global mindset with local
Speaker:work, I felt that a conversation between the two of you in particular
Speaker:would provide so much truth telling and first hand stories around what this
Speaker:could look like. So before we jump into that conversation, I want to
Speaker:send your minds with this question. What is your favorite way to organize
people around a meal?:I think my favorite way to organize
people around a meal?:people around a meal is through some way of bringing people around the
people around a meal?:table with a story, with an understanding of where that food comes from,
people around a meal?:or with some kind of core values that bring us all together,
people around a meal?:so whether that's local food, whether that's food that centered with cultural
people around a meal?:significance. I think that food carries so many multi dimensional aspects
people around a meal?:to it, that without that narrative thread, that depth and flavor of food
people around a meal?:is sort of lost. And can I invite you to share a little
people around a meal?:bit more about what that flavor is? I think having that visceral tangible
people around a meal?:connection can be such an important entry point into this work.
::I think for me, a lot of that centers around local food,
::around understanding where my food is coming from,
::whether that's food from the farmer's market, understanding the growers,
::understanding the cultural significance within the climate that I'm living
::in. Right now, I live in a little village in Chicago,
::and it's a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. And so every time I go down
::the street to my tamale lady and pick up some tamales,
::there's a whole story unfolding in my mind of what that livelihood means,
::what that connection looks like within my own community of
::holding on to recipes, holding on to culturally significant foods
::in a climate where resources have been depleted from my neighborhood,
::in a climate where it's complex because that food might not be coming
::from a local supply chain, but it still has that essence of story
::behind it, it still has cultural significance within the community that
::I'm embedded in, and so it's not a straightforward answer, I think it
::really is context dependent, it's dependent on whatever meal I'm sitting
down for, that story changes.:Yeah, thinking about this,
down for, that story changes.:I feel like I've gone through different phases. I went through this potluck
down for, that story changes.:phase and then swung to the other side, where like, "We'll take care
down for, that story changes.:of everything, you just show up, and we'll host. And I think
down for, that story changes.:now, maybe a little bit out of laziness, but also just out of
down for, that story changes.:really appreciating the participation of meals, making space for the meal
down for, that story changes.:to be made together and having this communal experience that was around
down for, that story changes.:the fire, which food and cooking and grilling was part of it,
down for, that story changes.:but it was really just this opportunity to gather around this fire and
down for, that story changes.:have conversation and dip into chopping onions and then putting those on
down for, that story changes.:and getting sausage and putting that on, but it's kind of this interplay
down for, that story changes.:between what's happening on the grill, what's happening
down for, that story changes.:at the table, and this back and forth. So
down for, that story changes.:food is core, but not the only thing, and the production of food,
down for, that story changes.:the processing, the making, the generating of that meal is something that
down for, that story changes.:happens together, and just allows folks to participate in the way they want
down for, that story changes.:and creates community that way. I love that. And I'm struck from both
down for, that story changes.:of you just hearing about how food and organizing people around a meal,
down for, that story changes.:it is about, but not just about the ingredient or the recipe,
down for, that story changes.:it's really about the relationships and about this dynamic interplay of
down for, that story changes.:stories and people and place. And so that brings me to this question.
down for, that story changes.:Both of you have lived across different continents, you've experienced a
down for, that story changes.:range of different food scapes all throughout your life and through your
down for, that story changes.:professional world and your personal lives, what are some of the most striking
down for, that story changes.:differences that have made an imprint in your work? And what are some
t you find yourself bringing.:So I spent
t you find yourself bringing.:significant parts of my life living in Pakistan. My family moved back and
t you find yourself bringing.:forth between the US and Pakistan a few times. And I think one
t you find yourself bringing.:of the main differences that I have noticed in my experience is that
t you find yourself bringing.:here in the United States, there isn't as much of a culture around
t you find yourself bringing.:food, it doesn't organize or structure our day in the same way.
t you find yourself bringing.:I think back to my childhood in Pakistan and thinking about when it
t you find yourself bringing.:was time to drink chai, any time somebody comes over and you prepare
t you find yourself bringing.:some chai and you bring out some snacks, and how much food just
t you find yourself bringing.:organizes our whole day, thinking about it from the perspective of when
t you find yourself bringing.:I wake up here in the US, I feel like food isn't that
t you find yourself bringing.:thread that coalesces the entire day, it's more of an afterthought,
t you find yourself bringing.:and that's something that I see with fast food, with the way that
t you find yourself bringing.:our lives are much more centered on the work day, rather than the
meals we eat.:I really kind of resonate with what Ma'raj
meals we eat.:was speaking to, which I think is the use of time and how
meals we eat.:much of our day we allocate to the production of food,
meals we eat.:the procurement of food and the preparation of food, of eating food together.
meals we eat.:I think that's something that I think changes across different cultures,
meals we eat.:right? And I've seen that look differently, and that to me was always
meals we eat.:the pleasure of traveling, is to experience these different perceptions
meals we eat.:of time as manifested through the how we eat and meals,
meals we eat.:and also visiting farmers and how their production is, and how they think
meals we eat.:about harvesting and cleaning and gathering. So I think that's a really
meals we eat.:interesting thread, just to know there is just varying priorities with time
meals we eat.:relating to food, and I think that was what always struck me about
meals we eat.:leaving the US, growing up in Uruguay and then visiting my grandparents,
meals we eat.:visiting my family in Uruguay, just how much time was allocated to meals
meals we eat.:and to the procurement of things, and the community relations around food.
::I remember being really awestruck by just a simple fact
::that gathering groceries and calling ahead of time to see if the Almacen
::hadn't closed yet for Siesta, and if they hadn't, running by,
::and then stopping by a neighbor's and saying, "Do you want anything the
::Almacen's about to close, are about to take a Siesta," and then going
::to the Almacen, grabbing a few things and not paying for it right
::away, 'cause there would be a card where people would write,
::and then you would have a credit and then you'd have to close
::your tab at some point. And that whole process of
::both the amount of time that took, but also just the relationships that
::were part of it, which is very strange even now coming back to
::it, and it's really stark now with, everything feels so individualised,
::you don't talk to anybody, you don't interact with anybody. You go to
::the supermarket, you grab your cart and then you go to a self
::check out and that's it, and I know that there's varying communities within
::these borders, but just knowing that there's been this drive within this
::country, at least, to fracture that and to
::not allow for that kind of time and space, and that's something that
::definitely feels like a change across regions and across place. 0:09:32.2Ma'raj:
::One thing that I wanna add to that, building off of what you
::just said, Martín is just how different the experience of my day to
::day encounters with food are here versus having grown up in a place
::like Pakistan, where accessing food is a very fluid experience, it's not
::going into a drive through, you're not going into necessarily a supermarket,
::you can access food in open markets, you can access food through street
::vendors who have their daily livelihoods, you can be taking public transport
::and come across a chai wala and be drinking a cup of tea,
::which is its own entire cultural experience. And earlier I mentioned the
::tamale lady in my neighborhood, and I think that's something that I love
::so much about that, is that it's one of the few experiences that
::I've had living in the United States where I can still kind of
::happen upon food in this sort of way,
::where it isn't boxed in or corporatised or separated from my day to
::day movement in the world. I am incredibly struck by this theme that
::seems to lift up from both of you, the use of time,
::time and how it's valued, time and how food preparation and relationships
::are so interrelated, so much of how time is constructed is rooted in
::capitalism, this sense of time being broken down and trying to optimise
::and to try to speed things up without doing all these necessary ways
::of slowing down. So I wanna ask both of you, as people who
::have personal and communal lives have seen other ways of being that are
::across the global south and across communities, even within the US,
::do you believe it's possible to feed communities, feed the world and exist
without capitalism?:Yeah, that's a big question for sure,
without capitalism?:and I think it's a tough question too as advocates, because we sometimes
without capitalism?:work in spaces where there's still a taboo around talking about capitalism,
without capitalism?:and I think a lot about that in the US context of actually
without capitalism?:arguing against that, whether or not there it is, even capitalism in our
without capitalism?:food system, from a current farm production side of things, so much of
without capitalism?:our cultural system is subsidized. Historically, we've got acreage that
without capitalism?:was stolen by the US Government and then offered to white settlers for
without capitalism?:a dollar an acre. So that's an incredible subsidy. We've had enslavement
without capitalism?:that was subsidized and sub sponsored, and this idea of capitalism,
without capitalism?:which has often been presented as this market forces, and it's not real,
without capitalism?:it's never been real in the US, and so a lot of our
without capitalism?:work on it is to make it clear that we usually do have
without capitalism?:significant government intervention, and I think there's this false distinction
without capitalism?:that we're made to believe between this kind of public supported system
s community supported system.:And this communal
s community supported system.:agriculture system exists, but that's supported by the work of communities,
s community supported system.:by the volunteer work of communities, by the investment of communities,
s community supported system.:there's a whole public supported agriculture system, which to me oftentimes
s community supported system.:is in direct competition, and it's our role to talk about the ways
s community supported system.:that that community model and our public model should be one and the
s community supported system.:same. And it's purposely not transparent, there's a motivated irrationality
s community supported system.:to not let us see how our policy determines who gets food and
s community supported system.:who doesn't, who suffers and who doesn't. And I think there's already a
s community supported system.:huge machinery there, we've got a public Agricultural model that is primarily
s community supported system.:funded by the state, we as people within the state have the right
s community supported system.:and deserve to have the state mirror and reflect our wishes,
s community supported system.:and if we're proposing a community supported agriculture model, we need
ernment investment behind it.:So that's been
ernment investment behind it.:my approach to thinking about that capitalism question, is to say like,
ernment investment behind it.:"Well, you know really, we don't have this pure competitive winner of best
ernment investment behind it.:ideas, no, we have an agriculture system that is entirely dictated and entirely
ernment investment behind it.:distorted by government investment and public investment, and that's not
ernment investment behind it.:a bad thing, that's the role of government, is to subsidise things and
ernment investment behind it.:to provide funding and investment in things, the problem is that it's not
ernment investment behind it.:directed where it needs to be, it's not distributing wealth, it's not promoting
ernment investment behind it.:the common good, it's not supporting farmers and farm workers, and it's
ernment investment behind it.:not prioritising public health. There's enough models both in this country
ernment investment behind it.:and across the world of community supported agriculture models, the problem
ernment investment behind it.:is that they don't receive the support of the public state and public
ernment investment behind it.:investment. And so they're existing despite government efforts most times,
ernment investment behind it.:and so our work is to really try to reconcile that and making
ernment investment behind it.:that really clear to folks, that this is the model that exists,
ernment investment behind it.:this is what we can do to make things better.
ernment investment behind it.:Thank you, Martín. Ma'raj, what does that spark with you, how do you
ernment investment behind it.:find those connections yourself, and what would be your take on that question?
::Yeah, I think what Martín is pointing out, which is that
::we don't have a system that's driven by markets, that we actually have
::a system of what should be mechanisms that support public benefit,
::actually being allocated towards supporting corporatization, consolidation
::of power and of resources in an extractive way. And so I think
::that community driven, community supported agricultural systems, food systems
::are very much possible, but that this isn't a conversation that happens
::separate from the larger conversation of, what are the systems that uphold
::our capitalist economy, and how can those engines and drivers of support
::for capitalism be reoriented to actually benefit communities.
::Knowing that both of you in a lot of ways are bridges,
::you've been bridging your work in land and agriculture and you're forming
::policy, and these are so big, these are incredibly complex worlds,
::I wanna bring it maybe down to an example, or a model,
::imagining someone listening is entering into the question of food maybe
::for the first time in their life, or new in this path.
::And I wanna invite you to share, is there a community that you
::were or consider yourself a part of, where you've seen some really drastic
::changes in how people relate to their food, where have you seen drastic
::changes that can take us into somewhere that's gonna be more whole?
::So I think I've seen the most radical transformation happen
::in spaces where people actually are able to encounter land and food production
::and proximity to their living space. I had the opportunity to live on
::a community land trust in Madison, Wisconsin, called Tri gardens, where
::Madison, Wisconsin, it's a city, but within the city, there was this little
::oasis of a land trust, a five acre diversified vegetable farm along with
::affordable housing and community gardens. Just witnessing people who lived
::on that land, who prior to living in the space had never really
::grown their own food, or never really encountered an agricultural system,
::the ways in which their understanding was able to flower and develop through
::engaging with the soil and engaging as part of that ecosystem of nourishment,
::I think that that is one of the most transformative experiences that anyone
can have.:And I think that's an experience that can be
can have.:available to folks in the city through being involved in a community garden,
can have.:through talking to farmers at their farmers market, through growing herbs
can have.:in your window cell, but just being part of that direct experience of
can have.:linking your nourishment in a way that engages all of your senses,
can have.:in a way that really makes it immediate, is so important,
can have.:because we live in this world of obstructions and for so many of
can have.:us food is several obstructions away from actually arriving at our plate,
can have.:I think as soon as we sort of close that loop in any
can have.:way that makes clear sense to us, then those mechanisms, those ecological
can have.:interactions, that meaning with which we're able to access nourishment in
can have.:a relational way, I don't think there's any substitute for that.
can have.:I'm hearing that. And Martín, what do you see from your vantage point?
::There's a lot that exists right now, and a lot that's growing.
::I think the challenge is that it's sometimes struggling to be born and
::a little bit obstructed, but there's a lot of really amazing experimentation
::that's happening around these things, there's folks that are awake to really
::the complications of food production, as this mainstream conception of it
::has been in the US, and developing really curated in the sense of
::being localised and specific to the relations of that land, of that space
::and of that community. Part of my job is just to keep attuned
::to these projects, and there's just so many across the country,
::there's just so many people who are developing farms and sliding scale production,
::or worker collectives, or they are thinking about revitalising landscapes.
::There's just all these different perspectives on food,
::and I think the scarcity of these stories in the media make it
::really hard to know. And if you follow the common narrative,
::you don't get a sense of the depth of experimentation, of newness,
::there's just some really amazing things that are happening, and so it is
::really hopeful, and I don't know if that hope is about one model
::that works everywhere, but I think it's more of just like, folks when
::they have the space, when they have the access to land,
::when they have the security of being in those spaces, when they have
::the security of resources can do really exciting things that may not work
::in other places that are super effective and powerful and impactful in the
::community that they're in, and creating the kind of communities that they
::want, where they're at. So it's exciting, I think there's just so much
::out there and in our landscapes, that doesn't get as much attention,
in the mainstream narrative.:I
in the mainstream narrative.:love what you just said Martín, about the multiple ways in which this
in the mainstream narrative.:work is happening, I'm just thinking about a bag of potato chips.
in the mainstream narrative.:'Cause I love root vegetables, just thinking about that embeddedness within
in the mainstream narrative.:the soil, the function that many root vegetables serve, and the nutrient
in the mainstream narrative.:cycle of the plant, and how rich that is, but then when you
in the mainstream narrative.:chop it up and put it into a little potato chip bag all
in the mainstream narrative.:of that meaning, all of that understanding is just totally lost.
in the mainstream narrative.:I think there are many ways for us to kind of get back
in the mainstream narrative.:to the soil, get back to understanding the connections of our food,
in the mainstream narrative.:and that there is no one way of understanding these things or one
in the mainstream narrative.:right path of understanding these things. I think Dr. Vandana Shiva,
in the mainstream narrative.:who is an activist and a thought leader who I really respect alludes
in the mainstream narrative.:to this in terms of monoculture of the mind, the fact that there
in the mainstream narrative.:are so many different ways and so many different things that are happening
in the mainstream narrative.:in the world. Given the limitations and given the context that we live
in the mainstream narrative.:within, that there is no right or wrong way, start wherever you're at,
in the mainstream narrative.:because whatever that perspective is, it needs to have a multiplicity to
in the mainstream narrative.:it for the sake of resilience. Peace you all. I'm Mark Winston Griffith,
in the mainstream narrative.:an alumnus of the Castanea Fellowship Program. As the Executive Director
in the mainstream narrative.:of the Brooklyn Movement Center, I was looking for a community of peers
in the mainstream narrative.:who also saw a world where food truly became a source of health,
in the mainstream narrative.:equity, and well being for all. Castanea brought those very leaders together
in the mainstream narrative.:and invested in us to make it happen. Since then, I've collaborated with
in the mainstream narrative.:a cadre of Castanea fellows on a national initiative to hold philanthropy
in the mainstream narrative.:accountable, and I've tapped into game changing support from my food systems
in the mainstream narrative.:work here in Central Brooklyn. So I'm looking forward to what's ahead in
in the mainstream narrative.:my professional, as well as my personal journey, along with following the
in the mainstream narrative.:impact I know my friends from the program will continue to make.
in the mainstream narrative.:Learn how Castanea can support your journey. Visit castaneafellowship.org.
in the mainstream narrative.:That's C A S T A N E A F E L L O W S H I P.org. On
in the mainstream narrative.:the theme of changing the narrative, these spaces for radical transformation
in the mainstream narrative.:really ask for people to come up close to food systems in their
in the mainstream narrative.:day to day life. From your vantage point and your roles and your
in the mainstream narrative.:work, do you see taking on that role in educating and changing the
in the mainstream narrative.:narrative from your work? I know both of you as people working in
in the mainstream narrative.:advocacy, policy and strategy, you might be taking on the role of educator
in the mainstream narrative.:in both formal but also informal ways, and we just love to invite
in the mainstream narrative.:you to share some more of that work in educating and passing skills
and knowledge along.:I guess for myself, I kinda wanna
and knowledge along.:turn that question a little bit on its head because I don't necessarily
and knowledge along.:see my role as an educator. I see my role as more of
and knowledge along.:a conduit, and so much of that has to do with just holding
and knowledge along.:space and being open, being receptive to the experiences of the communities
and knowledge along.:in which I'm most immediately embedded, but also adjacent communities, and
and knowledge along.:also understanding where my own perspective lies within hierarchies of privilege
and knowledge along.:and what the limits of my perspective are. I think any advocacy work
and knowledge along.:is not necessarily about informing or educating. I mean in one sense it
and knowledge along.:is because you're delivering a message, but that message isn't coming from
and knowledge along.:me. It's a message that I am acting as a conduit for.
and knowledge along.:And I can't be a conduit for that message unless I'm open ears,
and knowledge along.:open eyes, open understanding, and allowing that to sort of mobilize the
and knowledge along.:work that I do. I love questions being turned on their head.
and knowledge along.:I think that's so important and part of the depth of this conversation.
::Yeah, I really agree with what Ma'raj is saying, and I
::think, especially that question around education, I think it's recognizing
::that there is a common sense that exists, and the work of advocacy
::is like to raise that common sense and to elevate it and to
::give it power and to say that there's wisdom in communities that have
::been disenfranchised or barred from the resources that they need for self
::determination, don't have access to the Capitol, access to land, whatever
::it may be, that prevents their actualising what they see as important for
::their community, for their well being. I feel like there's a core part
::of advocacy that is less about trying to educate constituents and more about
::encouraging them, encouraging to say, "You have every right to demand this.
::You have every right to not compromise and to receive what you want,
::because it's your government and it's accountable to you." It's not that
::I know any better. It's not that the lawmakers know any better.
::I'm in the position I'm in because the privileges I've
::had and the privileges I've been able to gain. Lawmakers are there because
::of privileges they've had. It's our role to really challenge that and to
::make clear that, yeah, there is that common sense and that opportunity
::that we should have to influence and to advocate and to receive what
::is in the public good. So it's difficult, but I definitely feel like
::it's an important part of our work as advocates to really challenge that
::instinct to educate and tell folks like, "This is what it should be."
::Even on the strategy, sometimes it's not really our role to do that.
::Our role is just to provide the resources and that opportunity for folks
::who are working class, folks who aren't gonna get paid immediately for the
terms of political advocacy.:I love
terms of political advocacy.:the way Ma'raj is thinking about it. You've gotta turn that on its head
terms of political advocacy.:and go from thinking about our task as advocates and rather support their
terms of political advocacy.:organizing that already exists, working class, marginalized communities
terms of political advocacy.:already organized, they're organized for their protection. They don't need
terms of political advocacy.:us to organize it. There's networks of strength there and networks of resilience.
terms of political advocacy.:Our work is really to resource them and to elevate them and to
terms of political advocacy.:give them all the opportunities to challenge power and to receive the benefits
and the respect they deserve.:I really like that word "challenge".
and the respect they deserve.:I think that we do hold a space of privilege working in this
and the respect they deserve.:policy world, and how do we actually allow ourselves to be receptive and
and the respect they deserve.:shaped by the experiences of working class people, of farmers, of those
and the respect they deserve.:who are closest to the soil, those who are closest to the systems
and the respect they deserve.:that we are looking to transform and actually challenge and hold space?
and the respect they deserve.:Because I think about all of the different conversations that I'm a part
and the respect they deserve.:of in my day to day life, and there's a lot of ideas,
and the respect they deserve.:there's a lot of words, there's a lot of language, there's a lot
and the respect they deserve.:there, a lot of educating happening on all ends, and what is frequently
and the respect they deserve.:missing is holding space, allowing for what is actually grounded to emerge.
and the respect they deserve.:So Ma'raj and Martín, we have covered a lot.
and the respect they deserve.:You've taken sense on this journey from global to local,
and the respect they deserve.:and I wanna impact that some more, 'cause I think that this question
and the respect they deserve.:of how do we actually live in those connections, how do we make
and the respect they deserve.:those threads between local and global perspectives real in our day to day.
::Yeah, that is a really big question, Aileen, and I think
::that in some ways, the answer really lies within our own identities,
::right? Each of us is not only embedded within the communities that we
::live in, but each of us bears witness in one way or another
::through our own experiencing of life. And so when I think about the
::ways in which local action connects to my own perspective in a global
::way, it is through my identity, it is through thinking about where my
::ancestors come from, where my food comes from, that I'm eating.
::And so I think that that's sort of the key. Even if you're not
::somebody who has had experience living multi nationally or across continents,
::maybe you're the child of immigrants, maybe your parents were first generation,
::maybe you live in a neighborhood that has ties to another cultural group.
::And so really understanding how these things play out within our local communities
::while still maintaining a focus on local action, I think that there is
::something there that there is a more complete picture to understand through
::that investigation that will create a pathway of really understanding this
::concept of how my liberation is tied into your liberation. 0:26:50.7Martín:
::What's also coming up for me is I think there's a really important
::part of participating in our world that involves not being afraid and recognizing
::and acknowledging that machinery that accumulates power, accumulates opportunity,
::accumulates wealth and the impacts of that and how it
::functions through government and the allocation of resources and the allocation
::of opportunities, the allocation of land. There is this opportunity within
::the US to have really a local action and to create this counter
::narrative through projects that support community resilience. And I think
::it's also really critical to, as you're engaged in that local action, to
::not shy away from that machinery and not to disengage from that,
::because that machinery is still working, whether or not you find pockets
::of resistance in the US. That's machinery that is working in overdrive across
::the world to hoover up opportunities and wealth and capital and to displace
::people. And so thinking about local action, to me, has always been a
::challenge as an immigrant too, 'cause I'm new to this country,
::and I still have the sense of being a visitor to this country.
::And we have to recognize that our communities are gonna
::change. Our borders are gonna change. There's gonna be movement in this
::world. And so I think local action requires us to also engage in
::that global level and engage with that machinery that works and is often
::counterproductive, if not destructive to communities across the world, but
::also recognizing in our local actions that we've gotta be ready to be
::welcoming and think of our communities as things that are moving in flux,
::think about land access is not just a matter of securing land for
::the community that's here now, but for generations ahead, for the communities
::that are still to join because their farm land has turned into desert,
::because they're fleeing violence that's been a result of
accumulation and imperialism.:And so
accumulation and imperialism.:this important action that we need to take on is understanding the place
accumulation and imperialism.:for local resilience and community building, but not to think of that as
accumulation and imperialism.:something that means we disengage with the political system or disengage
accumulation and imperialism.:with the global machinery. It's unfair to communities that don't have that
accumulation and imperialism.:option. And it's also just short term, right? Because at some point,
accumulation and imperialism.:any privileges that we have for local action are also going to be
accumulation and imperialism.:on their jeopardy. Our security is also gonna be in the jeopardy.
accumulation and imperialism.:Like that machinery is not gonna stop on its own, and because we
accumulation and imperialism.:can create a moment of resistance, a moment of resilience, that resilience
accumulation and imperialism.:will be on their thread until that global machinery is really challenged.
accumulation and imperialism.:I know we feel it as immigrants of having seen it,
accumulation and imperialism.:and seeing the importance of global action and also the importance of local
accumulation and imperialism.:action, and feeling like we can hold both of these things in our
accumulation and imperialism.:mind. That's kind of the imperative that we have, things that we need
accumulation and imperialism.:to do locally, grow things where we can, but we also need to
accumulation and imperialism.:be ready to engage with the larger systems and mechanisms that are a
accumulation and imperialism.:threat to not only to our communities, but to communities around the world.
::This is big work ahead of us, because as we're entering
::this time in which climate is going to make climate refugees out of
::many of us, it's going to disrupt the ecologies within which we live,
::the communities within which we live in one way or another.
::I think that's a really important point that you made, Martín, that our
::communities are permeable. This isn't some static thing. And in many ways,
::this sort of temporal, spatial delineation, isolation is a figment of the
::very system that we're up against. It serves to divide and conquer us.
::And so how do we prioritize local action and that attention and awareness
::which very much needs to expand on a local level,
::while still really understanding that we are part of a global collective,
::and that no utopia is safe? We can build our utopia,
::but that utopia is not gonna be safe until we start creating the
::global utopia. I'm hearing that, and I appreciate you both sharing the importance,
::the value of shifting power, shifting privilege, holding space, being a
::conduit. And I'd love to get, whether it's advice or just encouragement
::that both of you would want to impart.
::What's something simple that anyone could do that could make a huge difference
in our own home communities?:I think there's a lot of confusion
in our own home communities?:in the world, because we live in a world that is becoming more
in our own home communities?:and more globalized, where the idea of, what does a global food system
in our own home communities?:look like, or what is a global perspective informing our food system look
in our own home communities?:like. Honestly, I think the biggest thing that anyone can do is to
in our own home communities?:really be as local and to understand issues on a local level to
in our own home communities?:the best of their abilities, because the forces that are supporting corporatization
in our own home communities?:that are supporting consolidation and extraction of resources are the same
in our own home communities?:globally. And the same forces that are causing land resources and other
in our own home communities?:kinds of resources to be unavailable to our farmers, that those same forces
in our own home communities?:are at play on a global level. And so it's hard to engage
in our own home communities?:with these global problems, but I think that the biggest challenge to that
in our own home communities?:is actually localizing and to really bring our attention to what's right
in our own home communities?:in front of us. What supports my neighbor? What sustains my community?
in our own home communities?:What is life sustaining? What is allowing for nourishment to exist within
in our own home communities?:my own community? And how do we protect that while still maintaining that
in our own home communities?:perspective and understanding that what is happening in front of us,
in our own home communities?:what is undermining our systems of nourishment, access to resources, access
in our own home communities?:to land, worker's rights, farmer's rights, are the same things that are
a global level? And Martín?:Grow what you can
a global level? And Martín?:and where you can. That relationship to the natural world that comes through
a global level? And Martín?:cultivating and having this relationship that isn't simply human to human,
a global level? And Martín?:and thinking about the natural world, I think that comes through growing.
a global level? And Martín?:And I think the grow where you can is where it's important to
a global level? And Martín?:think about the politics of things and getting involved around local action
a global level? And Martín?:where you can is really critical. And I think, something I think is important
a global level? And Martín?:for those of us who work in food is to also open up
a global level? And Martín?:to folks to organize and act on things that maybe don't seem to
a global level? And Martín?:be squarely about food production or food at all. Just organize around the
a global level? And Martín?:things that are important in your community. organize around the things
a global level? And Martín?:that are unjust in your community. organize around supporting those in your
a global level? And Martín?:community that are being marginalized, that are being demonized, that are
a global level? And Martín?:being attacked or vulnerable. And that often has relationships with food,
a global level? And Martín?:but sometimes doesn't. It involves reform around the way that we think about
a global level? And Martín?:criminal justice system, reform around healthcare access, reform... 0:33:52.3Martín:
a global level? And Martín?:And so farming is really about being attentive to your world,
a global level? And Martín?:which is both the natural world and the political world, and I think
a global level? And Martín?:that's what I would suggest as just a general call to action is
a global level? And Martín?:grow what you can, where you can, and that what you can will
a global level? And Martín?:allow you to feel that connection, but knowing where you are and knowing
a global level? And Martín?:the way things work in your neighborhood and investigating that will unearth
