Profile in Courage: Karen Washington

I had the great pleasure to meet Karen Washington recently in the Bronx borough of New York City. She is a powerful activist working hard for environmental and economic justice for more then 20 years. She was also one of the lead organizers and emcee for the unprecedented conference at Brooklyn College, Black Farmers and Urban Gardeners Conference 2010. She has been instrumental in bring the food movement to people of color and poor people throughout New York City. I was able to meet her at the community garden La Finca Del Sur, and also participated in a tour of the garden she helps manage called the Garden of Happiness. She is also involved with the La Familia Verde Garden Coalition and board member of Just Food both located in New York City. Karen Washington do your thing and thanks for the work you do.

New Film - Soul Food Junkies

I saw an exclusive showing of preview of the latest movie Soul Food Junkies from Bryon Hurt the maker of classic Movie documentary Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes. Bryon Hurt is now focusing his efforts on bad eating habits within the black community. The movie preview that I saw was intriguing that played like a PSA for the black community think about what you eat or your health will suffer. This movie is important because it is sensitive to the cultural values of the black community mainly food and family which are both sacred. An added component Hurt adds into the mix is health which is often not equated to the day to day food habits. Food is however one of the most important things to consider for long term health. In the movie preview we saw a vegan mother feeding her child sea weed avocado rolls and the little girl was loving it. The preview also had a cameo from the famous comedian Dick Gregory who said "we were vegetarians 5 days a week and meat was a treat on the weekends". I am very excited to see the results of this movie and am a big fan of Bryon Hurt and all his good work. Thanks also to Malcolm X Grassroots movement for playing this preview and for their take back the land movement presented at the 2010 Black Farmers and Urban Gardener Conference in NYC.

Groundworks Portland and Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust

Wonderful article about the work of two organizations making things happen on the accessible food front Groundworks Portland and Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust. Check it out in the latest addition of the Portland Mercury http://bit.ly/hfkeso. These are two organizations that are working hard to make unused land into space for neighbors and community members to grow gardens and beautify or detoxify land. I hope one day I can work with or along side these organizations. One because this is an effort I support 100%. Not only is it a good example of how people are thinking creatively about how to grow in the city but it is teaching children how to be responsible land tenets. Keep up the good work.