We are officially halfway through our series! Watch this week’s recording here.
It has been such an inspiring first few weeks. Each week, as we hear new voices, and learn about new topics, we are reminded of how important it is to be focusing on creating a safe, just, and equitable food system in Vermont. To all our womxn and femme guests so far — thank you for the work that you do.
Last Thursday we heard from Carolina Lukac (Vermont Community Garden Network), Cat Buxton (Grow More, Waste Less), Liv Peña (Vermont Releaf Collective), Alisha Laramee (AALV, Inc.), Sara-Jean Whelan (Slow Food Vermont), and Emma Schoenberg (Food Not Bombs Burlington) discuss the power of grassroots organizing as an effective tool for creating just change within existing and inequitable systems. Again, themes of forming relationships, sharing the mic, and understanding the importance of deep listening came up as fundamental steps needed to create real change.
Carolina Lukac started off the conversation by sharing her experience working in a traditional community garden where folks have individual plots versus a collective garden where groups plan, plant, work and harvest food together. She noted how much more rewarding collective spaces can be because they promote agency, community and allow for more produce to be grown. This is a beautiful metaphor for grassroots organizing and how working collaboratively can lead to empowerment for all involved.
We were additionally reminded by Cat Buxton that working to create change within a system, built on white supremacist and capitalist ideals, is confining. She pushed us to think about what the right questions are when creating new systems.
Watch the recap to hear more!
Here’s where you can find out more about yesterday’s panelists
Carolina Lukac, VT Community Garden Network | vcgn.org
Liv Peña, Vermont Releaf Collective | vtreleafcollective.org
Sara Jean Whelan, Slow Food Vermont | slowfoodvermont.org
Emma Schoenberg, Food Not Bombs Burlington| facebook.com/FoodNotBombsBurlington
Alisha Laramee, AALV, Inc. | aalv-vt.org
Cat Duffy Buxton, Grow More, Waste Less | growmorewasteless.com