Edible Activist

In this brief finale episode, hear thoughts from host, Melissa L. about black folks rising from the silos into non-black digital spaces, supporting black lives, and she shares some exciting announcements. This episode does conclude the season, but we'll be back after we recalibrate. In the meantime, check out our 80+ episodes on deck! Thanks for your support as always and remember: in the words of Baba Oduno, "there is no culture without agriculture." Period! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

At the start of spring, The Green Scheme family would have been outdoors and in the gardens with the D.C. youth, but plans have shifted as the world takes precautions and practices social distancing. Co-founder, Ronnie Webb, and his amazing team run The Green Scheme, a dynamic organization that is "changing the scene" with a mission to bridge communities and empower youth to live healthy and sustainable lives. In this episode, Ronnie talks about making lemonade out of lemons and how they are utilizing the virtual space to keep the youth growing. "They will be teaching their parents," says Ronnie! Tune in to hear more about the creative changes they are implementing to keep the health marathon moving and much more! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

While most non-essential workers have the luxury of working-from-home, first responders, along with other emergency personnel do not as they weather the pandemic. Food on the Stove's founder, Jonathan Tate, joins us for another episode to expound upon the mission work that has taken place in the midst of COVID-19, ensuring that firefighters across the city are nourished on a job that is ever-so demanding. Tune in to learn about the outpouring support from the D.C. community to support FOTS, Tate also talks about mental health awareness, and we discuss their latest meal delivery pilot: Local Food for Local Heroes. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

From growing up on a farm in Virginia to operating The Fresh Food Factory in Southeast, D.C., Amanda Stephenson's connection to food, farming and health has led her on a journey to educate and offer options that support the wellbeing of her community. Surry, Virginia is where Amanda's farming adventures began, growing up in this small town with siblings as they worked the land while game, ducks, and other farm animals roamed the grounds. And as a creative who navigated to New York City, and eventually D.C. she gives credit to her hard-working dad, who surpassed a life expectancy by 18 years, for the values and entrepreneurial spirit she carries til this day. In this episode, we learn about Amanda's business that started as a food incubator in Ward 8, she addresses black entrepreneurship and the wealth disparities that exist, and how the business has been adapting during COVID-19. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

"Whoever controls your food source controls you" are words that Maryland-based gardener, Kevin Alsop, penetrated into our earbuds in episode #001, one that encouraged us to prepare and go back to food basics. Kevin graced our show again with his honest feelings on having to reignite his love for growing, because the business and politics of food has a way of stripping your passion. Additionally in this episode, we catch up on Kevin's latest growing project at a senior citizen center in Capitol Heights, he shares his thoughts on the coronavirus pandemic, and he leaves us with an "Alsop Starter Growing Kit" for beginning growers. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

The scent of tobacco, along with memories of grandma and granddaddy Arthur tend to the land isn't distant at all for Tonya Peele. As a child, the North Carolina native, gardener, and avid photographer watched her beloved grandparents plant tobacco, corn and other crops from the back of their pickup truck on the Carolina fields. So her love for the land is a natural expression of reverence for the legacy of farmers and sharecroppers down her lineage. In this episode, we zoom in on Tonya's family story, and her platforms: Plant & Shoot and The Zen Camera Club, which she founded as a self-care practice to meditate by photographing nature. Tonya believes that meditation isn't for everyone, however, she notes that our still focus can serve as a channel for zen. *This episode was pre-recorded.* Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

"If we don't have health, we can't get wealth," says Tambra Raye, the founder of both Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA) and Nativsol. We caught up with the former Edible Activist guest to discuss what's continuing to unfold in communities of color hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus pandemic, her upcoming Cooking with Soul Series at The U.S. Botanic Gardens to kickoff #Juneteenth, and she gives us a taste of her upcoming WANDA Academy. Tune in! *This episode was pre-recorded.* Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

After five years of growing food, The Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) found themselves launching a vital mission for the community during the Baltimore Uprising after the death of Freddie Gray. Founded by Pastor Heber Brown, BCFSN started with just a few seeds on the grounds of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church which then morphed into a model that would help black churches utilize their land to grow food, bringing markets and black farmers to the congregation. This episode dives into the relationship between the black church and agriculture, the land being a major asset, along with how churches might need to pivot given the current climate. Pastor Brown also speaks on their latest project: The Black Church Census which will be a gamechanger assess data on black church-owned land! Tune in! *Please note that this episode was pre-recorded.* Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant Food.