By Mckela Kanu & Emnet Sisay
The podcast currently has 11 episodes available.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela conclude the podcast with comments on the pre and post-production process, the various emotions experienced throughout the project, the setbacks, and their gratitude for the conversations they had with the interviewees.
To read the transcription of this episode, click here!
Music: "Unglodly Hour" ChloexHalle. Columbia Records. 2020.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Evan Saura Ramsey (Fillipino-American, MPP candidate at Harvard Kennedy School and MBA candidate at MIT Sloan). This episode revolved around the contradictions, difficulties, and joys of being part of the diaspora. We discussed ways we have tried to reconnect to our culture, along with how food was an important part of that reclamation process. Evan also talked about his personal definition of what it means to be part of the diaspora and the process of finding security and comfort in who you are as a person.
To read the transcription of this episode, click here!
Music: Destin Route, Jared Gagarin, Marian Mereba, Ronald Gilmore, Sam Hoffman. "Sandstorm (feat. JID)." performed by Mereba and JID. 2019.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Philomena Kebec (Ojibwe, Policy Analyst) and Owen Schwartz (Community Dietitian) both who work at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. GLIFWC is an organization dedicated to preserving the autonomy and power of Indigenous people through protecting treaty rights, along with the rights to hunt and fish. Philomena and Owen are currently working on a program revolving around food sovereignty and assisting Indigenous communities with distributing traditional food to their members. In this episode, Emnet and Mckela discuss the theme of loss and connection and how intertwined food and culture is with one’s everyday life. We also discuss the importance of making food accessible, the agency embedded within Indigenous histories, and treaty rights in Ojibwe history.
Transcription of this episode!
Music: "For the light" performed by Digging Roots. 2014.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Mea Johnson (Apache) and Jean-Luc Pierite (Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana). Mea and Jean-Luc are both members on the Board of Directors for the North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB). Per their website: NAICOB has provided cultural, social, educational, and professional related services to the New England Native American community for 50 years. Themes of this episode include cultural preservation through food, the importance of centering Native American culture and joy, as well as how community led initiatives hold great power to make huge changes in our food system. We also have a discussion about what makes something radical and whether recognizing our humanity is part of that.
Transcription of this episode!
Music: "Roof Over My Head" performed by The Northwest Kid and Dozy. 2019.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talk about self-determination and accountability. This episode follows a different format than other episodes in the podcast and was filmed midway throughout this project. We reflect on how our definitions of food sovereignty, land, and our personal history itself have changed through the early conversations we had with the folks in our podcast.
To read the transcription of the reflection episode, click here!
Music: Vince Staples, 6LACK, Mereba, Leken Taylor & Jairus 'J-Mo' Mozee. "Yo Love" Performed by Vince Staples, 6LACK & Mereba. 2019.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela partnered with Abdullahi and Alicia from the burgeoning Somali Bantu Farm in Utica, NY. The main mission of the farm is providing sustainable food options for the Somali Bantu community along with creating a hospitable atmosphere where youth can continue learning and embracing their culture and traditions. This episode features a Q&A with prominent themes such as interdependence, community, and the importance of sustaining traditions in both younger and older generations. Please consider donating to the GoFundMe link below to help the farm continue its mission and expand their production.
GoFundMe Link (https://www.gofundme.com/f/somali-bantu-women-amp-children-farm-amp-market?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1)
Transcription of this episode!
Music: "Wanna Do My Thing", performed and written by Matata. 1994.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Yotakahron Jonathan (M.A., B.A., Mohawk Nation, Bear Clan). Born and raised from Six Nations Reserve, Yotakahdron is a MD from McMaster University School of Medicine, the co-founder of the Indigenous Health Curriculum Action Group, a trained traditional dula, and a co-host of the Heartberry Podcast. Throughout this episode, Yotakahdron talks about how food is a source of healing, what dismantling a colonial food system looks like, and the significance of traditional medicine. We also discuss how passing on indigenous knowledge is important to the preservation of their food systems.
To read the written transcription of Yotakahron's episode, click here!
Music: Lauryn Hill & Johari Newton. "Everything is Everything" Performed by Lauryn Hill. 1999.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Nataka S. Crayton, who is the operation manager at Urban Farming Institute. UFI created the first as-of-right commercial urban farm in Boston. Headquartered in Mattapan, the Urban Farming Institute (UFI) is building on this strength and turning neighborhoods green. Throughout this episode, we talk about what it means to be a black farmer, food as a means of health and her mission to make fresh food more accessible to BIPOC communities.
Transcription of Episode 3
Music: Brandon Anderson, Jason Pounds, Jeff Gitelman, Kenya Rae Johnson, Vicky Farewell Nguyen. "Lockdown" Performed by Anderson .Paak. 2020.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Dr. Leonardo E. Figueroa Holland (Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management at New School). This episode, we discuss the significance of indigeneity and Indigenous people in upholding biodiversity and the general health of the planet. Throughout the conversation, we also discuss how to change a system that relies on exploitation and alienation of people from their land, food, and culture.
To read the transcription of Leonardo’s episode, click this link!
Reading mentioned in this episode:
Figueroa-Helland, L., Thomas, C., & Aguilera, A. (2018). Decolonizing food systems: Food sovereignty, indigenous revitalization, and agroecology as counter-hegemonic movements.
Music:
Oral Tradition, performed by Mob Bounce, 2015.
In this episode, Emnet and Mckela talked with Dr. Laticia McNaughton (Mohawk Nation, Wolf Clan). The themes of this episode revolve around gratitude along with reclaiming food and personal histories and the impact that has on one’s emotional well being. We also discussed generational trauma, specifically Indigenous erasure, and the fulfillment that comes from the act of healing emotionally and spiritually.
Transcription of Episode 1
Reading mentioned in this episode:
Figueroa-Helland, L., Thomas, C., & Aguilera, A. (2018). Decolonizing food systems: Food sovereignity, indigenous revitalization, and agroecology as counter-hegemonic movements. Perspectives on Global Development &Technology, 1, 173–201. doi:10.1163/15691497-12341473
Music: Charles Fox, Lauryn N. Hill, Norman Gimble "To Zion." The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, performed by Lauryn Hill, Carlos Santana, Columbia Recors, 1998.
The podcast currently has 11 episodes available.