Plate to Politics

This episode features Vanessa Hall-Harper, a City Councillor from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Vanessa received national press attention when she advocated to place restrictions on the development of discount dollar stores in her district.

Vanessa has worked 25 years in the Tulsa County system. She has been employed with the Tulsa Health Department for over 18 years. Prior to working in the health field, Vanessa was an Intake Counselor at the Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau for more than 6 years. Vanessa is committed to improving the quality of life in District 1 both professionally and politically.

Vanessa has been married for 25 years to Sgt. Marcus Harper of the Tulsa Police Department, and they have one daughter, Kaylyn. Vanessa is also a community activist who is passionate about uplifting her community. She volunteers on a plethora of boards and committee's such as the Institute for Developing Communities (TIDC), Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, North Tulsa Clean-up Campaign, the Phoenix District Development Council, Theatre North, Tulsa Juneteenth, the Black Wall Street Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Vanessa talks about what service as an elected politician means to her, and how she works with and relies on her community to make decisions.

The information presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement of any particular candidate or of the Plate to Politics program.

This episode features JoBeth Hamon, a City Councillor from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. JoBeth was elected to Oklahoma City City Council in 2018. As a dedicated and passionate public servant, JoBeth fights for the betterment of her local community.

Currently, JoBeth works in downtown Oklahoma City at Mental Health Association of Oklahoma as the Education Coordinator where she coordinates the Zarrow Mental Health Symposium, a top rated conference that provides cutting edge mental health education to Oklahomans. Additionally, she facilitates multiple suicide prevention training programs for community groups across the City.

Today, JoBeth lives in downtown Oklahoma City with her partner Marty and their dog DJ. She lives without a car, choosing to navigate the city solely on her bike and the city’s EMBARK bus system.

JoBeth talks about why she decided to run for city council, how she managed her campaign, and why the issues she’s passionate about make her well suited to serve on city council.

The information presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement of any particular candidate or of the Plate to Politics program.

This episode features Danielle Adams, a Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor from Durham County, North Carolina.

Danielle Adams currently the youngest elected official in Durham. During her first term she received the 2012 Outstanding Supervisor of the Year award for NC. She has mentored many women to run for office, including fellow SWCD supervisor Jenna Wadsworth. Danielle is the Southern Coordinator for Local Progress, the network of 500+ progressive local elected officials across the country dedicated to shared prosperity, equal justice under law, sustainable and livable cities, and good government that serves the public interest.

Danielle serves in a role her mother formerly held, and she talks about navigating that space as a young woman elected to political office. She also discusses some of the challenges, including approaching racism, ageism, and even dating while serving in office. She also some helpful tips for how she’s navigated those.

To learn more about the role of Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners and Supervisors generally, listen to our episode featuring Alisha Bower.

The information presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement of any particular candidate or of the Plate to Politics program.

This episode features Jenna Wadsworth, a Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor from Wake County, North Carolina.

Jenna was born in Raleigh, but she grew up off a dirt road on her grandparents' farm in Johnston County which raised corn, soybeans, tobacco, cattle, and hogs. She proudly graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) in Durham in 2007. In December 2011, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from North Carolina State University with majors in Political Science—with a concentration in American Politics—and Women’s and Gender Studies and a minor in English.

In November 2010—at the age of 21—Jenna made history with her election to a four-year term on the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors by becoming the youngest woman ever elected to public office in North Carolina.

Jenna talks about the power of mentorship and her mentor Danielle Adams, how she advocates for social justice as a SWCD supervisor, and how her approach to campaigning became more sophisticated over nearly a decade career in political office.

The information presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement of any particular candidate or of the Plate to Politics program.

This episode features Alisha Bower, Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner in Story County, Iowa. This episode was recorded in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa and their Rotationally Raised podcast.

A native Wisconsinite, Alisha was raised on a small hobby farm in Southwest Wisconsin’s picturesque Driftless region. She attended the University of Minnesota Twin Cities majoring in Political Science and Spanish, then returned to school for her Master of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin Madison, focusing her studies on nonprofit administration and designing and managing research projects in agriculture and food systems.

Alisha talks about how she ran to became a SWCD commissioner, what the role is responsible for, and why someone might want to serve in this role.

The information presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement of any particular candidate or of the Plate to Politics program.

Plate to Politics(SM) is WFAN’s nationwide effort to support and strengthen the national leadership role of women transforming our nation’s food system, from the federal agriculture policy agenda to what’s on our family’s dinner plate. This podcast provides audio leadership training to women engaged in healthy food and farming.

This episode is the first part of a two-part series on Lead Your USDA. In this episode, Sarah Campbell, FPAC Customer Experience Specialist at Farm Service Agency, and Esther Lin, National Outreach Specialist at Farm Service Agency share what the USDA is and how you can make your voice heard as a farmer. We'll go over different nonpartisan leadership opportunities available in USDA. You can find the slides for the resources mentioned in this podcast at wfan.org/plate-to-politics-podcast.

Plate to Politics is WFAN’s a nationwide effort to support and strengthen the leadership role of women transforming our food system, from the federal agriculture policy agenda to what’s on our family’s dinner plate. This podcast provides audio leadership training to women engaged in healthy food and farming. You can download the resources mentioned in this podcast at wfan.org/platetopolitics.

This episode is focused on writing opinion pieces with an ecofeminist perspective. Presenters included Angie Carter, Environmental Sociologist at Augustana College; Patti Edwardson, Farmer in Greene County, Iowa; and Ahna Kruzic, Publications & Communications Coordinator at Food First.