Unconventional Journalist

We all know what's going on with ICE. There is movement in Houston putting pressure on City Council to end collaboration with ICE.

Thuan and Adam from Houston DSA, part of the Houston Leads coalition, join me to talk about the current movement to put pressure on to get ICE out of the city. 

There are a few ways to get involved! From helping get signatures for petitions, showing up to city council and county commissioners meetings, to doing rapid response training. We are not hopeless!

Farmers love to farm. They love plants more than they love people, and I don't blame them. How can farmers and the community connect, reinvigorate the food supply chain, and keep farm safety a priority?

Jonathan from the Kalos Project joins me to discuss challenges farmers face and how their work aims to bridge the gap between farmers and the community.

https://www.instagram.com/kalosproject.earth/

Nothing quite brings community together more than food.

AJ from Lone Oak Farm Tech joins me to talk about being a first generation farmer while also working on conservation efforts along the Colorado River.

We cover her adventure into rural farming, the plans for the farm contributing to local food supply, and she offers tips on how to engage with your HOA or apartment complex for a community garden.

Della is a first generation farmer with 5 acres of land in the Sunnyside area, and is the founder of The Socialites Riding Network, which aims to protect Black and urban farmers, bring community together, and work to make food supply chains local again.

She joins me to talk about how she unexpectedly became a farmer, how she's using this opportunity to engage with developers, and the various classes her farm offers. From hydroponics without having land to hunting and harvesting, there's plenty to engage with. There's also volunteer opportunities as listed on their website:

• Urban Agriculture Projects: Help manage urban garden projects, from planting to harvesting.
• Educational Workshops and Events: Assist in organizing and running workshops on sustainable living, regenerative farming techniques, and holistic nutrition.
• Equine Therapy Programs: Support equine therapy sessions, helping participants engage with our horses and facilitate their learning and healing.
• Community Outreach: Help spread the word about the mission and programs through community engagement and social media.
• Special Projects: The group often need extra hands for unique projects, including building sustainable structures, art installations, and more.

Usually when I think of farmers markets, I think of overpriced, inaccessible goods and a signal that gentrification is underway. Because what is a farmers market if not a bougie flea market?

With 80% of Ball High School students in Galveston feeling food insecurity, and the need for locally sustainable food, Galveston's Own Farmers Market has expanded to having educational gardens on campuses across the school district and accepting SNAP and WIC benefits. Little by little, the food movement in Galveston is meeting their community where they can in an inclusive “third space” where community is centered instead of profit and consumption.

Casey, executive director at Groudswell, joins me to talk about the evolution of the farmers market in Galveston since its founding in 2012 and how Groundswell's programs reflect that growth. Here are the programs we touch on!

• Young Gardeners Program teaches students to grow and harvest food while leveraging each campus garden as an outdoor classroom that fosters confidence, curiosity and academic success.
• Food Access Program ensures families, seniors, and individuals can afford fresh, local food at the farmers market by amplifying benefits and removing barriers to access.
• Victory Gardens Program transforms public spaces into thriving, productive gardens where neighbors share in both harvest and connection.
• Real Food Project hosts community meals and cooking classes that bring people together around healthy, home-cooked food and practical education.

I'm a little late to the party as I find my groove after coming back from break, but there's been a whole hotel strike going on, ICYMI!

Learn more about the Hilton strike, here.

Learn about the potential George R. Brown Convention Center strike, here.

Members of Houston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have been joining the picket line and scheduling shifts to help give the striking workers a break, and to have more people present at the strike. Join the picket support!

[Note: the image says Sept 14, and yes, that has passed, but ongoing picket support is happening among other Houston DSA chapter activities!]

So much of our food comes from other countries⁠⁠ and does not sustain our local agricultural economies.

Shakavon, with Unified Farms and Houston Board of Food Security, joins me to discuss transforming communities through regenerative agriculture and turning underutilized spaces into thriving hubs of opportunity. We talk about food deserts, education around how our current food supply chain works, reimagining our food supply chain, and the movement to bring back farm to table in an affordable, sustainable way.

I am back from my digital hiatus! This short update is about my time off and the 3 long term projects I'm working on.

From flood mitigation to biodiversity, and just a general being loving stewards of our land, there are plenty of reasons.

Mary Carol, owner of Green Star Wetland Plant Farm, joins me to talk about

• Why wetlands are so important to our ecosystem
• How native wetlands plant help with flood mitigation
• Her recommended wetland plants for your garden
• Unlearning the fears of dealing with whatever wildlife native plants attract

Green Star has open farm days when anyone can come to learn and buy some plants for their homes.

Every budget season, community members gather at Houston City Council to advocate for increasing the budget for flood mitigation and flood drainage. Recently, city council members kicked organizers out of the room, and the vote on the budget happened without community members in the room. Read more here.

Alice with West Street Recovery joins me to give an update on the movement to improve flood drainage in Houston and the surrounding area.