Food insecurity is an issue that is rife in our country, and one which disproportionately impacts BIPOC communities; under 2% of farms are owned by Black farmers. Soul Fire Farm is an organization dedicated to eradicating racism in our food system, and equipping BIPOC communities with the knowledge and skills to be farmers and food justice leaders.
In today’s episode, we are joined by Cheryl Whilby, Communications Director at Soul Fire Farm, who is here to share some of the inspirational work that they are doing. Cheryl’s ancestors were farmers, but while she was growing up her family experienced food insecurity. When Cheryl came to understand the systemic nature of this problem, she made it her mission to make positive changes in the space.
Cheryl’s role at Soul Fire Farm ranges from grant writing to getting her hands dirty in the soil on the farm, and she has been instrumental in the development of training programs, solidarity shares programs, and programs which redirect media emphasis away from founders and onto other folks who are doing incredible things in food-focused organizations.
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Key Points From This Episode:
Cheryl explains the factors which inspired the development of Soul Fire Farm.
An explanation of what food Apartheid is, and the dire consequences it has.
The personal experience that Cheryl and her family had with food insecurity.
Patterns that Cheryl noticed when she began working in the food space.
Why Cheryl thinks it is important to work in BIPOC led organizations who are dealing with food insecurity.
Cheryl explains the intention behind the Beyond Heroes Guide which was created by Soul Fire Farm.
Roles that Cheryl fulfils at Soul Fire Farm, and what her day-to-day work looks like.
The Solidarity Shares Program at Soul Fire Farm, and how these have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.
BIPOC farmer training programs run by Soul Fire Farm, and what their Rating Seeds Fellowship entails.
Challenges that Cheryl experiences with regard to her work and her request for support.
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Tweetables:
“Everyone deserves equal access to healthy food options and unfortunately this is not the case in this country and we live in a society where there are families living under food Apartheid.” — Cheryl Whilby from @soulfirefarm
“It wasn’t until I took a course in food insecurity in college that I really started to understand and develop the vocabulary to articulate what my family was experiencing and that’s when I felt the calling to do something to change this for other families who were experiencing this.” — Cheryl Whilby from @soulfirefarm
“It’s really important that the experts are the people who actually experienced it. That’s the way that you’re going to get the best policies to come forward, that really speak to what the people need.” — Cheryl Whilby from @soulfirefarm
“We’re trying to shift media away from the hero narrative; this idea that the founder is the only one doing all of this work.” — Cheryl Whilby from @soulfirefarm
“We are doing this to make sure that black and brown folks have a say, have a stake in the food system, and that looks like more of us owning land, more of us being farmers.” — Cheryl Whilby from @soulfirefarm
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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Soul Fire Farm: https://www.soulfirefarm.org/
Capital Roots: https://www.capitalroots.org/
Schenectady Greenmarket: https://www.schenectadygreenmarket.com/
Farmers Market Coalition: https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/
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