>> Announcer: COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> Juhanna: TONIGHT I'M SO EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY A DYNAMIC WOMAN.

A MOTHER, FILM MAKER, ACTIVIST.

>> MY NAME IS CHRISTA NUNEZ AND I LEAD THE LEARNING FARM HERE AND CUBA INTERNATIONAL.

GREEN SPACE IS TRANSLATED AS WHITE SPACE ONLY SOMETIMES AND FOR US IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY KID WHO WANTS TO CAN PLAY AND HAVE FREEDOM AND A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE IN THE NATURAL WORLD.

A GREEN SPACE FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> Juhanna: THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN TO TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST YOU CANS, Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

TONIGHT I'M SO EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY A DYNAMIC WOMAN.

SHE IS A MOTHER, FILM MAKER, ACTIVIST, WHO ALSO LEADS THE LEARNING FARM, CAN CO-OP MEDIA AND CUBA INTERNATIONAL.

Mrs. CHRISTA NUNEZ.

BEFORE WE START THE CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTA, LET'S TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND LEARN ABOUT HER AND HER AMAZING WORK.

>> MY NAME IS CHRISTA NUNEZ AND I LEAD THE LEARNING FARM HERE.

I GREW NEWSPAPER EAST LANSING MICHIGAN, WHICH IS WHERE MSU IS, IT'S IN MID MICHIGAN, A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE COLLEGE TOWN.

I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE TIME OUTSIDE.

I WAS ALWAYS OUTSIDE.

I WASN'T READING A BOOK IN MY ROOM, I WAS OUTSIDE AND I GREW UP IN THE 70s AND 80s WHERE YOU COULD BE OUTSIDE ALL DAY AND AS LONG AS YOU CAME HOME WHEN THE STREET LIGHTS CAME ON, YOU WERE GOOD.

SO WOULD I HAVE PRAYING MANTISES AND TOADS AND FROGS AND BRINGING STUFF HOME.

IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE WHERE I ALWAYS FELT AT HOME INSIDE OR OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.

LEARNING FARM IS A PLACE WHERE KIDS LEARN ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY CAN POSSIBLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT FOOD AND THEIR HEALTH AND NUTRITION AND THE NATURAL WORLD AND HOW TO GROW THINGS AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.

>> KIDS WHO COME FROM FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN SYSTEMICALLY URBANIZED THROUGH RED LINING, THROUGH JIM CROW, THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SYSTEMS IN THIS COUNTRY, LIVE IN TENEMENT HOMES, LIVE IN TINY APARTMENTS STACKED UP ON EACH OTHER.

THERE ARE KIDS WHO ARE STILL SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THAT.

FOR US IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY KID WHO WANTS TO CAN PLAY AND HAVE FREEDOM IN A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE IN THE NATURAL WORLD AND LEARN A LOT IN THE PROCESS.

WHAT WE DO REALLY CHANGES THE SCRIPT ON WHO CAN BE A FARMER, WHO HAS THE POWER AND WHO HAS THE ACCESS AND THE RESOURCES AND THE MATERIALS TO BE A FARMER IS CHANGING.

>> Juhanna: THANK YOU, CHRISTA FOR JOINING US.

I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE.

NUMBER ONE WE GOT TO SPEND SOMETIME TOGETHER ON THE LEARNING FARM AND AS I'M WATCHING YOUR STORY, I'M LIKE, I HELD THAT CHICKEN.

>> YOU SURE DID.

[LAUGHTER] I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I FEEL SO CONNECTED.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

AND I'M JUST IN AWE.

COMING TO US FROM ITHACA, BUT YOU HAVE DONE WAY MORE BEFORE YOUR TIME HERE IN ITHACA, BRINGING THESE PROJECTS TO LIFE.

WHY DON'T YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GO FROM DOING THIS, TELEVISION, FILM, TO CHOOSING NATURE AND FARMING.

I LOVE THAT.

>> THAT'S A WONDERFUL QUESTION.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO REMEMBER HOW I GOT FROM POINT A TO POINT B.

SOMETIMES I FORGET.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S "BEHIND THE WOMAN," RIGHT?

WE GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY THERE.

>> I THINK THAT'S JUST PROFOUND BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO FORGET THE PROGRESSION IN WHAT LEADS ONE THING TO ANOTHER, BUT I THINK IT'S EVERYTHING.

IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO COME FROM A PLACE OF STORYTELLING AND HELPING INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE AND REALLY WANTING TO LIKE SWITCH UP THE NARRATIVE ABOUT BLACK FOLKS AND BROWN FOLKS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND JUST REALLY LETTING THE TRUTH BE KNOWN THROUGH STORY AND THEN REALIZING WHO ARE WE REALLY?

LIKE ARE WE AN URBAN PEOPLE?

LIKE WHERE DOES THAT EVEN COME FROM?

AND IF WE ARE NOT NATURALLY SPRINGING UP OUT OF CONCRETE, HOW DID WE GET THERE, HOW DO WE LEAVE THERE IF YOU WANT TO, HOW DO WE REALLY ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THINKING ABOUT CHOICE, WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE, WHAT THEY WANT TO EAT, HOW THEY WANT TO BE IN COMMUNITY WITH ONE ANOTHER.

AND SO IT'S LIKE I WANT TO TELL THOSE STORIES BUT I CAN'T REALLY AWE AUTHENTICALLY TELL THOSE STORIES IF I'M NOT LIVING IT.

>> Juhanna: BECAUSE MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND POP CULTURE, SO MUCH OF IT IS CENTERED AROUND US JUST BEING URBANIZED.

>> YEP.

>> Juhanna: LIVING IN AND ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER.

>> RIGHT.

>> Juhanna: AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY STORIES THAT WE HAVE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> Juhanna: AND YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.

>> YEAH, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I GREW UP AND WHAT MADE ME WANT TO GO TO FILM SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS, YOU KNOW, SPIKE LEE FILM SET IN BROOKLYN AND BOYS IN THE HOOD AND ALL THOSE FILMS ARE LIKE OH MY GOODNESS.

>> Juhanna: OUR CHILDHOOD.

>> IT WAS LIKE, I WANT TO DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, "STAR WARS" AND, THOSE FILM MAKERS.

AND IT WAS LIKE-- BUT THOSE ARE NOT THE ONLY STORIES.

IT'S NOT ALL OF WHO WE ARE.

AND MY JOURNEY REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO I AM AND WHAT I LOVE, I WANTED TO PROGRESS INTO WORK THAT REALLY ESPECIALLY BRACED THE FULLNESS OF THE LIFE IN ORDER TO REFLECT IT ADEQUATELY AND TRUTHFULLY BACK TO MY PEOPLE SO THAT THEY COULD BE INSPIRED.

YEAH.

>> Juhanna: YOU ARE IN FIP SCHOOL.

LIKE-- YOU ARE IN FILM SCHOOL AND I'M SO NERVOUS HAVING YOU ON THE COUCH.

TELL ME EVERYTHING I NEED TO DO.

>> NO... >> Juhanna: BUT GOING FROM BEING IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE CAMERA, PUTTING STORIES TOGETHER, TO HOLDING CHICKENS IS LIKE-- AND PETTING GOATS AND ALL OF THAT, ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.

LIKE I HELD THE CHICKEN BUT I'M NOT GOING OUT TOMORROW AND BUYING LAND AND LIKE POPULATING THE SPACE WITH THEM.

SO HOW DID YOU GO FROM BEING AN ARTIST IN THE TRUEST SENSE, PUTTING STORIES TOGETHER, BEING IN A CORPORATE SPACE TO NOW I'M GOING TO BE ON A FARM WITH MY KIDS, GROWING FOOD, SHOWING OTHER KIDS HOW TO DO THAT.

LIKE WHERE DID THAT JOURNEY BEGIN?

>> I THINK THAT QUESTION REALLY DOES HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IF YOU ARE IN A JOB THAT IS NOT FULFILLING YOU, IS NOT REALLY SPEAKING TO THE WHOLENESS OF WHO YOU ARE, THAT THERE ARE WAYS OUT ASHED SOMETIMES THOSE WAYS OUT ARE RADICAL.

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT MY 21-YEAR-OLD AND 24-YEAR-OLD SELF, HALF THE TIME I'M LIKE, YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE WHERE?

WHAT!

NO!

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OSCAR FOR BEST PICTURE.

THAT'S NOT-- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

SO I THINK FOR ME, MOVING FROM NEW YORK, REALLY WORKING AT SOME AMAZING, SOME COMPANIES, TV COMPANIES, FEELING REALLY, NOT JUST INSPIRED BY THE FOLKS I WAS WORKING WITH AND SOME OF THE REALLY HIGH LEVEL ARTISTS OUT THERE AND DOING MY ART IN WAYS I FELT GREAT ABOUT, THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF I JUST WORKED 17 HOURS AND I DIDN'T SEE MY SPOUSE FOR, CANS YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T EAT DINNER WITH MY FAMILY THAT KIND OF THING AND MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY REALLY BEGAN WITH UNDERSTANDING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND UNDERSTANDING HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO HAVE THE RIGHT PRIORITIES SO IT WAS NOT ABOUT ALL THE MONEY, IT WASN'T ABOUT STATUS OR POSITION AS MUCH AS IT HAD BEEN WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND THEN REALIZING LIKE MY RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT AND BEING TRUE TO MYSELF IS IMPORTANT.

IT'S NOT ABOUT CLIMBING SOME CAREER LADDER THAT FELT ARTIFICIAL AFTER A WHILE.

AND THEN REALIZING THAT I WANTED TO BE A MOM.

I WANTED TO BE A MOM LIKE A REAL POM AND NOT TO DENIGRATE ANY MOM WHO HAS TO WORK.

BUT FOR ME IT WAS LIKE, I WANT TO BE WITH MY KIDS I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY HI AND BYE TO YOU AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT.

AND SO REALLY MAKING RADICAL CHANGES TO MAKE SURE I COULD BE THE PERSON I WANTED TO BE.

>> Juhanna: AND YOU ARE STILL FIGURING OUT WAYS TO TELL STORIES AND USE YOUR FILM BACKGROUND.

BUT I THINK IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO SEE THAT YOU CAN-- THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND HOW, IN CHOOSING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, YOU ARE REALLY HELPING FOLKS LIKE MYSELF, LIKE RECONNECT.

A FRIEND OF MINE PASSED AWAY AND I WAS ON MY WAY TO YOUR FARM WHEN I GOT THE NEWS.

AND I REMEMBER LAYING IN BED AND CRYING AND I WAS LIKE, I SHOULD GET UP AND CHASE CHICKENS.

MAYBE I'LL STOP CRYING.

I'LL FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND THERE ARE CHICKENS OUTSIDE AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND THEN I HEAR THIS KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND IT'S YOU STANDING THERE WITH THIS CHICKEN, A POLISH CHICKEN AND IT HAS A MOHAWK AND SHE WAS LIKE, I WANT YOU TO HOLD THE CHICKEN: I DIDN'T CRY AFTER THAT BUT I REALIZED IN THAT MOMENT THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR PROBABLY A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS.

SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT CUBA INTERNATIONAL AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING ON THIS LEARNING FARM BECAUSE IT'S SPECTACULAR.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE ME CRY.

IT'S WHAT I TRY TO DO, LOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE FARM, THROUGH THE ANIMALS, THE PEOPLE, IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE AND JUST HAVING YOU THERE WAS LOVE FOR ME SO I WANTED TO RECIPROCATE BECAUSE YOU WERE AMAZING.

>> Juhanna: AND YOU TOOK THIS WOMAN, LIKE WE ARE WALKING-- THERE IS AN AMPHITHEATER AND YOU ARE BUILDING IT WITH YOUR SPOUSE, WITH YOUR KIDS AND THAT IS-- I MEAN WHEN YOU SAY LOVE, THAT IS JUST.

>> IT'S ABOUT LEVERAGING EVERY INCH OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE AND IF ME HELPING YOU HOLD A CHICKEN HELPED YOU THROUGH A MOMENT, THANK YOU GOD THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO THAT FOR EACH OTHER, THE MORE WE CAN SURVIVE THIS CRAZY WORLD, RIGHT?

AND SO YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY A FAMILY AWARE.

WE ALL JUST DO OUR BEST.

MY KIDS ARE IN CHARGE OF LIKE-- THEY'RE LIKE THE GREETING CREW.

THEY SEE A KID THAT IS LIKE OFF AND NOT FEELING LIKE THEY'RE PART OF IT, THEY KNOW, BRING FOLKS IN.

BE A FRIEND.

I'M ABOUT LIKE HOW CAN I GET THE COMMUNITY TO COME HERE AND FEEL COMFORTABLE.

WE TALKED WITH A FRIEND ABOUT HOW GREEN SPACE IS SOMETIMES TRANSLATED TO WHITE SPACES ONLY AND HOW HISTORY HAS JUST BEEN ONE LONG RECORD OF WE ARE NOT WELCOME.

AND IF WE ARE WELCOME, YOU WORK AND YOU ARE NOT GETTING PAID FOR IT.

AND SO I THINK HAVING OUR SPACE BE A BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE WITH A WATERFALL, WITH A FOREST, WITH AN AMPHITHEATER AND YOU KNOW, GARDENS AND THINGS.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IT'S A GREEN SPACE WHERE BLACK PEOPLE ARE WELCOME.

WHERE BLACK PEOPLE GOVERN AND MAKE DECISIONS AND WORK TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY AND DEMOCRATICALLY AND DECIDE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.

I FEEL LIKE IF WE COME FROM A PLACE OF LOVE AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME AND AT PEACE, WE ARE DOING WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING AND THE STORY COMES FROM THAT.

>> Juhanna: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STORY.

AND AFTER THE YEAR WE JUST JUST HAD, A A YEAR AND A HALF, MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THE DO YOU UNDERSTAND RIS OF THEIR EXISTENCE IN A WAY THAT HAS JUST TUGGED ON THE HEART STRINGS OF SO MANY BUT IT HAS BEEN A TRAUMATIC YEAR TO BE BLACK IN AMERICA.

>> OH MY GOODNESS.

>> Juhanna: AND YOU'VE HAD THIS SPACE.

AND I THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE GROWING CONVERSATION ABOUT BLACK FARMING, THE WAY THAT THE NARRATIVES AND STORIES OF BLACK FARMING IS NOW APPEARING ON THE TELEVISION GREENS FROM THE OWN CHANNEL AND QUEEN SUGAR AND THAT FAMILY'S NARRATIVE AROUND FARMING IN LOUISIANA AND NEW ORLEANS, BUT YOU ARE THAT FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK.

>> I HOPE TO BE.

I WANT TO BE THE TYPE OF FARMER THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS THE FARM TO GO TO WHERE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PURCHASING MY PRODUCTS OR MY PRODUCE OR WHATEVER.

IT'S ABOUT YOU HAVE A PLACE HERE.

YOU WANT TO GO PICK SOME CHERRIES OR YOU WANT TO PICK SOME PLUMBS OR PLUMS OR SOME GRAPES, GO FOR IT.

TAKE THEM.

THIS IS YOUR HOME.

I THINK THAT'S WHO WE ARE.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S WHO WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

MY GRANDMOTHER TELLS STORIES ABOUT HER GRANDMOTHER, MY GREAT, GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

SO LYDIA COLEMAN CAME FROM MACOMB, MISSISSIPPI AND HER HUSBAND, THROUGH VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTH, CAME UP TO GARY, INDIANA, GOT A JOB IN THE STEEL MILLS, PROVIDED FOR HIS FAMILY, BROUGHT HIS FAMILY UP FROM MISSISSIPPI.

SHE BROUGHT EVERYBODY INTO THAT HOUSE, FIT EVERYBODY IN THE-- FED EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IF YOU WERE ON THE GREAT MIGRATION, THAT THEY DIDN'T CALL IT THAT AT THE TIME BUT IT WAS HAPPENING.

IF YOU WERE COMING UP, YOU WERE COMING THROUGH HER HOUSE.

YOU WERE HAVING CHICKEN AND COLLARD GREENS AND A SAFE PLACE TO STAY AND NOT ONLY THAT, IMMIGRANTS FROM HUNGARY AND POLAND AND ITALY WERE COMING THROUGH HER HOUSE, TOO.

SO WE ARE NOT JUST ONES WHO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN.

WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY.

>> Juhanna: AND WE HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF EVERYBODY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Juhanna: AND I THINK IN THIS CONVERSATION, EVEN IN THE SPIRIT OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN," HOPEFULLY FOLKS ARE SEEING IT.

BUT OUR STORIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ONE IN WHICH WE'VE NOT ONLY PROVIDED FOR OURSELVES BUT PROVIDED SPACES AND CARE AND LOVE FOR ALL THOSE WHO SHOWED UP AT THE DOOR.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Juhanna: AND SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR GREAT GRANDMA MA'S SPIRIT GOING ON AT THE LEARNING FARM.

>> I HOPE SO.

I TRY TO CHANNEL HER.

I NEVER MET HER BUT THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL STORIES ABOUT HER AND HER WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR AND THE BEAUTIFUL WAY SHE LOVED PEOPLE AND SHE WOULD-- MY MOTHER TOLD ME IF SOMEBODY HAD A SCRATCH IN THEIR EYE, SHE WOULD GO TO A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE THAT JUST ABOUT A BABY, GET SOME BREAST MILK AND WOULD PUT THAT ON AND THE KIDS EYE WOULD HEAL.

SHE KNEW ALL THESE LITTLE HOME REMEDIES, A BLACK FARMER IN ITHACA, AN HERBALIST SHE AND I WERE JUST LIKE WOW, THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES AND HER FAMILY HAS THE STORIES, TOO.

THEY JUST KNEW ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.

>> Juhanna: BECAUSE WE HAD TO, RIGHT?

MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER, MY MATERNAL GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS THE MIDWIFE FOR LEE COUNTY, GEORGIA SHE HELPED BIRTH THE BLACK BABIES THAT THE COULDN'T BE BORN IN THE HOSPITAL, INCLUDING MY MAMA AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THESE STORIES AND WHAT WE WERE DOING AND HOW THEY WOULD HAVE MANIFESTED IF WE WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE SPACE AND BE EDUCATED.

THEY WERE THE DOCTORS AND THE NURSES.

COME ON NOW,.

>> THEY WERE THE DOCK DOCTORS AND NURSES FOR REAL, AND THE UNSUNG DOCTORS AND NURSES.

SO MANY PEOPLE SAID I'M GOING TO BECOME A DOCTOR REGARDLESS.

I KNOW THIS COLLEGE IS GOING TO REJECT ME BUT SOMEBODY WILL TAKE ME.

SO MANY STORIES LIKE THAT BUT THE ONES WHO WERE LIKE, I DON'T NEED A FORMAL EDUCATION, WHATEVER THAT IS.

I'M GOING TO, THROUGH PRACTICE AND STUDY, BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE.

>> Juhanna: THEY WERE SO BURIED INTO THE LOCATIONS GEOGRAPHICALLY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ACCESS.

SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT YOUR WORK LIKE A FILM MAKER AND FARMER AND BEAUTIFULLY BRINGING THAT ALL TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT JUST HONORS THE PATH.

I WAS WATCHING HIGH ON THE HOG LAST NIGHT.

IT'S FANTASTIC.

THAT'S CHRISTA NUNEZ IN ITHACA RIGHT NOW.

>> THAT'S THE GOAL FOR ME THAT SHOW HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IT SCRATCHES THE SURFACE ON FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF OUR CULTURE AND SOME OF THE STORIES THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT THAT MAINSTREAM CULTURE DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT.

WE MIGHT KNOW ABOUT IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT JUST OUR HEROISM IN COMMUNITIES IS FINALLY BEING SPOKEN ABOUT IS SO IMPORTANT.

SO THANK YOU FOR REFERENCING THAT.

>> Juhanna: NO, THANK YOU FOR DOING THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

WHAT IS CHALLENGING CHRISTA NUNEZ RIGHT NOW?

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS YOU ARE DOING GREAT.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW?

>> YOU KNOW, TIME, GIRL, TIME.

I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WE TALK ABOUT WE WANT TO CREATE AS MANY, WHAT WE CALL FARMER SCHOLARS AS WE CAN; FOLKS WHO KNOW HOW TO GROW FOOD, WHO HAVE ACCESS TO LAND, WHO LIVE ON LAND, WHO PRACTICE EVERY DAY AND KNOW THE OVERALL SYSTEMS AND HISTORY OF HOW IT ALL KALE TOGETHER AND CONTINUES TO-- HOW IT ALL CAME TOGETHER AND HOW IT CONTINUES TO AFFECT OUR LIVES.

THAT IS PRIMARY.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IN TANDEM WITH THAT IS HELPING PEOPLE TO HAVE A PLATFORM TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH AND TELL THEIR STORIES SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WHO WE ARE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER AND TRUST CAN BE BUILT AND COLLABORATIONS CAN BE BUILT AND PEOPLE CAN BE INFORMED OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND FOR ME IT'S LIKE THAT'S A LOT AND I FEEL-- I AVIDLY PRAY CONSTANTLY SO I DON'T FEEL OVERWHELMED BUT THE TIMES, I WISH I COULD, INSTEAD OF 24 HOURS IN A DAY, I WANT 48, YOU KNOW, JUST TO PACK IT ALL IN.

I NEED MORE TIME.

IT'S A CHALLENGE TO GET IT ALL DONE.

AND MAKE SURE HAVE I TIME TEACHING THE KIDS IN OUR SUMMER PROGRAM.

I MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE TIME TO WRITE MYSELF, LIKE YOU DO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET OUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ON PAPER AND REALLY GIVE OURSELVES THAT SPACE AND THEN THE OVERARCHING STRATEGY WHERE THE COMPANY IS GOING TO GO, WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO GO, HOW THE STORIES ARE GOING TO BE HOLD TOLD AND WHO WE ARE WORKING WITH AND THE COLLABORATIONS.

IT'S LIKE A BIG MACHINE SOMETIMES EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SMALL.

IT FEELS LIKE A BIG MACHINE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PIECES ARE MOVING.

>> Juhanna: BECAUSE YOU REALLY ARE OPERATING AN EMPIRE.

>> I AM TRYING TO OPERATE AN EMPIRE.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S WHY YOU NEED MORE TIME.

>> AND MORE PEOPLE.

>> Juhanna: FOR THOSE WATCHING YOUR STORY, ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK, 19 DIFFERENT COUNTIES.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET IT FURTHER THAN THAT, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO SAY TO A YOUNG WOMAN OR A LITTLE BOY THAT IS SITTING IN THEIR HOME OR IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW LISTENING TO YOUR STORY WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU WANT TO LEAVE FOR THEM?

>> BEAUTIFUL.

I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE CLICHE BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, I WOULD SAY GIVE YOURSELF SPACE, TIME TO CREATE A VISION THAT SPEAKS TO YOU, THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO IN LIFE.

WRITE IT DOWN, DRAW A PICTURE, MAKE A COL LANDFILLING, CREATE A VISION BOARD, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, BUT GIVE YOURSELF SPACE TO CREATE THAT.

I KNOW IT HAS BEEN TRUE FOR ME.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING SINCE I WAS 15 AND A HALF.

I GOT MY WORK PERMIT AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING EVER SINCE.

SOMETIMES HAVE YOU TO MAKE STUFF HAPPEN.

AND IN THE MIDST OF MAKING STUFF HAPPEN, WE CAN GET LOST ABOUT WHERE WE ARE HEADED AND ERVETD END UP IN A PLACE, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND THINK ABOUT WHO CAN HELP YOU GET THERE AND WHO YOU CAN HELP GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

>> Juhanna: BEAUTIFUL.

I'M SO GLAD THAT "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AROUND THIS SHOW, AND IN MY LIFE, BROUGHT US TOGETHER.

>> DITTO.

BIG TIME.

SO GRATEFUL.

>> Juhanna: YOU ARE DYNAMIC AND KEEP DOING THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR FOLKS THAT NEED A SPACE AND PLACE OF LOVE AND HEALING AND CHECK OUT THE LEARNING FARM IN ITHACA FOR SURE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Juhanna: AND THANK YOU, CHRISTA NUNEZ FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING ON BEHIND THE WOMAN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THIS SHOW AGAIN, AND I HOPE YOU WILL, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN".

I'M YOUR HOST.

I'M Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A BLESSED NIGHT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> ON TONIGHT'S EPISODE, I WILL BE TALKING WITH A VERY SPECIAL GUEST.

>> MY NAME IS KIMBERLY CLARK, I'M A WRITER AND COMEDIAN.

>> WHEN I LEFT THE LAUGH FACTORY, THE BUG WAS IN ME, THE COMEDY BUG, BECAUSE I WAS EXPOSED TO SO MANY GREAT COMEDIANS.

>> I WAS SO EXCITED TO TALK WITH YOU.

THIS IS LIKE OUR FIRST NETFLIX GUEST.

>> I WAS EXPOSED TO TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS IN SYRACUSE AND I TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM MIGOS ON MOZART.