>>> TONIGHT -- RUSSIAN OLIGARCH, MILLION DOLLAR CONDOS AND U.S. SANCTIONS.

MEET THE LAWMAKERS WHO SAYS NEW YORK CITY REAL ESTATE SHOULD BE THE NEXT WAY TO PRESSURE RUSSIA OVER UKRAINE.

PLUS, THE REVOLUTIONARY WOMAN-RUNNED FARM RECLAIMING THE POWER OF AGRICULTURE.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

THE RUSSIAN MILITARY INVASION OF UKRAINE IS ESCALATING AND THE CIVILIAN DEATH TOLL IS RISING, WHICH LEAVES MANY TO WONDER IF MORE SHOULD BE DONE TO PRESSURE PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND HIS REGIME.

IN NEW YORK ATTENTION HAS TURNED TO SANCTIONS, AND THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LUXURY APARTMENT OWNED BY RUSSIAN OLIGARCHY.

THIS WEEK, THE MANHATTAN PRESIDENT CALLED ON THE IMMEDIATE SEIZURE OF THOSE PROPERTIES AS A WAY TO HIT PRESIDENT PUTIN'S ALLIES IN THE WALLET.

WHAT WOULD SUCH A MOVE LOOK LIKE?

WHO WOULD BE TARGETED?

AND WHAT COULD BE THE IMPACT ON NEW YORK CITY'S OWN FINANCES IF THAT WERE 20 TO TAKE PLACE?

TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IS THE MANHATTAN BUREAU PRESIDENT MATT LEVINE.

WELCOME BACK TO "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU, JENNA.

GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> LET'S START BY SEIZING LUXURY APARTMENTS OWNED BY OLIGARCHS.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SANCTIONS BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO AN AMORAL, UNPROVOKED AND INDEFENSIBLE WAR THAT'S ALREADY TAKING A HORRIBLE TOLL ON THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE.

AND NEW YORK CITY CAN'T JUST BE A PASSIVE OBSERVER.

WE'RE HOME TO THE LARGEST UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY IN AMERICA.

WE'RE HOME TO THE MOST FAMOUS UKRAINIAN NEIGHBORHOOD IN AMERICA, LITTLE UKRAINE ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE.

UNFORT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE ALSO A FAVORED DESTINATION FOR MONEY THAT'S BEEN STOLEN BY THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AND OLIGARCHS AROUND VLADIMIR PUTIN AND FOND OF BUYING ULTRA HIGH-END HOMES, CONDOS THAT CAN GO FOR $50 MILLION, $80 MILLION.

BUT THE U.S. HAS A MECHANISM TO FIGHT BACK, ADD THESE INDIVIDUALS TO THE SANCTIONS LIST TO BE DONE BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT, AND THAT MEANS THOSE PROPERTIES WOULD BE SEIZED.

>> HOW DO THESE SANCTIONS WORK?

LIKE WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL?

>> YES, SO THIS IS DEFINITELY DRIVEN BY THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

THEY HAVE AT THIS DATE ADDED VERY FEW OF THE OLIGARCHS TO THE SANCTIONS LIST AND REALLY NONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ONES THAT ARE HERE IN NEW YORK BUT THERE'S A WELL-KNOWN LIST CREATED BY A PROMINENT DISSIDENT, SEVERAL DOZEN, THAT ARE IMPLICATED IN THE PUTIN REGIME.

ONCE THEY'RE ADDED TO THE SANCTION LIST, A WHOLE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS BEGINS.

ANY PRIOR IDENTITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPERTIES HAS AN OBLIGATION TO INTERVENE LIKE A MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN A CONDO, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT FAILING THAT, IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SO IT COULD BE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT LIKE THE U.S.

MARSHAL OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

IN EFFECT THEY ARE PADLOCKING THESE HOMES AND ALL OF THESE POSSESSIONS INSIDE AS WELL, A LOT OF THEM ARE STOCKED WITH MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ART PIECES AND SAVES FUEL OF JEWELS THAT WOULD ALL BE SEIZED AND ESSENTIALLY KEPT OFF-LIMITS FOR THE DURATION OF THE REGIME, SANCTIONED REGIME.

AND THAT WOULD SEND A VERY POWERFUL MESSAGE TO THE WORLD, THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THE ACTIONS OF VLADIMIR PUTIN, THAT NEW YORK CITY IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A SAFE HAVEN FOR THESE OLIGARCHS AND THAT WE ARE PART OF THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST A TERRIBLE INJUSTICE BEING COMMITTED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE.

>> OKAY, SO HOLD ON BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS EERILY CLOSE TO AN EVICTION IS WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.

>> WELL, NO ONE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO LIVE IN THESE APARTMENTS SO IN THAT SENSE, YES, IT IS AN EVICTION BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE HANDED OVER TO ANYBODY ELSE AS FAR AS THE SANCTIONS REGIME.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A WAY IN WHICH PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS OF THIS WAR COULD POTENTIALLY SUE AND TAKE ACTION AND HAVE A CLAIM ON SPLF SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES.

THAT'S HAPPENED DURING PAST SANCTIONS, ESSENTIALLY AGAINST THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT WHEN VICTIMS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUE AND MAKE A CLAIM ON THE PROPERTIES.

THIS CAN GO A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

BUT THE IMMEDIATE MOVE IS NO ONE CAN LIVE THERE, NO ONE CAN ACCESS THEM, THEY SORT OF REMAIN DORMANT FOR THE DURATION OF THE SANCTIONS PROGRAM.

>> ONE OF THE CRITICISMS OF SOME OF THESE LUXURY APARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN MANHATTAN, IS THEY ARE DORMANT PERIOD.

BUT ARE WE SURE, FIRST OF ALL, OF THE PRICE OF THEM?

IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS LET'S SAY SOME PEOPLE INFLATE THE PRICE OR THE VALUE OF REAL ESTATE TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE.

>> WELL, I THINK THE BIGGER PROBLEM IS FIGURING OUT WHO THE OWNERS ARE.

THEY ARE HIDING OFTEN BEHIND LLCs AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH THESE.

IT'S GETTING EASIER THOUGH, THERE'S BEEN LEGISLATION PASSED IN CONGRESS ACTUALLY OVER DONALD TRUMP'S VETO PARTLY BECAUSE TRUMP TOWER MADE EXTENSIVE USE OF THIS MECHANISM, REALLY ONE OF THE PIONEERS.

SO IT'S REALLY GOING TO REQUIRE LEG WORK BY IN SOME INSTANCES PEEL BACK CURTAINS TO FIND OUT WHO THE OWNER IS.

BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS THAT A LOT OF THESE OLIGARCHS ARE TRYING TO TRANSFER PROPERTIES TO A SPOUSE, AN EX-SPOUSE, A KID, A CHILD AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T EXEMPT THEM FROM THE SANCTIONS.

THERE ARE WAYS TO DEAL WITH THAT.

THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

BUT, LOOK, THESE ARE EXPENSIVE PROPERTIES, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

AND HONESTLY, WE NEEDED TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM ANYHOW.

THERE'S BEEN A PATTERN WITH OVERSEAS BUYERS WITH ILL-GOTTEN MONEY WHO ARE BUYING UP THESE PROPERTIES WITH VERY LITTLE TRANSPARENCY AND IT'S DISTORTING THE MARKET.

AND THESE PEOPLE, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE NOT RESIDING HERE, THEY'RE NOT PAYING INCOME TAX.

SO IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM WE NEED TO DEAL WITH ANYHOW, BUT THIS CASE IS SO COMPELLING.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPLICATED IN THIS WAR AND THEY NEED TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.

>> I GUESS EVEN THE ABILITY TO DO THIS, BECAUSE WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, YOU WERE SAYING ULTIMATELY IT MIGHT BE LIKE NEW YORK CITY THAT ENDS UP PUTTING THE ACTUAL PADLOCKS ON SOME OF THESE APARTMENTS.

I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE TSO MUCH TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S BEHIND THESE LLCs, WHO THE OWNERS ACTUALLY ARE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT SAY IT'S SO OBVIOUSLY THIS PERSON OR THAT PERSON, BUT TO PROVE IT, IS THE ABILITY THERE TO DO THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S NO DOUBT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS ACCESS TO THESE RECORDS.

AND HAS MADE GREAT PROGRESS AT TRACING LAUNDERED MONEY, MONEY THAT IS THE RESULT OF CORRUPTION.

IN THIS CASE REALLY IT WAS WEALTH LEWDED FROM THE FORMER SOVIET GOVERNMENT THAT ULTIMATELY LANDED IN THE HANDS OF A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF INDIVIDUALS.

AND THEY HAVE CHILDREN IN MANHCHOSEN MANHATTAN, AFTER LONDON, THE MOST POPULAR DESTINATION BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A SAFE HAVEN.

AND THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THIS FOR THEM IN THE SHADOWS WITHOUT BEING EXPOSED.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO STOP.

THIS CANNOT BE A SAFE HAVEN FOR OUR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROFITED OFF OF THE HORRORS BEING CONDUCTED NOW BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.

THANKFULLY, THERE'S BEEN PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS THAT NOW GIVES US TOOLS TO SEE PAST SOME OF THESE OBSCURING STRUCTURES TO IDENTIFY THE REAL OWNERS.

AND THAT'S A ROLE FOR LOCAL AND STATE AGENCIES.

ULTIMATELY, WE NEED FEDERAL ACTION TO PUT THESE NAMES ON THE SANCTIONS LIST AND I'M AGITATING EVERY DAY FOR THAT.

RHETORIC IS NOT ENOUGH.

WE WANT TOUGH SANCTIONS TO SEND A MESSAGE TO PUTIN AND THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

>> SO THEN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO THEORETICALLY IF THIS GOES THROUGH WOULD HAVE SANCTIONS PUT ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY, THESE LUXURY APARTMENTS PADLOCKED, DO YOU THINK THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE THE KIND OF PULL TO INFLUENCE PUTIN'S DECISIONS?

BECAUSE WHAT IS ALSO COMING OUT IS THAT HE'S BECOMING EVEN MORE AND MORE ALIENATED FROM HIS OWN INNER CIRCLE.

>> IT'S VERY DANGEROUS TO SPECULATE ON THE MIND OF VLADIMIR PUTIN, AND I WON'T EVEN TRY.

BUT WE NEED TO PRESSURE FROM EVERY ANGLE THAT WE CAN.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PERSONALLY CLOSE TO VLADIMIR PUTIN, WHO ARE ENTANGLED WITH HIM IN FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS AND WHO HAVE HIS EAR.

WE NEED TO PRESSURE THEM.

AND THERE'S JUST A MORAL CASE WE DON'T WANT MANHATTAN TO BE A PLACE WHERE THIS ILL-GOTTEN MONEY IS PARKED.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROFITED OFF THE SUFFERING THAT'S BEEN INFLICTED BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO USE THIS AS A PLAYGROUND WITH NO CONSEQUENCES.

THAT HAS TO END.

AND THAT WAS TRUE BEFORE THE WAR IN UKRAINE AND NOW IT'S JUST INCREDIBLY COMPELLING.

WE NEED ACTION NOW.

WE NEED FEDERAL ACTION TO KICK THIS OFF AND WE NEED LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF SEIZING THESE PROPERTIES.

>> AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING VERY CLEAR WITH PEOPLE.

CAN YOU SORT OF EXPLAIN HOW SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS COULD BE OR IF IT'S PROVEN FINANCIALLY TIED UP WITH PUTIN?

BECAUSE IF SOMEONE DOESN'T FULLY GET IT, THEY MIGHT THINK, WELL, JUST BECAUSE THIS IS A WEALTHY PERSON WHO'S ALSO FROM RUSSIA, WHY SHOULD THEY BE PUNISHED FOR SOMETHING THEIR PRESIDENT IS DOING?

>> THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT DOESN'T PUT SANCTIONS ON PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR NATIONALITY.

SO NO ONE'S GOING TO BE ON THE SANCTIONS LIST BECAUSE THEY'RE RUSSIAN OR EVEN BECAUSE THEY'RE WEALTHY RUSSIANS.

THEY'RE GOING TO GET ON THE SANCTIONS LIST BECAUSE THEY'RE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO VLADIMIR PUTIN.

THE LIST OF INDIVIDUALS IN THAT CATEGORY IS WELL KNOWN.

A VERY PROMINENT DISSIDENT IN RUSSIA, ALEXNY KNOW VOLNY, HAS IDENTIFIED 35.

IT'S NOW KNOWN AS THE NAVALNY 35 WHO ARE IMPLICATED.

AND WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

UNTIL THEY'RE ON THE U.S. SANCTIONS LIST, THERE'S NO ABILITY TO ACT.

THIS IS A PROCESS WHICH IS DELIBERATE AND BASED ON INVESTIGATIONS AND DONE BY PROFESSIONALS, THIS IS NOT ARBITRARY AND IT'S NOT OVERLY BROAD.

THE U.S. SANCTIONS REGIME TARGETS PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPLICATED IN THE ACTIONS OF IN THIS CASE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND HERE IN MANHATTAN, THEY OWN PROPERTY IN MANHATTAN, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET SAFE HARBOR IN MANHATTAN FOR DECADES AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO END.

>> ALL RIGHT, VERY QUICKLY, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 SECONDS LEFT, BUT WOULD THIS AFFECT NEW YORK CITY'S TAX BASE?

>> LET ME SAY, FIRST, EVEN IF IT DID, WE SHOULD STILL SUPPORT IT BECAUSE THE NATURE OF SANCTIONS IS THAT THE ENTITY OF FLYING THEM MAY HAVE A COST BUT THE MORAL STAKES ARE SO HIGH THAT WE NEED TO.

I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT IT'S NOT SO CLEAR IT WOULD HURT OUR ECONOMIES.

IT WOULD, I THINK, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REDUCE COST IN THE HOUSING MARKET BECAUSE IT REMOVES A SOURCE OF DISTORTION AND THAT COULD BE A BENEFIT.

EITHER WAY, THE MORAL CASE FOR DOING THIS IS REALLY STRONG AND NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

>> OKAY, MANHATTAN BUREAU PRESIDENT MARK McGEEHAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU, JENNA.

GREAT SPEAKING WITH YOU.

>>> HI, I'M JENNA FLAN GAG OF "METROFOCUS."

FARMING IN AMERICA HAS LORNG BEEN ONE OF THE PUREST, HONEST FORMS OF LABOR.

PLANTS ARE ATTENDED AND HARVESTS COLLECTED.

IT'S OFTEN CONSIDERED NOBLE AND MANLY.

AND THANKS TO A CENTURY OF AMERICAN ICONOGRAPHY, IT'S ALSO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE MEN.

IF YOU PEEL BACK THE MYTH OF AMERICAN FARMING, YOU'LL FIND A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND NUANCED NARRATIVE, ONE THAT THE FOUNDERS OF RISING ROOT FARM IN CHESTER, NEW YORK, ARE HOPING NOT ONLY TO CELEBRATE BUT SHARE IN A MORE HONEST FASHION.

AS PART OF OUR CHASING THE DREAM INITIATIVE: EXAMINING POVERTY AND OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA, I'M JOINED NOW BY KAREN WASHINGTON, ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF HORIZON ROOT FARM.

WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME, JENNA.

>> LET'S JUST START WITH THE FARM ITSELF.

I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

HOW DID IT COME INTO EXISTENCE AND WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE?

>> HORIZON GROUP FARM IS FOUR WOMEN.

WHO OF US ARE WOMEN OF COLOR, TWO OF US ARE WHITE WOMEN BUT FOR OF US ARE ROOTED IN FOOD JUSTICE.

AND WE GOT OUR START FROM DOING COMMUNITY GARDENING WORK IN NEW YORK CITY.

AND THROUGH WORKING IN COMMUNITY GARDENS AND BECOMING GOOD FRIENDS, WE ALWAYS SAID ONE DAY WE WANT TO FARM TOGETHER.

WE WANT TO FARM TOGETHER TO SCALE UP BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE.

SO WE TOOK THIS JOURNEY, IT WAS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT WAS A TWO-YEAR JOURNEY GOING UP AND DOWN THE HUDSON VALLEY IN NEW YORK AND FINALLY STUMBLING ON CHESTER, NEW YORK, WHERE WE ARE NOW.

WE HAVE THREE ACRES OF LAND.

IT'S IN THE BLACK DIRT AND LITERALLY BLACK DIRT.

WE GROW THE BEST VEGETABLES BUT ALSO, THERE'S A LITTLE WEED FRESHENER.

>> ALSO, I WONDER, WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE FOOD JUSTICE MOVEMENT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN?

BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STORIES AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY IN THE BRONX AND VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOME OF THE OTHER OUTER BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK THAT ARE FOOD DESERTS, WHERE PEOPLE CANNOT GET ACCESS TO FRESH, HEALTHY VEGETABLES.

>> FIRST OF ALL, JENNA, DON'T USE THE WORD DESERT.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR FOOD, IT'S AN OUTSIDE TERM TO DENOTE THE FACT THERE'S A LIMITED ACCESS TO FOOD.

WE DO HAVE FOOD.

WE HAVE UNHEALTHY FOOD.

JUNK FOOD, PROCESSED FOOD AND THE FAST FOOD.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS REALLY FIRST PEEL AWAY OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND OUR HISTORY AROUND FARMING.

FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU LOOK GLOBALLY, MOST LOCAL FARMERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE WOMEN.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, IF YOU LOOK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF FOOD IN OUR COUNTRY, OUR HISTORY OF FOOD WAS DONE ON THE BACKS OF ENSLAVED AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

GROWING UP IN AMERICA, I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT FARM RG WAS SL SLAVE LABOR, UNTIL I STARTED TO PEEL BACK THE HISTORY AND FOUND OUT THE TRUTH OF WHY WE WERE BROUGHT HERE.

WE WERE BROUGHT HERE BECAUSE OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURE.

WE BROUGHT THE SEEDS HERE, THE FO FOUNDATION OF FOOD IN THIS COUNTRY.

ONCE YOU TELL THE YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT OUR PLACE OF AGRICULTURE, THE WHOLE NARRATIVE SHIFTS AND NOW YOU'RE EMBODIED WITH POWER, POWER TO GO BACK TO THE LAND, POWER TO GROW FULL, POWER TO BE ABLE TO FEED YOUR OWN FAMILY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT HORIZON ROOT FARM.

>> WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY TELL THAT NARRATIVE -- AND THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE NO DESERTS IN NEW YORK, BUT SERIOUSLY THOUGH, TO NOT ONLY MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE CLEAR ON WHAT THE HISTORY OF FARMING IS BUT ALSO THIS IS ALSO WOMEN'S WORK.

AS YOU SAID, MOST FARMS ARE RUN BY WOMEN.

>> YES, IT IS WOMEN'S WORK AND IT IS A POWERFUL THING.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT, AGAIN, MOST OF THE POWER WE TALK ABOUT FARMING IS WITH WHITE MEN.

YET GLOBALLY WOMEN ARE DOING THE WORK.

WHAT WE DO LACK IS, OF COURSE, CAPITAL, ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND ACCESS TO LAND.

BUT THAT'S STARTING TO CHANGE NOW BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STARTING -- ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, ARE STARTING TO GO BACK TO THE LAND BECAUSE THEY KNOW LAND WITHIN THEIR FAMILY IS LEGACY, IS HISTORY.

KNOWING THE FACT YOU CAN GROW YOUR OWN FOOD MAKES YOU POWERFUL.

AGAIN, THAT'S A NARRATIVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOW CATCHING ON AND WANT TO GO BACK TO FARM.

>> NOW, OF COURSE, YOU WERE SAYING THAT HORIZON ROOT CAME OR ALMOST GREW OUT OF AN URBAN FARM IN THE CITY.

AND I WONDER IF PART OF THAT FITS INTO A LARGER MOMENT, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE COVID CRISIS, WE'VE SEEN EVEN MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THEIR FOOD SUPPLY SOURCE, BEING ABLE TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD IN A NEIGHBORHOOD PLOT OR BACKYARD IF THEY'RE ABLE TO.

>> IT HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING.

THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE NOW REACHING OUT TO US AND OTHER URBAN GROWERS ABOUT COMING BACK TO THE LAND, HOW DO WE GET STARTED IN COMMUNITY GARDENS, HOW DO WE FIND LAND?

THEY UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT IN TIME WITH THIS PANDEMIC, IT'S THE HEALTHY FOOD THAT IS GOING TO MAKE US BETTER.

FOOD IS MEDICINE.

SO PEOPLE NOW WANT TO KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM, WHO'S GROWING IT, IF IT WAS SPRAYED WITH PESTICIDES AND INSECTICIDES AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JUSTICE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND FROM THE PERSON WHO PUTS THEIR FEET ON THE GROUND AND PROTEST ON THE TABLE THAT THE WORKERS HAVE BEEN TREATED HUMANELY AND PAID A FAIR WAGE.

>> AGAIN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MANY LAYERS UPON LAYERS THAT WE'RE LEARNING NOT JUST ABOUT THE FOOD THAT WE ARE EATING BUT, OF COURSE, THE SUPPLY CHAINS AND SOME OF THE MASS INDUSTRIAL FARMS THAT THIS COUNTRY ALSO HAS.

I'M WONDERING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD.

AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S NOT THAT THERE ISN'T FOOD IN A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES, IT'S JUST BAD FOOD, IT'S PROCESSED FOOD.

DOES HORIZON ROOT ALSO WORK WITH PEOPLE'S RELATIONSHIP TO FOOD?

FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE IF THEY JOIN A CSA, THEY MIGHT GET A BOX EVERY WEEK.

THERE'S USUALLY SOMETHING IN THERE THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS OR HOW TO COOK OR WHAT IT TAKES LIKE, ET CETERA.

I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE FURTHER AWAY YOU ARE FROM A RELATIONSHIP TO FRESH PRODUCE, THE MORE LIKELY YOU'RE GOING TO FIND MORE VEGETABLES THAT FEEL SORT OF FOREIGN.

>> RISING ROOT HAS BEEN A JOURNEY -- PEOPLE FROM THE CITY HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING US WHEN WE LEFT NEW YORK CITY UP TO CHESTER, NEW YORK, WE HAVE REALLY MAINTAINED OUR ROOTS IN THE CITY BECAUSE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ALL OF US ARE TEACHERS OF FARM SCHOOL.

SO FARM SCHOOL IS AN URBAN AG SCHOOL THAT TEACHES FOOD JUSTICE, IT TEACHES PEOPLE HOW TO GROW FOOD, TEACHES PEOPLE THAT RELATIONSHIP THEY SHOULD HAVE TO ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM, WHAT IS IT THEY CAN USE WITHIN THEIR VICINITY.

WE TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN, YOU CAN START GROWING ON A WINDOW SILL, BACKYARD, FRONT YARD, SOMEBODY ELSE'S YARD.

WITH THIS PANDEMIC, IT HAS REALLY SHOWN THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD AND HEALTH.

YOU MENTIONED THE FACT WE TALKED ABOUT A FOOD DESERT.

I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE WE DON'T CALL IT A FOOD DESERT.

I COINED THE TERM FOOD APARTHEID BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO START THINKING ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF FOOD ALONG RACE, ALONG DEMOGRAPHICS AND ALONG ECONOMICS.

WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE COMFORTABLE.

SO WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

WE HAVE WORKSHOPS.

PEOPLE COME TO OUR FARM NOT ONLY TO GROW -- HELP GROW OUR FOOD AND TO SEE THE PROCESS GROWING FOOD BUT THEY COME AND LISTEN TO OUR STORY BECAUSE OUR STORY IS THE AMERICAN STORY.

OUR STORY IS THE AMERICAN DREAM, OUR STORY IS GIVING BACK TO OUR ANCESTORS WHO, FOR SO LONG, HAVE BEEN NAMELESS AND FACELESS.

WE'RE TRYING TO PUT A NAME AND FACE OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US.

WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF KINGS AND QUEENS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> SO IT SOUNDS LIKE HORIZON ROOT ISN'T JUST A TEACHING FARM OR PERHAPS IS A TEACHING FARM IN A LARGER SENSE, WHERE YOU'RE NOT JUST TEACHING ABOUT FARMING AND SHARING THAT KNOWLEDGE BUT ALSO THE HISTORY OF FARMING.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO YOU THINK THE NARRATIVE GOT SO DRIVEN IN A VERY SINGULAR DIRECTION ABOUT WHO IS A FARM IRIN ER IN AMERICA.

>> IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO POWER DYNAMICS.

IT BOILS DOWN TO POWER DYNAMICS IN A GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVING POWER OVER OTHERS.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PEEL BACK THAT POWER NARRATIVE AND LET'S BRING THE TRUTH INTO LIGHT.

LET'S BRING THE TRUTH INTO LIGHT.

WE HAVE OVER 7.5 BILLION PEOPLE.

THINK ABOUT, WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF ORGANIZATIONS, COMPANIES, THAT CONTROL OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

HOW IS IT THAT WE DON'T TAKE A STAND WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD JUSTICE?

CALL OUT THE INJUSTICES THAT WE SEE ALONG THE FOOD CHAIN.

NOW PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO QUESTION THE FOOD SYSTEM.

THEY LOOK WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THEY SEE HOW BAD THE FOOD IS, BUT YET THEY GO INTO OTHER COMMUNITIES, MORE AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES, AND SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD.

NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOOD JUSTICE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND RIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE TO HAVE, THEN FOOD, HEALTHY FOOD AND WATER ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS FOR EVERYBODY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AT HORIZON ROOT WE SOUND THAT ALARM AND GET PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND STAND UP FOR THAT, SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT, BECAUSE FOOD AND WATER ARE HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL.

>> ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

I'M WONDERING IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE WORK THAT HORIZON ROOT DOES, IF SOMEONE WERE TO WANT TO GET INVOLVED OR WOULD WANT TO FIGURE OUT THERE IS A PLOT OF LAND IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I WOULD LOVE TO TURN IT INTO A COMMUNITY GARDEN BUT I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHERE TO START, IS RISING ROOT A GOOD SOURCE FOR THAT AND HOW DO YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE?

>> RISING ROOT IS A GOOD START BECAUSE WE NEVER LET OUR CONNECTIONS GO IN NEW YORK CITY.

IN NEW YORK CITY THERE'S A HUGE COMMUNITY GARDEN MOVEMENT.

THERE'S AN OFFICE CALLED GREEN THUMB, AND WE TELL PEOPLE THREE THINGS, NUMBER ONE, IF YOU FIND A PLOT OF LAND, FIND OUT WHO OWNS IT.

FOR INSTANCE, IF THE CITY OWNS IT AND THEY HAVE NO PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND YOU HAVE AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GROW FOOD, CHANCES ARE YOU CAN HAVE THAT LOT AS A COMMUNITY GARDEN F IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED, ASK THE OWNER IF YOU CAN USE AND YOU CAN GROW THERE.

THERE'S SO MANY INSTITUTIONS THAT ALSO HAVE VACANT LOTS.

THERE ARE CHURCHES, THERE ARE SYNAGOGUES, THERE ARE LIBRARIES, THERE ARE MUSEUMS, INSTITUTIONS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HAVE VACANT LAND THAT COULD BE VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING PEOPLE GROW FOOD, ESPECIALLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

>> WE'RE COMING UP ON THE END OF OUR TIME TOGETHER BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ASK IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE BLACK DIRT AND HOW THAT ACTUALLY AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCE YOU'RE ABLE TO PRODUCE.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS, THE BLACK DIRT REGION, IT'S HIGH IN ORGANIC MATTER AND AS A RESULT WE GROW THE BEST VEGETABLES AND HERBS BUT ALSO THE BEST WEEDS.

I HAVE A LITTLE THING WITH WEEDS BECAUSE AT ONE TIME I USED TO THINK WEEDS WERE BAD.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE ARE A LOT OF WEEDS THAT ARE EDIBLE SO I SORT OF CHANGED MY SORT OF -- >> I COMPLETELY AGREE.

I RECENTLY DISCOVERED DAND LION GREENS.

>> DANDELION GREENS.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS.

WE WERE JUST PICKING UP PERCENT LANE.

HIGH IN OMEGA FAT.

REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

SO COME OVER.

BECAUSE OF COVID, WE REALLY CURTAIL THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE ALLOW SO TEN PEOPLE MAX BUT FOLLOW US, FOLLOW US ON OUR WEBSITE, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK.

ONE THING WE SAY ABOUT OUR FARM, WE OPEN OUR FARM TO EVERYONE.

IT'S A HEALING FARM.

IT GOES BEYOND JUST GROWING FOOD.

IT'S GROWING COMMUNITY.

SO WE ARE A COMMUNITY FARM AND WE WELCOME ALL THAT REALLY WANT TO PROMOTE FOOD JUSTICE AND SOCIAL ADHESION, COHESION.

>> KAREN WASHINGTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING NOT ONLY THE WORK THAT YOU DO, YOU'RE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT BUT ALSO THE PASSIONATE WORK BEHIND THE COMMUNITY GARDENS THAT WE'VE SEEN POP UP ALL OVER THE CITY, AND ONE CAN ONLY ASSUME WE WILL PROBABLY BE SEEING MORE OF AS THE CITY BEGINS TO RECOVER FROM COVID AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, AND BY --