♪
>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH
RAFAEL P. 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 --
JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND
JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP
MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH
WESTON, AND THE DR. ROBERT C.
AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION, THE
JPB FOUNDATION.
♪
>>> HI.
I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.
REGARDLESS OF YOUR FINANCIAL
SITUATION, THE PANDEMIC LIKELY
AFFECTED THE WAY YOU SPENT AND
SAVED MONEY.
AS LOCKDOWNS BEGIN TO EASE AND
THE ECONOMY BEGINS TO GET BACK
TO NORMAL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
CONSIDER YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES
AND HOW BEST TO POSITION
YOURSELF FOR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL
SUCCESS.
THERE'S NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW
TO DO THAT, AS APRIL IS
FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH, A TIME
WHEN WE PROMOTE FINANCIAL
EDUCATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AS PART OF OUR CHASING THE DREAM
INITIATIVE, I'M JOINED NOW BY
AWARD-WINNING ACTOR AND
FINANCIAL LITERACY ACTIVIST HILL
HARPER.
HILL'S GOING TO DISCUSS WHAT
FINANCIAL LITERACY MEANS AND HOW
IT CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR
FINANCIAL DREAMS.
WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."
>> THANK YOU.
GREAT TO BE ON.
>> FIRST OFF, JUST THE TERM
FINANCIAL LITERACY IS SOMETHING
OF PERHAPS A MISNOMER TO A LOT
OF PEOPLE, SO JUST GIVE US A
DEFINITION OF WHAT THAT IS.
>> SURE.
FINANCIAL LITERACY IS LITERALLY
THE START.
IT'S THE BEGINNING OF BEING
INTENTIONAL AROUND TAKING
CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES AND
ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDING MONEY.
THAT'S WHAT I TALK ABOUT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE TEACH
MATH K-12, BUT WE DON'T TEACH
MONEY IN SCHOOL, FOR INSTANCE.
FINANCIAL LITERACY IS JUST THE
BEGINNING TO BUILD FINANCIAL
CAPACITY AND BE FINANCIALLY
EMPOWERED.
THAT'S KIND OF THE LINE THAT I
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO START WITH
LEARNING FIRST.
THEN YOU LEARN SOMETHING AND YOU
APPLY IT.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
FINANCIAL LITERACY IS LEARNING
ABOUT MONEY, LEARNING ABOUT YOUR
RELATIONSHIP TO MONEY AND HOW
YOU USE THAT TOOL THAT IS MONEY
IN EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE,
YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE AND YOUR
COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS DISCUSSION IS
SO IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHY
APRIL BEING FINANCIAL LITERACY
MONTH IS CRITICAL, BECAUSE WE
WANT TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
>> OF COURSE.
AS YOU DISCUSSED THAT, IT'S
ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING THAT
SHOULD BE TAUGHT PERHAPS ALONG
WITH MATH OR READING, IT'S NOT.
SO IT IS VERY MYSTIFIED AND
SHROUDED AND UNCERTAINTY FOR A
LOT OF AMERICANS.
I WANT TO GET YOUR TAKE ON HOW
YOU BEGIN TO DEMYSTIFY SOMETHING
AS INTIMIDATING AS FINANCES.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE FIRST THING FOLKS NEED TO DO
IS UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR
RELATIONSHIP TO MONEY IS NOT
THEM, MEANING, THEIR CREDIT
SCORE IS NOT A REFLECTION OF
YOU.
SO MANY OF US HAVE ANXIETY IN
THE ISSUES AROUND MONEY AND
TALKING ABOUT IT, FIRST AND
FOREMOST.
SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND MONEY
IS SIMPLY JUST A TOOL.
THINK ABOUT MONEY LIKE YOU THINK
ABOUT A HAMMER, RIGHT?
YOU DON'T GET ALL EMOTIONAL
ABOUT A HAMMER.
IT'S JUST A TOOL.
MONEY'S THE SAME THING.
JUST LIKE A HAMMER, IF YOUR GOAL
IS TO POUND A NAIL, A HAMMER IS
A REALLY EFFECTIVE TOOL.
IT CAN IMPROVE YOUR EFFICIENCY
AND THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK,
RIGHT?
BUT IF YOU HAVE TO CLEAN WOOD
FLOORS AND YOU USE THE SAME
TOOL, A HAMMER, TO CLEAN THOSE
FLOORS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO
DO?
MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD.
YOU'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY HURT
THE FLOORS.
MONEY IS EXACTLY THE SAME.
IF YOU BE AGNOSTIC ABOUT IT,
IT'S JUST A TOOL TO HELP YOU
BUILD THE LIFE YOU WANT.
EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT, SO USING
THAT TOOL IS DIFFERENT.
SAY, HEY, I WANT TO USE THAT
TOOL OF MONEY EFFECTIVELY TO
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE,
THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO.
IF I USE IT IN THE WRONG WAY,
IT'S NOT JUST A ZERO SUM, I'M
ACTUALLY GOING TO HURT MY LIFE.
IF I RUN UP A LOT OF DEBT AND I
HAVE A BAD CREDIT SCORE, IT'S
GOING TO HURT MY LIFE AND THOSE
AROUND ME BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO
BE A DRAG ON ME.
I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT DEBT BEING
LIKE A TYPE OF BONDAGE OR
SLAVERY.
WE HAVE TO RELEASE OURSELVES
FROM THAT TYPE OF BONDAGE
BECAUSE IT CAN KEEP YOU CAUGHT.
THAT'S WHY IT HAS TO START WITH
FINANCIAL LITERACY.
IT'S NOT YOU.
YOUR CREDIT SCORE IS NOT A
REFLECTION OF YOU, SO DON'T GET
PERSONAL ABOUT IT.
THEREFORE, TREAT IT LIKE A
HAMMER.
WHAT IS THIS TOOL OF MONEY AND
HOW CAN I USE IT EFFECTIVE LY T
ACHIEVE THE GOALS I HAVE FOR
MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND MY
COMMUNITY.
>> THAT'S A GREAT ANALOGY,
ALTHOUGH I WOULD POINT OUT THAT
MOST PEOPLE AREN'T TAUGHT TO
NEVER TALK ABOUT A HAMMER, BUT
MOST OF US ARE TAUGHT NOT TO
TALK ABOUT FINANCES.
THAT'S CONSIDERED IMPOLITE.
>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE WAS A STUDY THAT CAME OUT
RECENTLY THAT SAID THAT PEOPLE
ARE MORE APT TO REVEAL
INFIDELITY THAN THEY ARE TO TALK
ABOUT THEIR CREDIT SCORE.
BUT THAT SPEAKS TO THE
FOUNDATIONAL ISSUE THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
THE MORE THAT WE CAN BE HONEST
ABOUT WHAT MONEY REALLY IS AND
HOW OUR RELATIONSHIP TO MONEY
IMPACTS EVERY ASPECT OF OUR
LIFE, THEN WE COULD ACTUALLY
SORT OF DEMYSTIFY IT AND HAVE
PEOPLE SEE IT IN A DIFFERENT
WAY.
SO THAT'S WHY WORKING WITH E
EXPERION BOOST.
YOU GO IN AND ADD TO YOUR
PAYMENT SCORE BECAUSE YOU ADD
POSITIVE PAYMENT HISTORY.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW YOUR
CREDIT SCORE WORKS, THE POSITIVE
PAYMENT HISTORY ACTUALLY IMPACTS
YOUR CREDIT SCORE POSITIVELY,
YOU WOULDN'T KNOW TO EVEN DO
THAT.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE
DISCUSSIONS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN
LEARN AND THEN APPLY WHAT THEY
LEARN THROUGH REAL ACTION.
>> SO YOU ALSO IN YOUR ANALOGY
WITH THE HAMMER, YOU BROUGHT UP
SOMETHING THAT IS INCREDIBLY
INTEGRAL TO THIS CONVERSATION.
CLEANING A FAMILIAR LOOR WITH A.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE
TAUGHT NOT TO TALK ABOUT
FINANCIAL MATTERS, A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THEIR
CREDIT SCORE, THERE'S ALSO THE
NOTION THAT FINANCIAL LITERACY
IS SOMETHING FOR WEALTHY PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE TO ACCRUE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF MONEY TO EVEN BE
BOTHERED WITH THAT.
WHAT IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO IS
MAKING A LIVING CLEANING FLOORS
OR SOMETHING?
THAT TENDS TO BE THE PART OF THE
POPULATION THAT NEEDS THIS
INFORMATION THE MOST, BUT FEELS
UNENTITLED TO IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HERE'S A SAD FACT, THAT A HUGE
PERCENTAGE OF THE FINANCIAL
PRODUCTS THAT ARE OFFERED INTO
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TEND TO
BE PREDATORY OR HIDDEN
PREDATORY.
AND FOLKS GET HURT ALL THE TIME.
THERE'S THIS OLD SAYING, IT'S
EXPENSIVE TO BE POOR.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PAYDAY
LENDERS, CHECK CASHING SPOTS,
RENT TO OWN, EVEN CERTAIN
BANKING FACILITIES.
THERE ARE LAWSUITS WITH BANKS
WHERE PEOPLE HAD $800 IN THEIR
SAVINGS, BUT THEY'RE GETTING
CHARGED $250 A YEAR IN OVERDRAFT
FEES OR NOT HITTING THE ACCOUNT
LIMIT FEES.
THESE ARE HIDDEN PREDATORY
PRACTICES THAT BEFALL MANY
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
THE MORE FOLKS CAN LEARN ABOUT
THIS, THEY REALIZE THEY'VE BEEN
PAYING 200-300% INTEREST ON SOME
THINGS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BUILD
SAVINGS IF YOU'RE HAVING SO MUCH
MONEY RIPPED OUT OF THE
COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE WITH
THREE JOBS THAT ARE BARELY
MAKING ENDS MEET BECAUSE THERE'S
SO MANY HIDDEN COSTS BEFALLING
THEM.
THAT'S WHY I WROTE THE BOOK "THE
WEALTH CURE" TO DEAL WITH THE
WEALTH GAP.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THESE
THINGS, EXPOSE THEM FOR WHAT
THEY ARE AND SAY THERE ARE
ALTERNATIVE CHOICE LS S FOLKS C
MAKE TO IMPROVE THEIR FINANCIAL
FUTURE AND FOUNDATION.
>> WE DID PUT THIS AGAINST THE
EXPERIENCE THAT ALL OF US IN
VERY DIFFERENT WAYS.
I'M WONDERING WHAT IS YOUR
ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS NOT
SURE WHAT THE FIRST STEP IS, BUT
HOW DO THEY GO ABOUT IMPROVING
THEIR CREDIT SCORE IN A
RUTHLESSLY CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY?
>> THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, TAKING A STEP BACK
FROM YOUR CREDIT SCORE, IF THE
AND TAUGHT US ANYTHING, I WANT
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE AN
EMERGENCY FUND AND BE PUTTING
MONEY AWAY INTO THAT BUCKET.
JUST THINK OF AN EMERGENCY FUND
AS A BUCKET.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
NUMBER YOU NEED?
THIS IS IT.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR ACTUAL
NEEDS ARE TO LIVE, WHICH IS,
HOUSING, FOOD, WATER, SHELTER
AND UTILITIES, ELECTRICITY, GAS
BILL.
FOR ME, I ALSO ADD IN MY T
TELECOM, MY PHONE BILL.
I PUT THAT INTO A NUMBER.
WHATEVER THAT MONTHLY NUMBER IS,
I WANT TO HAVE AT LEAST SIX
MONTHS OF THAT EMERGENCY FUND IN
SAVINGS.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
DIRECTLY IMPACT YOUR CREDIT
SCORE, BUT IT IMPACTS YOUR LIFE.
THE MORE THE BETTER FOR THE
EMERGENCY FUND.
THE SECOND STEP IS TO LOOK AT
YOUR HIGHEST INTEREST DEBT THAT
YOU'RE CARRYING AND START COMING
UP WITH A PLAN TO PAY THAT DOWN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT ALL ON
IN ONE MONTH AND SHAME YOURSELF
AND FEEL BAD ABOUT IT, BUT START
HAVING A CONCENTRATED PLAN TO
PAY DOWN YOUR HIGHEST INTEREST
DEBT.
THAT WILL BEGIN OVER TIME TO
IMPACT YOUR CREDIT SCORE.
THE OTHER PIECE IS EXPERION
BOOST.
YOU GO ONTO EXPERION.COM/BOOST.
IF YOU'RE PAYING A BILL THROUGH
A CREDIT CARD OR YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT, YOUR NETFLIX OR HULU OR
A UTILITY, YOU CAN ADD THAT
POSITIVE PAYMENT HISTORY TO YOUR
FILE AND HOPEFULLY BOOSTS YOUR
CREDIT SCORE.
NOW 50 MILLION POINTS HAVE BEEN
ADDED TO PEOPLE'S SCORES THROUGH
EXPERION BOOST, WHICH I THINK IS
GREAT.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
ALSO, CHECK YOUR CREDIT SCORE
REGULARLY.
YOU BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT
AND LEARNING ABOUT WHAT GOES
INTO CREATING THAT ALGORITHM
HELPS YOU IMPROVE YOUR SCORE.
THE INTENTIONALITY HELPS.
IF WE JUST BURY OUR HEAD IN THE
SAND, ACT LIKE THERE'S NOTHING
WE CAN DO THAT'S THE ABSOLUTELY
WRONG THING.
WE WANT TO BE INTENTIONAL.
WE WANT TO BE CHECKING OUR
SCORE.
WE WANT TO BE UTILITIZING FREE
TOOLS TO HELP OUR SCORE IMPROVE.
>> HILL, HARPER, I WANT TO
CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
ON "METROFOCUS" AND GIVING US
SOME SUGGESTIONS AND TIPS AND
TOOLS OF THE TRADE.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
♪
>>> HI.
I'M JENNA FLAT BNAGAN.
FARMING IN AMERICA HAS LONG BEEN
FABLED AS ONE OF THE PURIST,
MOST HONEST FORMS OF LABOR.
IT'S WORK THAT'S OFTEN
CONSIDERED NOBLE AND MANLY.
THANKS TO MORE THAN A CENTURY OF
AMERICAN ICONOGRAPHY, IT'S ALSO
ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE MEN.
YOU'LL FIND A MUCH MORE
COMPLICATED AND NUANCED IDEA.
AS PART OF OUR CHASING THE DREAM
INITIATIVE, EXAMINING POVERTY
AND OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA, I'M
JOINED BY KAREN WASHINGTON, ONE
OF THE COFOUNDERS OF RISING
GROUP FARM.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME,
JENNA.
>> LET'S START WITH THE FARM
ITSELF.
I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
HEARING ABOUT THIS FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
WHAT IS IS THE FARM?
>> IT'S FOUR WOMEN.
TWO OF US ARE WOMEN OF COLOR,
TWO OF US ARE WHITE WOMEN.
THE FOUR OF US ARE ROOTED IN
FOOD JUSTICE.
WE GOT OUR START FROM DOING
COMMUNITY GARDEN WORK IN NEW
YORK CITY.
THROUGH WORKING IN COMMUNITY
GARDENS AND BECOMING GOOD
FRIENDS, WE ALWAYS SAID ONE DAY
WE WANT TO FARM TOGETHER TO
SCALE UP BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO FRESH,
LOCAL PRODUCE.
WE TOOK THIS JOURNEY.
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.
WE HAVE 3 ACRES OF LAND.
IT IS BLACK DIRT LITERALLY WHERE
WE GROW THE BEST VEGETABLES, BUT
A
ALSO WHEAT.
>> WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE
FOOD JUSTICE MOVEMENT YOU'RE
INVOLVED IN?
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF STORIES
WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE
FACT THAT 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 VEGETABLES.
>> DON'T USE THE WORD FOOD
DESERT.
WE DON'T LIVE IN A DESERT.
WHAT A FOOD DESERT IS AN OUTSIDE
TERM TO DENOTE THE FACT THAT
THERE IS A LIMITED ACCESS TO
FOOD.
WE DO HAVE FOOD.
WE HAVE UNHEALTHY FOOD.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
REALLY IS TO PEEL AWAY OUR
RESPONSIBILITY AND OUR HISTORY
AROUND FARMING.
FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU LOOK
GLOBALLY, MOST 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 FARMING WAS
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 FOUNDATION OF
FOOD IN THIS COUNTRY.
ONCE YOU TELL YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT
THAT, OUR PLACE IN AGRICULTURE,
THE WHOLE NARRATIVE SHIFTS AND
NOW YOU ARE EMBODIED WITH POWER,
POWER TO GO BACK TO THE LAND,
POWER TO GROW FOOD, POWER TO
FEED YOUR OWN FAMILY.
>> WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO
TELL THAT NARRATIVE?
THANK YOU ALSO FOR CLARIFYING
THERE ARE NO DESERTS IN NEW
YORK.
SERIOUSLY, THOUGH, TO NOT ONLY
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE CLEAR
ON WHAT THE HISTORY OF FARMING
IS, BUT ALSO THAT THIS IS ALSO
WOMEN'S WORK.
AS YOU SAID, MOST FARMS ARE RUN
BY WOMEN.
>> YES, IT IS WOMEN'S WORK AND
IT'S A POWERFUL THING.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT, AGAIN, MOST
OF THE POWER WHEN 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, TO GO BACK TO THE LAND,
BECAUSE THEY KNOW LAND WITHIN
THEIR FAMILY IS LEGACY, IS
HISTORY.
KNOWING THE FACT THAT YOU CAN
GROW YOUR OWN FOOD MAKES YOU
POWERFUL.
THAT'S A NARRATIVE THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE NOW CATCHING ON AND
WANT TO GO BACK TO FARM.
>> NOW, OF COURSE, YOU WERE
SAYING THAT RISING ROOT ALMOST
GREW OUT OF OR OUTGREW AN URBAN
FARM IN THE CITY.
I'M WONDERING IF THAT FITS INTO
A LARGER MOVEMENT, AS ESPECIALLY
NOW WITH THE COVID-19 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 BACK YARD,
IF THEY'RE ABLE TO.
>> IT HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING, THE
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE 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.
BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WITH
THIS PANDEMIC, IT'S THE HEALTHY
FOOD THAT IS GOING TO MAKE US
BETTER.
FOOD IS MEDICINE.
PEOPLE NOW WANT TO KNOW, FIRST
OF ALL, WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES
FROM, WHO'S GROWING IT AND IF IT
WAS SPRAYED WITH PESTICIDES AND
WHO'S GROWING IT.
WE WANT TO KNOW THAT THE WORKERS
HAVE BEEN TREATED HUMANELY AND
HAVE BEEN PAID A FAIR WAGE.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MANY
LAYERS UPON LAYERS THAT WE'RE
LEARNING NOT JUST ABOUT THE FOOD
THAT WE'RE EATING BUT OF COURSE
THE SUPPLY CHAINS AND SOME OF
THE MASS INDUSTRIAL PARDFARMS T
THIS COUNTRY ALSO HAS.
I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE
RELATIONSHIP TO FOOD.
AS YOU MENTIONED IT'S NOT THAT
THERE ISN'T FOOD IN A LOT OF
THESE COMMUNITIES.
IT'S BAD FOOD, IT'S PROCESSED
FOOD.
DOES RISING ROOT 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 AND THERE'S
USUALLY SOMETHING IN THERE THAT
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS OR
HOW TO COOK.
I WOULD ASSUME THE FURTHER YOU
ARE AWAY FROM A RELATIONSHIP TO
FRESH PRODUCE, THE MORE LIKELY
YOU'RE GOING TO FIND SOME
VEGETABLES TO FEEL SORT OF
FOREIGN.
>> PEOPLE FROM THE CITY HAVE
BEEN FOLLOWING US WHEN WE LEFT
NEW YORK CITY UP TO CHESTER, NEW
YORK, WE HAVE MAINTAINED OUR
ROOTS IN THE CITY.
FARM SCHOOL IS AN URBAN AG
SCHOOL THAT TEACHES FOOD
JUSTICE, THAT TEACHES PEOPLE HOW
TO GROW FOOD, TO TEACH PEOPLE TO
ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THEIR
FOOD COMES FROM.
WE TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT,
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMMUNITY
GARDEN, YOU CAN START GROWING ON
A WINDOWSILL OR BACK YARD OR
FRONT YARD, SOMEBODY ELSE'S
YARD.
WHAT THIS PANDEMIC IS SHOWING IS
THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD AND
HEALTH.
YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT A FOOD DESERT.
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, DEMOGRAPHICS
AND ECONOMICS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE HARD
CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE PEOPLE
FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE
COMFORTABLE.
WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
WE HAVE WORKSHOPS.
PEOPLE COME TO OUR FARM NOT ONLY
TO HELP GROW OUR FOOD AND TO SEE
THE PROCESS OF GROWING FEED.
OUR STORY IS THE AMERICAN STORY.
OUR ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN NAMELESS
AND FACELESS.
WE'RE TRYING TO PUT A NAME AND A
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.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE RISING ROOT
ISN'T JUST A TEACHING FARM OR
PERHAPS IS A TEACHING FARM IN
LARGER SENSE WHERE YOU'RE
TEACHING ALSO THE HISTORY OF
F
FARMING.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE NARRATIVE
GOT DRIVEN IN A SINGULAR
DIRECTION ABOUT WHO IS A FARMER
IN AMERICA?
>> YOU KNOW, IT BOILS DOWN TO
POWER DYNAMICS.
THAT'S ALL.
IT BOILS DOWN TO POWER DYNAMICS
OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVING
POWER OVER OTHERS.
WE'RE TRYING TO PEEL BACK THAT
POWER DYNAMIC AND NARRATIVE.
LET'S BRING THE TRUTH INTO
LIGHT.
WE HAVE OVER 7.5 BILLION PEOPLE.
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 WE SEE
ALONG THE FOOD CHAIN.
NOW PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO
QUESTION THE FOOD SYSTEM.
THEY LOOK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
AND SEE HOW BAD THE FOOD IS.
YET THEY GO INTO AFFLUENT
COMMUNITIES AND SEE THE
DIFFERENCE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES
WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOOD JUSTICE
AND EQUITY AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
AND THE RIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE TO
HAVE, THEN HEALTHY FOOD AND
WATER ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT
ARE FOR EVERYBODY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AT RISING
ROOT THAT WE SOUND THAT ALARM,
THAT WE MAKE PEOPLE TO GO OUT
AND REALLY STAND UP FOR THAT,
SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT, BECAUSE
FOOD AND WATER ARE HUMAN RIGHTS
FOR ALL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I'M WONDERING IN ADDITION TO ALL
OF THE WORK THAT RISING ROOT
DOES, IF SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO
FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, 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?
>> RISING ROOT IS A GOOD SOURCE.
WE'VE NEVER LET GO OF OUR
CONNECTIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.
IN NEW YORK CITY THERE'S A HUGE
COMMUNITY GARDEN MOVEMENT.
THERE'S AN OFFICE CALLED GREEN
THUMB.
THREE THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, IF YOU FIND A PLOT
OF LAND, FIND OUT WHO OWNS IT.
IF THE CITY OWNS IT AND THEY
HAVE NO PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT
AND YOU GET AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE
THAT WANT TO GROW FOOD, CHANCES
ARE YOU CAN HAVE THAT LOT AS A
COMMUNITY GARDEN.
IF IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED, ASK THE
OWNER IF YOU CAN USE AND GROW
THERE.
THERE ARE SO MANY INSTITUTIONS
THAT ALSO HAVE VACANT LOTS,
CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, LIBRARIES,
MUSEUMS.
INSTITUTIONS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
HAVE VACANT LAND THAT WOULD BE,
I GUESS, VERY, VERY INTERESTED
IN HELPING ANYONE GROW FOOD,
ESPECIALLY AT THIS POINT IN
TIME.
>> WE'RE COMING UP ON TEND OF
OUR TIME TOGETHER.
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 AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF
THE PRODUCE YOU'RE ABLE TO
PRODUCE.
>> BLACK DIRT, OH MY GOODNESS,
WE GROW THE BEST VEGETABLES AND
ALSO THE BEST WEEDS.
I HAVE A LITTLE THING WITH
WEEDS.
AT ONE TIME I USED TO THINK
WEEDS WERE BAD, BUT A LOT OF
WEEDS ARE EDIBLE.
>> I COMPLETELY AGREE.
I RECENTLY DISCOVERED DANDELION
GREENS.
>> I'D LOVE PEOPLE TO COME UP
AND VISIT RISING ROOT.
WE HAVE COMMUNITY DAYS THE LAST
SATURDAY OF THE MONTH.
BECAUSE OF COVID, WE'VE REALLY
CURTAILED THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE
THAT WE ALLOW, SO TEN PEOPLE
MAX.
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.
WE WELCOME ALL THAT REALLY WANT
TO PROMOTE FOOD JUSTICE AND
SOCIAL ADHESION.
>> KAREN WASHINGTON, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR SHARING NOT ONLY THE
WORK THAT YOU DO YOU'RE SO
PASSIONATE ABOUT AT RISING ROOT
FARM, 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'LL 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
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 --
JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND
JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP
MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH
WESTON, AND THE DR. ROBERT C.
AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION, THE
JPB FOUNDATION.
♪
