Edible Activist

Meet Senteria: cyber security professional by day, full-time mom to a teenage boy 365, and the sibling of Melissa L. Jones. In this episode, Melissa chats with her (very animated) sister about her balcony gardening experience this year, the first time she's ever attempted to grow anything. She now has hot peppers springing forth, tomatoes trying to make their way, and some new plant-friends. Senteria claims she has "green hands, not thumbs" (haaaa), telling the story of how she flung (literally) cucumber seeds in the front yard of the parentals' house, without any intention, and BAM; they grew like wildfire. Now she's feeling herself...ahem, empowered. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

After an inspiring edible visit with The Black Suburban Homesteaders, we sit down with Francois and Shanna to have an honest conversation on how they are coping during the global crisis. In this episode, Shanna unpacks the concept of rage planting which they found themselves indulged in, making space for every seed-bearing plant (talk about tomatoes out the wazoo), as a way to channel their frustration in the midst of racial tension. Francois also transparently shares the realities of being tethered to their home, while building businesses, maintaining their homestead (+ two other sites), and raising a family. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

In this brief finale episode, hear thoughts from host, Melissa L. about black folks rising from the silos into non-black digital spaces, supporting black lives, and she shares some exciting announcements. This episode does conclude the season, but we'll be back after we recalibrate. In the meantime, check out our 80+ episodes on deck! Thanks for your support as always and remember: in the words of Baba Oduno, "there is no culture without agriculture." Period! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

At the start of spring, The Green Scheme family would have been outdoors and in the gardens with the D.C. youth, but plans have shifted as the world takes precautions and practices social distancing. Co-founder, Ronnie Webb, and his amazing team run The Green Scheme, a dynamic organization that is "changing the scene" with a mission to bridge communities and empower youth to live healthy and sustainable lives. In this episode, Ronnie talks about making lemonade out of lemons and how they are utilizing the virtual space to keep the youth growing. "They will be teaching their parents," says Ronnie! Tune in to hear more about the creative changes they are implementing to keep the health marathon moving and much more! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

While most non-essential workers have the luxury of working-from-home, first responders, along with other emergency personnel do not as they weather the pandemic. Food on the Stove's founder, Jonathan Tate, joins us for another episode to expound upon the mission work that has taken place in the midst of COVID-19, ensuring that firefighters across the city are nourished on a job that is ever-so demanding. Tune in to learn about the outpouring support from the D.C. community to support FOTS, Tate also talks about mental health awareness, and we discuss their latest meal delivery pilot: Local Food for Local Heroes. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

From growing up on a farm in Virginia to operating The Fresh Food Factory in Southeast, D.C., Amanda Stephenson's connection to food, farming and health has led her on a journey to educate and offer options that support the wellbeing of her community. Surry, Virginia is where Amanda's farming adventures began, growing up in this small town with siblings as they worked the land while game, ducks, and other farm animals roamed the grounds. And as a creative who navigated to New York City, and eventually D.C. she gives credit to her hard-working dad, who surpassed a life expectancy by 18 years, for the values and entrepreneurial spirit she carries til this day. In this episode, we learn about Amanda's business that started as a food incubator in Ward 8, she addresses black entrepreneurship and the wealth disparities that exist, and how the business has been adapting during COVID-19. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

"Whoever controls your food source controls you" are words that Maryland-based gardener, Kevin Alsop, penetrated into our earbuds in episode #001, one that encouraged us to prepare and go back to food basics. Kevin graced our show again with his honest feelings on having to reignite his love for growing, because the business and politics of food has a way of stripping your passion. Additionally in this episode, we catch up on Kevin's latest growing project at a senior citizen center in Capitol Heights, he shares his thoughts on the coronavirus pandemic, and he leaves us with an "Alsop Starter Growing Kit" for beginning growers. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

The scent of tobacco, along with memories of grandma and granddaddy Arthur tend to the land isn't distant at all for Tonya Peele. As a child, the North Carolina native, gardener, and avid photographer watched her beloved grandparents plant tobacco, corn and other crops from the back of their pickup truck on the Carolina fields. So her love for the land is a natural expression of reverence for the legacy of farmers and sharecroppers down her lineage. In this episode, we zoom in on Tonya's family story, and her platforms: Plant & Shoot and The Zen Camera Club, which she founded as a self-care practice to meditate by photographing nature. Tonya believes that meditation isn't for everyone, however, she notes that our still focus can serve as a channel for zen. *This episode was pre-recorded.* Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

"If we don't have health, we can't get wealth," says Tambra Raye, the founder of both Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA) and Nativsol. We caught up with the former Edible Activist guest to discuss what's continuing to unfold in communities of color hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus pandemic, her upcoming Cooking with Soul Series at The U.S. Botanic Gardens to kickoff #Juneteenth, and she gives us a taste of her upcoming WANDA Academy. Tune in! *This episode was pre-recorded.* Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

After five years of growing food, The Black Church Food Security Network (BCFSN) found themselves launching a vital mission for the community during the Baltimore Uprising after the death of Freddie Gray. Founded by Pastor Heber Brown, BCFSN started with just a few seeds on the grounds of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church which then morphed into a model that would help black churches utilize their land to grow food, bringing markets and black farmers to the congregation. This episode dives into the relationship between the black church and agriculture, the land being a major asset, along with how churches might need to pivot given the current climate. Pastor Brown also speaks on their latest project: The Black Church Census which will be a gamechanger assess data on black church-owned land! Tune in! *Please note that this episode was pre-recorded.* Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant Food.

Nazriah (which stands for vanguard) Muhammad is a grower who operates at the center of her Muslim faith and with the energy she absorbs from the land. In this episode we explore Nazirah's cultural identity and her family's conversion to Islam, she touches on her journey as an herbalist, we talk about her artistry and hand-pianted journals that can be found at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and she reminds us that plants have a vibe. Tune in! *Please note that this episode was pre-recorded during Ramadan*. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

Black lives have been a target dating back to slavery. From exploitation, lynchings, medical experimentation, and to apartheid, our generation has experienced trauma and genocide for years. The question is no longer why. The question is when does it end? When can families stop having hard conversations with their black kids on how to maneuver in this world? When will police stop utilizing their power to take black lives? When will the system die and start afresh? This special episode unpacks some of these frustrations as we chat with criminal defense and police misconduct attorney, Martinis Jackson. A Howard University School of Law graduate, Martinis is the founder of Jackson Legal Services based in Washington, DC, and hails from Memphis, TN where he has experienced social issues in a mostly black city. He is also the author of Justice My Way: Memoirs of a Black Prosecutor which we talk about in this show, in addition to the rights of protesters, and preparing for the fight ahead. **Please note that this show was pre-recorded and content may be dated due to new developments.**

A story that can only be told by acknowledging her Cleveland, Ohio and Georgian roots, Jennifer Lumpkin only knew food through her family. The community organizer and grower recalls memories of food swapping with family members, receiving mango shipments from auntie in Florida, and their front yard being a supermarket. They created their own food system, one that aimed to reflect her great-grandfather's legacy as a sharecropper. This episode unravels Jennifer's family food story, highlights her farming experiences in Washington, D.C., and we pay a visit to Cleveland where she is back organizing voter campaigns, while still growing food. Tune in! Powered and distributed by SimplecastSponsored by Giant.

AFRO beets, Chris Riddick joins Edible Activist again to catch us up on his latest garden container projects, talks building a brand during #Rona, shares how to make "bacon" bits from potato skin, and gives us a few tips on how NOT to gain that COVID-19 weight! Listen in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

Caterpillars, playing in the woods, and picking up insects was part of Michelle Nelson's childhood adventure, so taking up environmental studies at North Carolina A&T was a no-brainer because she always loved the sciences! This episode explores Michelle's tomboy adventures and how the outdoors became her classroom for learning, she also talks us through her role as Program Manager with Montgomery County Parks in which she oversees 11 garden sites (to include over 500 gardeners, whoa!), and how to use this time during quarantine to do what makes you the happiest! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.Sponsored by Giant.

A life-long Detroiter of the Filipinx diaspora, shane bernrado believes in the healing power of foods to address intergenerational trauma. After suffering the loss of his father, food was a medium to help him deal with grief by connecting back to his ancestral roots, and regaining a sense of identity. This episode explores shane's heritage and a dynamic Detroit Filipino Supper Club, imbibes his ancestral wisdom and creativity, breaks down the three pillars of his Food As Healing social practice, and highlights his most recent Grist 50: 2020 Fixers and Castanea Fellowship recognitions. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.Sponsored by Giant.

Earth is filled with life as we know it: humans, biodiversity, and species. But how in tune are we to life around us, how connected are we? Meet Myra Jackson, a former electrical engineer, Earth Advocate and Expert of the UN's Harmony with Nature Programme who decided at a tender age that she would be at service to the Earth. Myra gained a fascination for planetary systems and was becoming, what she calls, a "young astronomer," spending time at tide pools, fossil hunting, and walking with grandma who knew every medicinal herb near their San Diego home. In this episode, Myra defines her sacred relationship to the grid, shares moments of a grandmother's sensitivity to Mother Nature, breaks down what she calls the "Global Pause" in the midst of the global health pandemic, so much more. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

For the last decade, Duron Chavis has committed himself to food justice work in his Richmond, VA community where inequities exist, directly impacting communities of color. In this episode, Duron paints Richmond's food landscape, detailing the history of redlining, Jim Crow and urban renewal, he also highlights his amazing Resiliency Garden project where he has led the charge to build garden beds for residents, then shares his perspective on what the "new normal" is given the current coronavirus pandemic. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Sponsored by Giant.

A love for gardening, spirits and connecting with people led Charismatic Creations owner, Chrissy Sheffey, to launch her mobile bartending business. After working at various restaurants in and around the city, Chrissy made a decree to own her income and entered the world of entrepreneurship in 2017. In this episode, Chrissy discusses fusing her passions to launch Charismatic Creations, shares her viewpoint on the disconnect between agriculture and the food and beverage industry, she recounts her fondest gardening memory with her dad, and talks through what entrepreneurship has taught her. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.Sponsored by Giant.

Big City Gardener's creator, Timothy Hammond, stands by his motto: Just Grow It! As a kid, Tim was surrounded by gardens, but as early as elementary school, he knew he wanted to become a marine biologist, exploring dolphins and whales. Crafting his expertise at his Texas-based home garden, which became his little known secret, organically led to the creation of his platform. In this episode Tim provides advice on getting into the rhythm and flow of growing food, we explore his work with food insecurity in Texas, and we learn some of his favorite artists he rocks out to while in the garden. Oh, he also has a challenge for you as well: the next time you make a meal, try to identify the source of everything on your plate! Take a listen! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

What does it mean to be black with plants? D'Real Graham, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, has been exploring his relationship with the plant kingdom since 2018. In this episode we learn about the birth of D'Real's @blackwithplants platform, one in which he uses to not only showcase his botanical journey, but to address issues of racism, cultural identity, and to send a message of decolonizing social practices. He also speaks on the importance of knowing your USDA hardiness zone, understanding what plants were grown in your neighborhood before, in his words, "we disurbed the land," and leaves us with a major action step towards edible activism: "listen to black women." Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Need a jolt of energy or some good vibes? In need of healing? Calabash, the award-winning plant-based tea shop, is the ultimate immune booster of the city. Founded at the hem of her activist parents and elders, Calabash's founder and operator, Sunyatta Amen, has cultivated a beautiful hub for healing in Washington, D,C. In this episode, Sunyatta takes us back to her parents Harlem-based herbal shop in the 70s, she discusses the divide from our agrarian history, shares her perspective on the food service industry, and educates us on five herbs that everyone should have in their home! Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

New Orleans native and District resident, Dominique Charles, found her love for growing back in 2013 when a friend gifted her with a gardening set for her house. But Dominique is no stranger to agraian life; she spent her childhood driving tractors and watching her "maw maw" and "paw paw" grow food in the country. It was just the way of life. As the creator of Plots and Pans, she documents her green thumb journey, along with her cooking skills that will have you salivating. And as a positive message to everyone during these extreme times, Dominique reminds us to "cultivate joy." Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

The impacts of COVID-19 were devastating. We acknowledge that at the time of this recording, we were unprepared for the unprecedented challenges it brought. Thousands of lives were lost, businesses severely affected, and the lockdown unleashed a wave of mental health disturbances. While some thrived—and we celebrate their resilience—many struggled, and we hold space for them.

Aleya Fraser has been farming for the past seven years in and around Baltimore (and beyond). Navigating nature's grid with intention, Aleya has a deep appreciation for agriculture and the resources she uses to steward the land. In this episode, she walks us through her origins in Baltimore, the decision to study neuroscience and biology, farming on the ancestral lands of Harriet Tubman, and we also explore her Trinidad roots and love for cacao. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

In this series we continue to feed listeners Black History 365, and those making it. We are joined by senior planner and special assistant with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning, Molline Jackson, who brings a unique perspective to our history conversation. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

From music, art, and reading, these are just a few ways in which we honor our Black History beyond the confines of February. In this episode we continue conversations from Part I with herbalist and acupuncturist, Geoff Edwards, who believes that our genealogy is the only history we need to focus on. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Black History is American History, just plain facts! And for decades we have only gotten one month to honor our stories. In this episode we share how we celebrate our black history, heritage, culture, and servant leaders. We also crush on some of our elders, ancestors, food heroes who are planting the seeds of our future. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

The word "holistic" may seem unfamiliar to some, and even sound a bit foreign, but this is a practice that has been around for centuries, curing the most debilitating diseases, ailments, and even cancer. Meet Dr. Ruby Lathon, the founder of Roadmap to Holistic Health, a certified holistic nutritionist and plant-based chef who supports clients in their pursuit to living an abundant and healthy life. If anyone knows how to beat the odds, it's Dr. Ruby who cured herself of thyroid cancer, but she had to first take control of her mind. Tune in! Tune in! Powered and distributed by SImplecast.

Big Ma, the daughter of a sharecropper and homemaker, hails from Mt. Olive, Mississippi. Soft spoken (like her mama Louvenia), but full of character, she relished her childhood in Mt. Olive on the farm where they lived. In this episode, Big Ma talks about her role as the water girl, runs down a list of crops her dad grew that included sugar cane, and reminds us of this: "I didn’t pick no cotton." Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Big Daddy grew up in Canton, MS and was a hunter: rabbit, squirrels, raccoons-- this was a way of life in the country. And at an early age he took to truck driving because he knew farming was no joke, and not optional if he stayed in Canton. In this episode you’ll hear Big Daddy’s trucker stories and enduring racism in the south, how folks used to locate wells tree limbs, and he shares how everyone in the community really looked out for one another. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Our history is filled land loss and discrimination amongst black families and farmers, but this story reflects rejuvenation. Ms. Felicia Bell, a Mississippi native, mother, traditional farmer and operator of RD & S Farm, LLC was born into agriculture. Her family’s land has sustained them for generations, being able to feed themselves, homestead, and launch businesses. In this episode you will hear Felicia’s family legacy, how selling pecans provided capital to start RD & S Farm, and her insight on ownership and freedom.

Born in a small Alabama town, Grandma Catherine remembers having all the food she and her family needed on the land. Surrounded by muscadines, peach trees, and pecans, nature’s seed bloomed right outside her home in Butler. And though Grandma has been living in Jackson, MS for more than five decades, the remnants of her country upbringing remain. In this Part I series, Grandma shares fond food memories with granddaughter Melissa L. Jones, her love for the garden and vegetables, and talks about eating-dirt (yes dirt)! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

In this season finale, host, Melissa L. Jones and guest Jeremy Carry talk gratitude, vision and purpose! Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Black Food Justice is a fight for our health, wealth equity, access to greener environments, and our land. In this episode, Asha Carter, deputy director with the National Black Food and Justice Alliance, shares what black food justice means to her, details her relationship with nature, and provides a basic understanding of land trusts and how we can use land to build systems for survival. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Food isn't linear, and for artists like Krystal Mack, this means using food to tell our history, build community, and as a tool for social design. In this episode we explore Krystal's culinary entrepreneurial journey as a business owner and baker, breakdown Baltimore's food landscape and how this has impacted her work, the importance of language and controlling our narratives, and her most recent event: Black Women, Food & Power! Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Fresh-pressed juice is for everybody, literally. We all need nutrients and vitamins from leafy greens, citrus, and fruits, it's nature's medicine. In this episode we sit down with DC native, Najee Ellerbe, who is a certified juice therapist and owner of Everybody's Juice, a delivery company that offers juice subscriptions to customers. In 2016, Najee contracted the flu and came across juicing while he was bedridden. Little did he know, this lifestyle change would cure his illness, and eventually Everybody's Juice was born. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast

What does land mean to you? And if you inherited it, how would you steward it? This episodes continues conversations from last week's episode, Reflections of the Land, with host Melissa L. Jones and guest co-host, Jeremy Carry. The top of the episode starts with farming ninja, Jay, sharing how he would cultivate the land if he inherited five acres, then segwaying into stigmas that many black people and people of color have about farming. We also spotlight The Atlantic's piece: The Great Land Robbery. Tune in! Powered and distributed by Simplecast

In this episode, host Melissa L. Jones takes time to share reflections of the land, along with guest and farmer, Jeremy Carry. Land has been a significant topic for the Edible Activist podcast and at two recent events attended by the hosts. Tune in to hear Melissa's personal view of what land means to her and Jeremy's perspectives on how people should be stewarding nature's grid. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

DMV Black Restaurant Week is building bridges in the black hospitality world, while paying homage to black mixologists, chefs, and restaurateurs that came before us. With a 60 billion dollar food industry, African-American/Black restaurant owners and managers only represent a small piece of the pie. In this episode we explore the statistics around ownership in the food and beverage industry, creating intergenerational wealth, and DMVBRW's upcoming conference that's sure to educate hospitality professionals. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Powered and distributed by Simplecast

Powered and distributed by Simplecast

FishScale restaurant owner, Chef Brandon Williams, wants future generations to enjoy the "fruits of the sea." Oceans plagued by environmental waste and overfishing cause harm to our eco-system that many consumers don't feel the affects of. In this episode, Chef Brandon breaks down wild caught vs. farm-raised fish, how his mom influenced his mouth-watering fish burger concept, and the stereotypes he faces as a black restaurant owner who is source-conscious. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Rob "Veggies" Horton wanted more gardens in the hoods of Nashville, TN and not trap houses where profits for drugs take place and other illegal activities. There were no grocery stores for neighbors to get real food, a scene that reminded him of his hometown in St. Louis, Missouri. Taking matters into his own hands, literally, with a shovel, dirt, and a few good volunteers, he established Trap Garden. Rob's organization is a non-profit social enterprise that provides a sustainable source of healthy, high quality foods and offers innovative solutions to the physical, financial, and educational shortcomings in food insecure communities. His incredible tribe of volunteers are the wheels that keep this mission in motion to provide fresh food to low-income neighbors. Tune in as we unpack the beginnings of Trap Garden!

Mothering and farming is not easy, yet Violet King manages to make it happen. As a mom to three kids, she is tearing down any misconceptions about being able to conquer both. Violet learned a while back that black folks need to be more self-sufficient and began growing her own food. There was even a period during her pregnancy that she feared not being able to feed her daughter and drew concern about her health. In this episode, we talk about Violet raising farm babies, why we need more people of color in food policy, and how agriculture helped her to understand her ancestry, especially as an adopted child into a white family. Screen reader support enabled.

Chef Anu Green is very familiar with the flavors of the land and living off of it. Though growing up in Brooklyn, she spent a lot of her youth travelling to different islands in the Caribbean, thanks to her stepfather in Jamaica where she lived for one year while imbibing on the agriculture landscape. As a food therapist, Chef Green heals people through medicinal herbs and sound therapy, releasing the trauma that has been done to their internal systems. Tune in as she debunks myths behind disease being hereditary and why real food matters for our health.

After a month of holding it down as the host of the Edible Activist podcast, Chris Riddick of Afro Beets leans in on some of the biggest take-a-ways from his time on the show. Tune in as he passionately shares some gems on how to channel your inner edible activism and his urge for every person of color in the food and agricultural space to keep letting their light shine. Chris is forever family here at the Edible Activist podcast. And no worries, he'll be back in the near future dropping more "beets" for us!

Harley White aka @theeplantdaddy is a indoor plant mastermind who started his journey building natural enclosures for various amphibians and reptiles when he was a child. In today's episode we dig deep into how his love for plants helped him through both health issues and alcohol addiction. Tune in to find out how growth mindset and synergy with the earth around you can create a paradise of your own design.