Growing Liberation Ep. 2: Farmers of Color go to Washington

In the spring of 2023, representatives from the Midwest Farmers of Color Collective traveled to Washington DC for the Rally for Resilience, an incredible action led by the farmers and workers on the front lines of the climate crisis. GROWING LIBERATION is a podcast from Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, a collective of Black Indigenous farmers of color centered on racial justice and the development of food and farming systems that honor our communities past, present, and future. Learn more at: https://midwestfarmersofcolor.org/. EPISODE 2 CREDITS: Creator: Midwest Farmers of Color Collective with Real Food Media Host/narrator: Sammie Ardito Rivera, MFCC/Sin Fronteras Farm & Food/Marnita’s Table Featured voices (in order of appearance): Duane “Chili” Yazzie (Diné from Shiprock, Navajo Nation/ToohBAA), Sammie Ardito Rivera, Zoe Hollomon (MFCC/Rootsprings/Pesticide Action Network), Angela Dawson (MFCC/40 Acre Cooperative), Moses Momanyi (MFCC/Dawn2Dusk Farms/Kilimo MN), Lily Mboss (MFCC/Tulime Cooperative), Yanely Martínez (Californians for Pesticide Reform), Susuyu Lassa (Soul Fire Farm). B-roll and interview recordings by: Zoe Hollomon Audio editor: Claire Reynolds Executive producer: Tanya Kerssen, Real Food Media Theme music: “Our Past Lives” by Moonfly Background music by: Rob Gal SHOW NOTES: 1:20 | MFCC co-founder Zoe Hollomon talks about the planning of the Rally for Resilience 1:45 | Rally audio: Yanely Martínez of Californians for Pesticide Reform 2:30 | What is the Farm Bill? 2:53 | Zoe summarizes the priorities of farmers of color in the upcoming Farm Bill 4:11 | Farmland consolidation and the reduction in the number of Black farmers 4:34 | Rally audio: Angela Dawson 5:15 | The Pigford class action lawsuit against the USDA for discrimination 5:31 | Angela on how thousands of Black farmers have still not seen justice 6:34 | Immigrant farmers face different challenges 6:52 | Moses Momanyi on advocating for immigrant farmers 8:00 | One of the central issues for all farmers of color is access to land 8:25 | Lilly Mboss: “It was so beautiful to be able to speak up for land access issues” in DC 9:19 | Farmers of color are asking for the farm bill to include a title around labor 9:45 | Rally audio: Yanely Martínez on farmworker organizing against pesticides 11:16 | Zoe on the potential for this year's Farm Bill to address environmental justice, climate resilience, and racial equity in the food system 12:16 | Angela Dawson on the need to build stronger coalitions 13:27 | Susuyu Lassa summarizes why farmers of color are rising up for climate resilience DIG DEEPER: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, “Release: Farmers Take Action on Climate Crisis, Urging Policymakers to Pay Attention,” January 19, 2023, https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/release-farmers-take-action-on-climate-crisis-urging-policymakers-to-pay-attention/ Eloni Porcher, “HEAL Food Alliance Shows Up Big in DC for a Transformative Farm Bill,” HEAL Food Alliance, March 24, 2023, https://healfoodalliance.org/heal-food-alliance-shows-up-big-dc-for-a-transformative-farm-bill/ Omanjana Goswami, “As Congress Prepares for a Farm Bill, Will There Be Justice for Black Farmers?” Union of Concerned Scientists, January 27, 2023, https://blog.ucsusa.org/omanjana-goswami/as-congress-prepares-for-a-farm-bill-will-there-be-justice-for-black-farmers/ Andrew Hazzard, “Minnesota farmers of color seek support, funding in new federal farm bill,” Sahan Journal, April 6, 2023, https://sahanjournal.com/climate-environment/farm-bill-minnesota-farmers-of-color-tina-smith-congress/ Adam Goldstein, “Progressive agriculture groups rally for land access, climate-smart policies in farm bill,” Minnesota Reformer, March 10, 2023, https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/03/10/progressive-agriculture-groups-rally-for-land-access-climate-smart-policies-in-farm-bill/