July 29, 2026: We, the Violet lands

Today is all about zippy energy, including the energy given from the land and by growing things in it. We The Land is a conference in its second year bringing together Black and brown farmers to Smith Campus to talk more about their journeys and share information. We speak with two of the conference’s organizers Mandana Boushee and Shingai Kagunda about the importance of building this collective on farming, and the connections those communities have to land especially in the Northeast. We also head to a brand new community hang out space in South Hadley. Violet is offering coffee, small plates, wine, beer and more to a crowd that may already be familiar with it’s sister space Blue Door Gatherings in Holyoke and we speak with the chef behind both businesses, Laura Bowman to learn more about her vision for each.. And with one of New England’s most iconic festivals happening this weekend, our interim word nerd and year round jazz a la mode host, Merriam-Webster Editor at large Peter Sokolowski explores the definition of Jazz, its incredibly American origins, and the shifts in cultural landscape that have led to its position today.