PROJECT: Good Food

Chris Burroughs has a fascinating life journey that led him to where he is now, someone who completely represents the phrase, "Farmer, Teacher, Healer." From serving 14 years in prison to founding Garden 31, a San Diego County-based nonprofit that provides training and mentorship in regenerative agriculture and life skills to at-risk youth and adults, Chris shares his powerful story of lived experiences, second chances, and pathways to healing.Join hosts N. Diane Moss and Brandon S. Johnson for an inspiring talk with Mr. Burroughs about purpose, determination, and teaching the value of self-worth. This is the second episode of our 2026 podcast theme, "Farmer, Teacher, Healer", and one that shouldn't be missed.

In this first episode of 2026, we want to highlight and celebrate Black farmers and food growers who are doing good work in the community and embody the phrase, "Farmer, Teacher, Healer" in their work. We're fortunate to have Luis De La Rosa and Monica McDade as our special guests who tick every box as the owners and operators of Living For Today Ranch, an innovative farm in Bonita that not only produces a large amount of food but serves as an outdoor learning environment for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Their unique and fascinating journey to urban agriculture begins with their owning and operating Group Homes and Adult Residential Facilities in San Diego, and their desire to improve the lives of those they serve through better nutrition and hands-on outdoor skill development.Join hosts Brandon S. Johnson and N. Diane Moss as they discuss the science and intention behind Living For Today's innovative approach to urban agriculture. This work is driven by Luis' engineering background with NASA, and their combined passion and dedication to improving the lives of those they serve.

Kwanzaa is an annual year-end celebration of African-American history, values, family, community and culture. As 2025 comes to a close, we thought it only fitting to focus our last podcast of the year on Kwanzaa in San Diego. In this episode we host an intergenerational group of community members who share a deep, personal connection to Kwanzaa. Through their lived experiences, we’ll explore their feelings and thoughts on the significance and symbolism of this cultural celebration.Hosts Brandon S. Johnson and Nyenyekevu Diane Moss are joined by Rodney West, Jonathon Scott, Dr. LaWana Richmond, and Mwenda KudumuBiggs.

In this episode of Project: Good Food, we’re focusing on what it takes to not only establish a food business in the Good Food District, but the work and motivation needed to make it thrive. Both guests featured in this episode share the same passion for their work, mission to provide healthy food that fills a specific need, and commitment to relationship-building within the community.Hosts Brandon S. Johnson and N. Diane Moss are joined by Nancy Juarez, owner and founder of Feshería, a well-established healthy eatery with four brick and mortar locations in San Diego, as well as Candi Gee and Charaun Allen, co-owners of Dru Juice, an up-and-coming juice business making waves on the local food scene.

Join us as we travel out to Boulevard, California to visit Big Rock Ranch, a 46-acre ranch owned by Southeastern San Diego native Avery Wynn, as part of Project New Village's monthly Wellness Journeys. These community wellness getaways treat volunteers of the organization to different outdoor locations throughout San Diego County to connect with nature, community, and meditative wellness practices to help de-stress and hopefully find balance within daily life. In this episode, we hear first-hand how these Wellness Journeys are impacting community members in a positive and profound way.Hosts Brandon S. Johnson and N. Diane Moss are joined in the studio by Izzy Rosado, PNV Program Assistant who coordinates the Wellness Journeys, and Danny Kaffer, PNV Volunteer Coordinator who organizes and maintains the extensive list of PNV community volunteers.

As we kick off our second season of PROJECT: Good Food, this first episode takes a look back at the past season - the origins of the podcast, the challenges and evolution of the storytelling, and what we're looking forward to in the coming year. We also discuss some past and future Project New Village events that highlight food justice and community wellness work being done in greater Southeastern San Diego.Hosts Brandon S. Johnson and N. Diane Moss welcome the man behind the curtain, Design and Communications Consultant Jason Cardenas, who has helped with some of the conceptualizing and technical aspects of putting together a podcast.

As we ramp up to our Health & Healing Summerfest community event on August 23rd, 2025 at ECC in San Diego, in this episode we're highlighting two wellness practitioners who will be joining us at Summerfest - Shophar, a Qi Gong instructor and Breath Poet at Fo Sho Energy Work, and Brian Westpoint, the co-founder of Movement Matters Collective, a collective of Movement Educators specializing in Pilates, Yoga, dance, and community-connecting events that offer a tailored movement experience for all ages and skill levels. Hosts Brandon S. Johnson and N. Diane Moss guide a conversation focusing on some of the basic elements of wellness: breath awareness, the importance of walking, finding community through wellness goals, and how an agrarian lifestyle can improve your overall health and well-being.

Favorite foods, sacred meals, emotional connections we might have with certain foods - we all eat, and our personal journeys and relationships with the food we eat is as diverse and unique as we are as people. With guest host Roxanne Kilbourne and co-host N. Diane Moss, in this episode we share a warm and lighthearted conversation all about food. We’re joined by our own Kelly Gray, Added Value Food Coordinator at Project New Village, and Chef Cynthia Quinonez, Good Food Activist and Educator. Join us for an inspiring conversation about a subject we all love: food!

This special town hall inspired episode was recorded live on May 23, 2025 at the Project New Village office in Southeastern San Diego. Featuring guest speakers and comments from local residents and community leaders, this episode takes a deep dive into understanding the current political and economic realities impacting nonprofits working in the food justice realm. We share a lengthy conversation on the impact of federal funding issues, funding strategies and risk management for food projects, and strategies for navigating uncertainty as we move forward.Hosted by Anthony Avalos and N. Diane Moss, this episode features a brief presentation by Dr. Derrick Robinson, the UC ANR and UC Cooperative Extension San Diego Urban Agriculture, Food Systems, and Environmental Issues Advisor, and guest speaker Elly Brown, the Co-Executive Director for San Diego Food System Alliance, and Co-Chair of the Community-Centric Fundraising San Diego Chapter (CCF).

In this special Earth Day episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Jordyn Garfein and Christopher De Guzman of Treedom Cooperative, a San Diego based nonprofit promoting a permaculture style approach to regenerative urban agriculture. Their extensive world travels and knowledge of water harvesting inform their work of transforming spaces into productive ecosystems. Hosts Brandon S. Johnson and N. Diane Moss share a fascinating conversation that dives deep into Treedom's mission to empower our community with educational resources and environmentally conscious practices. This is definitely an Earth Day-worthy episode!

In observance of Cesar Chavez Day, we're honored to have Todd Walters, President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 135, join us as we explore worker's rights within our food systems. The UFCW Local 135 has a rich history in San Diego, and currently represents over 13,000 workers throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties and consists of workers in various fields that include grocery & retail, meat & sugar processing, and cannabis.Join hosts Brandon Johnson and N. Diane Moss as we explore what workplace justice really looks like for food workers, and how the growing urban farming market fits into the fight for equity.

Inventor, painter, pianist, and one of the most prominent black scientists of the early 20th century, George Washington Carver was truly a brilliant man who was ahead of his time. In this episode, hosts Brandon Johnson and N. Diane Moss take a look at the remarkable life of this man and how his incredible ingenuity, work ethic, and dedication to sustainability and being self-sufficient led to over 300 inventions that continue to impact agriculture and farming practices today.Joining our host are two very special guests: Ian Moreland, Garden Manager and Community Gardening Programs Lead for Project New Village, and Rodney West, Manager of the People’s Produce Mobile Farmers Market. Both men are Master Gardeners in San Diego and are dedicated to urban agriculture and the benefits of producing and consuming fresh, hyper-local foods in our neighborhoods.

What does community participation look like within the Good Food District (GFD)? In utilizing an equitable food-oriented development (EFOD) model, resident-led community action in our local food system is a key component in creating food sovereignty - but what exactly does resident involvement in a food system mean?In this episode, we highlight community action in the GFD by interviewing residents of Southeastern San Diego to find out how they actively participate in our local food system, and how their journey with good food intersects with Project New Village and the Good Food District.Hosted by Anthony Avalos, this episode features N. Diane Moss, Francine Maxwell, Roxanne Kilbourne, Lucia Davis, Dolores Johnson, and students from Morse High School.

This episode takes a deep dive into the definition of the Good Food District - what it represents, understanding the regional impacts, and the importance of placemaking within the context of building food sovereignty in food insecure neighborhoods.Hosted by Anthony Avalos, this episode features the illustrious N. Diane Moss and an in-depth interview with the ever impressive Sona Desai, the Co-Executive Director at the San Diego Food System Alliance and currently leads the Local Food Economy Lab. For over 25 years, Sona has been part of the movement to build a more sustainable and equitable food system, and is deeply committed to supporting small-scale farmers, especially Black and Brown farmers.

Recorded live at the San Diego Food System Alliance's Annual Gathering held on October 17th, 2024, this episode takes a deep dive into what the term food sovereignty means within a defined geographical space, and how this relates to cooperative practices in urban agriculture as a necessary tool to counteract the effects of food apartheid.Hosted by Anthony Avalos, the episode features special guests N. Diane Moss, Managing Director of Project New Village and Dr. Derrick Robinson, University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor, focusing on Urban Agriculture, Food Systems, and Environmental Issues and Co-Director of Cooperative Extension in San Diego County.

In this episode we discuss the legacy of community activism of the late R. Daniel Hernandez, who served on the Project New Village Board and worked with numerous other organizations throughout his illustrious career including the Chicano Federation, MANA de San Diego, San Ysidro Health, and many more. We explore and celebrate his extraordinary life of activism with those closest with him: Leticia Ibarra Hernandez, his wife and Managing Director/Founder of Ayi A Yollotl Initiative; Alfredo Ybarra, his close friend and project collaborator; and Roberto R. Pozos, friend and lifelong brother, professional associate, and the artist who created, "Life of Activism" - a mural that vibrantly captures his journey and impact on our communities.Our intention in exploring the impressive life of this great man is a call to action - we hope his deeds will inspire listeners to get involved in community activism. To learn more about his legacy, please visit https://www.ayiactivism.org.

Hosted by Anthony Avalos and co-host N. Diane Moss, in this episode we look at the history of Project New Village and the formation of the Good Food District. We also dive into the impact and legacy of Robert Tambuzi, not only on the building of Project New Village but his community activism throughout Southeastern San Diego and beyond. Featuring special guests Kamaal Martin and Eric Henson.