by Gerardo Marin, Farm Fresh Choice

Rooted in Community is a national grassroots network that empowers young people to become leaders that work for Food Justice in their own communities-a space for youth from excluded communities to have voice and influence on their own futures.  The RIC conference takes place in a new city ever year, and unites youth from across the country to build relationships, share workshops, update the context of the work, and strengthen the Food Justice movement.  The conference creates opportunities for youth to increase their knowledge and skills by working at urban agriculture programs, eating and preparing fresh local foods, and engage in uplifting exchanges with their peers around food culture, social, and environmental justice issues in their community.  Youth also have opportunities to explore new cities, and schools, and enjoy time to recreate, and relax in natural areas.             

Farm Fresh Choice (FFC) serves on the advisory council to support the culture and growth of RIC as it builds capacity to coordinate regional gatherings, youth and adult mentor trainings, and policy advocacy actions.

This year’s conference was hosted in the Portland, Maine area with farm trips to the Food Project outside of Boston, MA.  FFC has been fortunate to participate for six years and this summer was strongly represented by Nakia Dillard, Christian Ramirez, Kad Smith, Shawn Stewart, and Co-Manager Gerardo Marin.

Out of the many diverse experiences at RIC, Nakia was impressed by the coordination of bike trips for 100 riders to 6 garden work project sites. Nakia hadn’t ridden a bike in years and felt inspired and energized throughout the journey. She appreciated the blowing wind, the burning sensations in her leg muscles, and remembers her joy as she noticed her fellow comrades smiling back at her.

Reflecting on the educational exchanges, Nakia says, “I was greatly impacted during our workshop, “Whose Wealth is it anyways?” which entails a skit playing out strategy sessions in corporate food industry boardrooms and a game - Health Awareness Jeopardy - to increase awareness of predatory Fast Food marketing strategies, the detrimental impacts of the industrial food system and in contrast, the value in sustainable agriculture systems. “Our participants gave us positive and constructive feedback and that made us more aware of significant information about sustainable food systems that we want to incorporate into future workshops”, says Nakia with a smile.

According to Christian, “I was surprised to see so many youth my age teaching nutrition and creating fresh food access for folks like we do!  It felt great to present to such a large group of leaders”.  I am glad that a few youth who were a little rude at first, opened up and became more comfortable and friendly by the end of the conference.  Although some of the food was unfamiliar, it was cool to notice youth try and enjoy fresh foods.

Nakia experienced many memorable moments during the visit to the Food Project. “I really enjoyed working on the amazing farm, learning knew ideas for workshop facilitation, and it was great being able to offer a gift through my poetry/spoken word at the open Mic/Dance Party on the grass. I was approached that very next day by youth who hadn’t spoken to me before and they’d say, “Aren’t you the person who said that Afro poem”? “It felt empowering to know that my poetry touched many youth that night!"