The Rooted In Community National Network (RIC) is a national grassroots network that empowers young people to take leadership in their own communities. We are a diverse movement of youth and adults working together and committed to fostering healthy communities and food justice through urban and rural agriculture, community gardening, food security, and related environmental justice work.

HISTORY

Twenty Years Ago, two high school aged youth from The Food Project were in Seattle attending the 1998 American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) conference. They were engaged in food systems work in Boston and knew that there must be other youth doing that type of work around the country, but none were present at the conference. They voiced their idea that there should be a conference for youth and by youth to connect the many young people taking action for food justice. The Food Project and ACGA then teamed up the following year to host the first annual Rooted in Community Conference. With just over 70 attendees gathering in Boston for that first gathering, it was clear that something important was hatched. Over the last two decades RIC has hosted 20 National Conferences, facilitated numerous regional gatherings and youth leadership trainings, mentored over 100 organizations while facilitating the sharing of best practices in the field, and supported youth in crafting the Youth Food Bill of Rights. RIC functioned as an all volunteer run organization for it’s first decade of work. In 2010, RIC hired its first part time Co-Directors and created an Advisory Council made up of youth and adults in the RIC Network.

RIC ADVISORY TEAM

TRAVIS MCKENZIE

Travis McKenzie was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in New Mexico. He has dedicated his life to serving mother earth and the many people that care about life. He has gone to conferences, visited the legislature to participate in making positive change, and has created and maintained gardens in Albuquerque and across New Mexico. He works at many gardens and provides seeds and knowledge to anyone who wants to plant. He also works at eight after school programs and helps facilitate gardening at schools. He is currently a garden coordinator for S.W.O.P. (the Southwest Organizing Project) with Project Feed The Hood.

AYISAH YUSUF

Ayisah worked for the Rural Coalition as a fellow in Washington, D.C. for 3 years. She helped with the organization of the office and did computer work and social media. While in her position, she got to do Hill drops, participate in a gala at the Press Club and to sit in on Small Farms Conferences. She’s traveled to North Carolina to be apart of the American Indian Mother’s Conference and helped at an important GOAT meeting on the Farm Bill. Throughout her childhood, Ayisah traveled to many different places all over the world. From Guatemala to Prague to South Dakota and loves to travel. She is very involved in her culture and spirituality being both Indigenous Native American & African American and participates in many culturally relevant events. In 2015 she helped to create the Youth Food Justice Zine and worked with the DC based group Ecohermanas a women’s group working with Mother Earth and apart of creating a radio show for women of color called Spirit of Resilience. She has her own Black and Indigenous Jewelry Business called Turtlegirl Jewels. She runs her own blog IceTurtleGirl.blog where she writes about social justice issues and events she participates in. Ayisah first became involved with RIC by attending the 2012 Iowa RIC summit and then in 2013 being part of a panel of youth of color with Will Allen. She has been a board member ever since.

WADE UYEDA

Few things in life excite me or inspire me as much as RIC! In the summer of 2000, at the pivotal age of 18, an opportunity found its way to me to participate in a summer job training program at a small garden in Olympia, WA. A seemingly whole new dimension opened me up in tremendous ways; connecting me to the land, food, people in the community, and most profoundly, finding hope in addressing my depression and personal trauma. The following summer of 2001 I was asked to return and mentor the next cohort of youth at GRuB. It was the perfect chance to explore my leadership and nurturing skills with that crew, and was also privileged to attend the RIC Summit in Detroit! Wow, what a game changer! Meeting teens, and adult allies from across North America, doing similar work in their community, sharing space and knowledge with positive vibes and building camaraderie was a recipe for love; I was crushing hardcore on RIC, and have been ever since. I jumped at the chance to join the staff at GRuB in 2009, which gave me an opportunity to start sending, and often accompanying young adults in our programs to RIC, and offer them the same chance to find kindred spirits, camaraderie, and most importantly, a richer sense of what the youth food justice movement is about. I'm ecstatic and humbled to now be on the planning team with people that rampantly trade inspiration, education, and humor!

Irene O’Connell

Irene Juárez O’Connell is a xicana visual artist, youth advocate, community organizer, and cultural worker committed to collective and personal healing, justice, and resilience. She believes in building traditions that center and nourish young people. Originally from San Fernando, California, Irene currently serves as the Programs Manager for "FoodWhat?!" in Santa Cruz, CA.