Category Archives: Social Work

UVM’s Sustainable Food Systems Program

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If you’re interested in food justice, food systems, sustainability, education, traveling, farms, etc. then you should check out the UVM’s Breakthrough Leaders Program for Sustainable Food Systems.  It’s a 2 week program: 1 week online, 1 week on campus in Vermont.  I participated last year and I had a great time.  Applications close on May 15th.

Check out the testimonials section for my and two other colleagues experiences.  If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer what I can!

My program peers posing with members of the Green Bronx Machine

My program peers posing with members of the Green Bronx Machine

Our fantastic scratch lunch (typical of what the kids get everyday)

Our fantastic scratch lunch (typical of what the kids get everyday)

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Healing Garden at the Hospital

Healing Garden at the Hospital

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Beautiful mural at High Mowing

Beautiful mural at High Mowing

Inside High Mowing Seeds

Inside High Mowing Seeds

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Breakfast in the Barn

Breakfast in the Barn

Our first full day at the Intervale

Our first full day at the Intervale

Community Gardening Building Part 1

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On Sunday I had my first community garden meeting for the Royal Oak Huntington Wood TimeBank.  It was very exciting!  17 of us met on the planned site, which is an additional side lot owned by a TimeBank member.  We discussed the short term and long term goals of the endeavor.

It looks like we’re heading in the direction of a large communal plot (rather than individual plots that are leased out to members) with several raised beds used for both food production for members and education.  The garden will have a sustainable and organic (with a little o) foundation and will act as a visual and physical place in the community to show what the TimeBank can do.

We’re still looking at zoning ordinances, though we have general approval from the city, and liability issues – but it’s moving forward.  If you’re in the Royal Oak or Huntington Woods areas and are interested in participating we are holding our second meeting this coming Sunday at 2PM.  Message me for details.

New Resource Page: Social Justice!

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I’ve updated the Resources section to include a page on Social Justice.  There are two fantastic resources there on anti-racism and privilege.  I really encourage you to check them out; they are accessible and informative.  You’ll find something there whether you are an expert in social justice or have never heard that combination of words before.

As with all the resource pages, I will update them when I find appropriate websites, videos, books, etc.  If you have any resources that you love and want me to add them, I’d be happy to take a look!

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If it interests you, check out the Midwest Organizer Bootcamp – it’s in Ann Arbor this year! (November 10-11).  I’ve already signed up and would love some familiar company.  Straight from their website:

Last year, students from 64 universities and colleges came together to sharpen our organizing skills and build a movement strong enough to fight the attack on students, workers, immigrants, and our democracy. Right now workers across the country are taking back power, from Chicago teachers to California Walmart warehouse workers, and it’s time for students to step up our game. While we face huge tuition hikes and frozen wages, our university administrators enjoy huge raises and corporations make record profits.

Join us, and together we’ll develop the skills we need to mobilize larger numbers of students, train new young organizers, and win campaigns for immigration justice, labor rights, education affordability and access, international solidarity, and more. Across all three regions of the US, we’ll spend two full days practicing one-on-one conversations to move our peers to action, swapping campaign skills, and learning from the recent student victories over tuition hikes, worker exploitation and corporate greed from New Jersey to Wisconsin to California.

Midwest Organizer Bootcamp – Ann Arbor, November 2012