Chewing Over the Issues

A very interesting interview. If you think you know who Andrea Dworkin was or what she believed, you might be surprised.

From the interview:

Andrea Dworkin: Optimism is what you do, how you live. I write, which is a quintessential act of optimism. It sometimes means the triumph of faith over experience, a belief in communication, in community, in change, and, for me, in beauty. The power and beauty of language. I act with other women to create social change: activism is optimism. I’ve always believed in art and politics as keys to transformation. Emotional authenticity and, if you will, social progress towards fairness and equality.

About the Community Market Farms Program

Our Community Market Farms Program takes vacant or underutilized land and transforms it into market farms.  All the food produced on the farms is distributed on a donation-only basis at our Saturday farm stand.  In an area where access to healthy foods is limited, it is our farms that make it possible for many families to eat fresh vegetables rather than processed foods.  The program creates sustainable food systems that provide affordable, nutritious food directly to traditionally underserved populations in West Oakland. We collect food scraps from local businesses each week using our bicycle carts. These scraps, combined with donated sawdust and manure, are used to create compost that builds soil to support year-round growing. We also operate a greenhouse that supplies our market farms, Backyard Gardeners, and the public with plants and seedlings.  City Slicker Farms has created a truly local food cycle with residents contributing vegetable scraps for compost that is used to grow vegetables that are then distributed back to the community.  All our culturally appropriate, nutrient-dense, seasonal vegetables and fruits, eggs and honey are marketed and distributed to West Oakland residents at our weekly farm stand.  Everything is distributed on a donation-only basis to ensure that all residents are able to afford health-promoting foods, and no one is turned away due to a lack of funds.  

Greetings and salutations!

Listed below is a self-guided anti-oppression text and video tour for our staff and allies. Please follow the self-guided tour for a holistic overview or pick and choose from the topics listed below. The basic outline takes one through West Oakland, the work and mission of People’s Grocery as a community-based empowerement organization in West Oakland, youth empowerment, principles of environmental justice and the Black Panther Party 10-point platform, anti-racism and the role of the white ally in communities of color, and understanding white supremacy and institutional racism.

This is a lot to take in, please read and reread carefully. Follow up resources and additional texts can be found in section 11 and 12. People’s Grocery uses food as a vehicle for social justice and empowerment, it is not just food- It’s FOOD JUSTICE- HEALTHY FOOD FOR EVERYONE!