1 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: Well that wasn't very good. I'm Robert Evans, host of 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: the podcast you're listening to, and ashamed of, probably because 3 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: that was Jesus Christ. Garrison. Come in here, fix this, 4 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: Fix this Garrison. Um, this is it could happen here 5 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: a podcast about the fact that the world was folding apart, 6 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: as embodied by me falling apart. When I try to 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: introduce the show, see I tied it in. Yeah, A 8 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: good job, thank you, thank you. Well it is it is. 9 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: It has to rhyme. It's like it's like the Star 10 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: Wars movies. YEA. Our guest today is Melissa sidera founder 11 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: and director of Polo's Pantry, a mutual aid food distribution 12 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: project in Los Angeles, California. A. Melissa, thank you for 13 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: coming on and talking to us. Thank you so much 14 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: for inviting me. I'm pleasure to be here. I apologize 15 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: for the introduction, but I honestly it's better. It was 16 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 1: better than I usually do, so if you can back 17 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: that up. Okay. So I'm an l A native, and um, 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: I've been doing community organizing for probably like close to 19 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: a decade, doing a lot of community work for a 20 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: long time, and a few years before the pandemic. Actually, 21 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: I started to organize with a lot of grassroots organizations 22 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: in l A, working with a lot of houseless folks 23 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,839 Speaker 1: UM all over l A, and kind of clock pretty 24 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: early that a lot, you know, a lot of a 25 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: lot of groups were burning through their budgets spending it 26 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: on food. And so since I worked in kind of 27 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: the food industry, I started to kind of poke around 28 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: and figure out that we could get a lot of 29 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: these things donated to us UM and pretty much started 30 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: building a roster like building, kind of like a rulodex 31 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: of UM other organizations, non profits, UM, food banks that 32 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: we could rely on. So almost kind of created sort 33 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: of like an Alphian system UM for these groups who 34 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: are working with houseless folks to get food every week. UM. 35 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: I just wanted to figure out a way to make 36 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: a steady and reliable system so that our own house 37 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 1: neighbors would get food and that organizers across l A 38 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't have to worry about it. And so that's pretty 39 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: much how POLO started. Officially started in two thousand eighteen. 40 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 1: I was organizing with a group called Katon for All 41 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: and UH. They do a lot of political advocacy and 42 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: mostly rooted in like, um, kind of you know, human 43 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: rights for our houses, neighbors. If you don't know Katon 44 00:02:55,639 --> 00:03:01,119 Speaker 1: for all, look them up. They're awesome, follow them fantastic Adan. Yeah, 45 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: And you know, I actually was because I was already 46 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,839 Speaker 1: doing a lot of mutual aid work in skid Row 47 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: around that time and really kind of felt at some point, 48 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: um that you know, like, yes, it was great that 49 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: I was going out there with teams getting hot meals 50 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: out and hot beverages whatever people needed to people, but 51 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: I just was so down on what the conditions, seeing 52 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: all the conditions that they were living in, and I 53 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 1: just wanted to meet other activists and other folks um 54 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: who could really figure out how you connect people to 55 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: services and and just really you know, anyone working in policy. 56 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: That's so that's really changing things for people out there. 57 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: And so I wanted to take sort of my advocacy 58 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: and like my work a step further and connected with 59 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: activists all the rail day. So that's sort of like 60 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: my organs really rooted a lot of activism and organizing. 61 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: So I see I see a lot of I'm not 62 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: sort of your standard kind of or nonprofit I really 63 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: see things in the lens and as a community organizer, 64 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: and so that's why our our work pretty much exploded 65 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: during COVID. I'm kind of interested for for starters because 66 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: you're you're you know, this is um a mutual aid 67 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: project as opposed to kind of a charity project, and 68 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: what do you what do you see as being the 69 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: dividing line there? Well, for you know, for a lot 70 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: of for us, you know, it's very easy for for 71 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: folks to kind of see the work that we do 72 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: as part of the kind of charitable food system because 73 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: obviously we're you know, UM mutual aid. It's the difference 74 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: really is that obviously, UM, you know, there there's a 75 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: there's a reciprocity between the two of you, UM, between 76 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: between neighborhoods, between individuals, between organizations of sharing resources with 77 00:04:55,760 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: each other. UM and charitable obviously is a it's only 78 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,919 Speaker 1: one way, right, there's only like one person giving. But 79 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: for us, UM, the way we picked our partners, I mean, 80 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: we're we are ready part of this nucleus of kind 81 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: of a coalition of or doing this work. So it 82 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: was just ready very easy for us to kind of 83 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: share resources with each other. So I was doing food 84 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: and some folks were doing hygiene kits, other folks were 85 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: doing tents, other folks were doing tarps or whatever, and 86 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: so there was so much you know, kind of mutualid 87 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 1: and activity going on. And so that that's why we're 88 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 1: we're really kind of rooted in that UM and that 89 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: thinking as far as as opposed to charitable ors that 90 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: basically just set up somewhere and give, you know, give 91 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: give stuff out to people. And so we have look 92 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: a part and part of my advisory circle are a 93 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 1: lot of houseless neighbors UM houses leaders in our community. UM. 94 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: I also take a lot of advice from UM Indigenous 95 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: organizers UM black community leaders in different neighborhoods that we 96 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,799 Speaker 1: work in. So our work is really informed by the community. 97 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: And so we basically asked folks, hey, you know, like 98 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: what can we do UM and plug into to work 99 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,679 Speaker 1: that UM that already exists in those in those areas. 100 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: I hope, I hope that means sense. But that's kind 101 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: of how I feel about what we do. And and 102 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: as an as an organizer, because I think we get 103 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: a lot of questions from people who are interested in 104 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: starting mutual aid projects in their own areas, and one 105 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: of the questions we often have it is like well 106 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: how do I how do I do that? Right? UM? 107 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 1: And Yeah, I'm interested in like like if you could 108 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: kind of walk us through the steps when when Polo's 109 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: pantry got started, Like what is what was the kind 110 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: of order of operations that you had to go through 111 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: to get this this up and running. I think the 112 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: first thing to do is really too For me, it 113 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: was already kind of being part of grassroots UM or 114 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: so I was part of a few of them UM 115 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: and so it's really important to UM to kind of 116 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: identify the needs of a community first before setting up 117 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: your organ So I feel like I already had an 118 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: idea of you know, of of what certain orcs needed, 119 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: UM which areas, how many and so kind of identifying 120 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: the needs first kind of UM number one and and 121 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: and to do that you really have to connect with 122 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: grassroots organizations, local ones in your area. So you know, 123 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: I recommend really just kind of doing researchers. Always folks 124 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: doing that kind of stuff all over. If you're into 125 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: political advocacy, there's folks that do that. There are folks 126 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: who are more food justice oriented, Like I would recommend 127 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: going to a local food bank or soup kitchens to 128 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: have also, Like I've been doing that for years and 129 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: I've met a lot of people with kind of similar 130 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: values mine. UM. So just kind of pretty much identif 131 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: fin one, what you'd like to do, what you're good 132 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: at UM, and then essentially research UM, you know, kind 133 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: of opportunities to tap into a local organ doing that 134 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: work and then essentially start organizing with them. Right. I 135 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: don't I don't recommend to build like to build an 136 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: order prior to not having this kind of knowledge, because 137 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: I feel like it's really crucial to sort of kind 138 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: of map out first what the community needs instead of 139 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: you building mutual aid organization based on you know whatever, 140 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: because I feel like it's it's important to work through 141 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: things from the ground up. UM. That way, you feel 142 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: like the work is impactful. That way, the community is 143 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: leading and informing your work. And so that's that's kind 144 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: of like how I I approached the line. So look 145 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: for a local organ so kind of sit and organizing 146 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: for a little bit and then him there once he 147 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: once you guys identify what it is UM and start 148 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: to kind of have an idea of of the demand 149 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: or the need in that area, then start to reach 150 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: out to say for me, for for food. A lot 151 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: of local, um, local chains will weill we'll pretty much 152 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: if you if you tell them what you're doing, um, 153 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: a lot of them will support you. So I actually have. 154 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: I started with just going literally to my local Ralphs 155 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: and telling the manager. They're like, hey, this is what 156 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: I'm doing. I'm starting this or you know, wasn't Ralph's 157 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: being a local grocery store in Likes Angeles area. A 158 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: lot of I didn't know what Ralph's was before I 159 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: moved to l A. So I just wanted to be like, 160 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: she's not just like rolling over to where buddy Ralph's house, like, yes, 161 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: you got some food? Yeah? Sorry, yeah, so that Ralph's 162 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: out here in l A. So most places, yeah yeah 163 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: yeah I will. More folks said, not everyone is down 164 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: for that kind of stuff, but somehow you'll you'll really 165 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: end up on one that's really you know, that is 166 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: really unkind. I think most folks have to realize that 167 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: this this this kind of work is not it didn't 168 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: happen overnight like building like building uh, you know, like 169 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 1: a reliable network of people to donate to you is. 170 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: It takes time. So but I think if if you 171 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: hit kind of larger chains, you will get UM, you know, 172 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: you'll you'll you'll get you'll start to get a steady 173 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: supply from them. Do you have any kind of advice 174 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: for um, when you're actually approaching you know, manager at 175 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: a Ralphs or something, somebody who works for Like, what 176 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: do you have like I don't know, like a script, 177 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: but kind of a rough guy to like, Here's how 178 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: I try to start these conversations. Here's some ways I 179 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: try to phrase for things, because that could be useful 180 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: for folks. You know, I actually have like a form 181 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: letters I could share later maybe you can, right, yeah, great, 182 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: UM that you know that they can use to um, 183 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: you know, if they're if they're going to UM solicit 184 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,719 Speaker 1: folks with that stuff. And I think a lot of 185 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,559 Speaker 1: mutual aid organizations to have that kind of UM kind 186 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: of literature, that kind of form so UM, I think 187 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: just basically kind of letting them know who you are, 188 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: who you're serving, UM, how often which demographic is going 189 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: to that's usually really important. UM. What what helped me though, 190 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: was I was as I started to get more serious 191 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: about about doing the food work, I connected to you know, 192 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: some some community partners and I actually UM turned Polos 193 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: into a fiscally sponsored org so we moved from being 194 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,839 Speaker 1: just fully grassroots to being fiscally sponsored. That basically means 195 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: we're operating under the five O one C three number 196 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: of another organization of a larger organization. So that that 197 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: was that open so so many opportunities for us. It 198 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: really allowed us to be able to access larger amounts 199 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: of food and really help out a lot of a 200 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of smaller organs that needed to 201 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: get their food programs off the ground. And so UM 202 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: that is something I recommend if you're if people are 203 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: serious about it, to define a community of community partner 204 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: who who isn't established five and one C three that 205 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: they trust UM to see if they if they know 206 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: if they can sign on to to be a physical 207 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: sponsor UM. That I think is one of the quickest 208 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: ways to be able to UM to really kind of 209 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: establish yourself as as far as getting larger amounts of 210 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: food then and by that I mean getting pallets of food, 211 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 1: not just cases, but literally pallets of food delivered to 212 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: wherever you are. As soon as we did that, that 213 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: completely changed the game UM. And and I think I 214 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: did that because I knew I had so many friends 215 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: who were doing mutual aid that needed so, you know, 216 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: just so much stuff from from groceries to um, you know, 217 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: fresh produce, and it wasn't and it wasn't you know, 218 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: it didn't stop in food. We were getting you know, 219 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: hand sanitizer, we were getting tense, we were getting all 220 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: sorts of stuff, you know, and so um. So yeah, 221 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: that's what I recommend for folks were serious about food 222 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:27,839 Speaker 1: is to really again start to build a relationship with 223 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: local businesses, um that they that they like food businesses 224 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: and really telling people this is what I'm doing. If 225 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: you're if you know, if you're if you're you know, 226 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: if you are, what support us, you know, like this 227 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: is um, you know, these are these are the days 228 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: that we need food or whatever, or these are the 229 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: times that we'll need food and just let them know 230 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,559 Speaker 1: that you know, you're you're happy to pick it up 231 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: or that you're happy to because there's there's I think, 232 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: at least for California, we're starting to change law like 233 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: policy and law behind food waste, and so I think, um, 234 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: something's going to change. In the January of two where 235 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: a lot of food waste basically going to decrease because 236 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: it's going to be much more difficult. The city is 237 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: going to make it much more difficult for for businesses 238 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: to just get your stuff. UM. They're they're really pushing 239 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: them to UM to separate them. But anyway, regardless, you're 240 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: helping the business really UM move, you know, move food waste, 241 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: and and most of them and a lot of employees 242 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: too that I've talked to UM just you know, just 243 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: our heart work. And every time they have to clear 244 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: out you know, a full full tray or just trays 245 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: and trays of of of of a perfectly fine food. 246 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: So yeah, there's there's a video going viral on Twitter 247 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: right now of of like someone working at Dunking Donuts 248 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: and just like dumping display hundreds and hundreds of donuts 249 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: into the garbage. And then that happens. That happens every 250 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: single day. You know. I have I have friends who 251 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: used to work on Whole Foods and they would tell 252 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: me just just how heartbreaking it was, just the amount, 253 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: just the massive amount of that's being wasted. Yeah, it's evil, 254 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's a 255 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: thing that in the more difficult days ahead, as you know, 256 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: things like well like we under in a lot of areas, 257 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: like the crop was half of what it normally is 258 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: this year. That's going to continue. One day we will 259 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: look at videos of Duncan Donuts dropping an entire day's 260 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: worth of donuts into the trash and use it as 261 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: a pretext to bring executives to trial. And it's going 262 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: to be like like like a war crime. Yeah is 263 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, honestly though, as someone in food 264 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: um um, you know, like the food system is changing 265 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: massively in so many ways. I feel like the one 266 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: kind of good thing that happened in the pandemic is 267 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: that lawmakers were able to identify that the way snap 268 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: or or um cal fresh pretty much food stamps were 269 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: not enough really to um, you know, to feed families 270 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: and feed people. It's not nearly enough, though, but at 271 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: least it kind of pushes the needles where we need 272 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: where we needed to go um. And I think I think, 273 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: having having been so focused and so like in the 274 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: center of mutual aid work in l A, I'm able 275 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: to kind of broadly tell you know, tell um really 276 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: tell lawmakers too that hey, you know, there's so much um, 277 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: there's so much meat out there, but the community themselves 278 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: have built alternate food systems to be able to care 279 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: for themselves. I feel like my hope really is to 280 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: be able to have to kind of hyperlocalize our food 281 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: systems that way. Neighborhoods and really like communities are are 282 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: essentially dictating their own you know, their own needs. They're 283 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: they're basically bringing in the resources that they want. They're 284 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: bringing in the kind of food that they want, you know, 285 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: and um, and really just working towards the real kind 286 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: of food food sovereignty where people are able to to 287 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: get the resources themselves. And and for me, I feel 288 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: like mutual aid scares a lot of people because again 289 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: it really is the sort of like, um, the reason 290 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 1: why we were able to a lot of communities were 291 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: able to to survive COVID. You know, we're still doing 292 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: it and it's still ours so deep in it. And 293 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: and even like I try to tell students to and like, 294 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: you know, um, mutual aid isn't just food or whatever. 295 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: It's also like say your dad is a pickup truck 296 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: and your neighbor needs to move, I don't know their 297 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: dining room table across town. Like that is a form 298 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: of mutual aid UM or Like there's there's so many 299 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: things that especially a lot of immigrant communities that I 300 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: that I work with. This this form of care, community care, 301 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: you know, has existed forever, and it's just somehow elevated 302 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: itself during the pandemic because, as we know, the safety 303 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: net just wasn't enough. It didn't it didn't it really 304 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:22,959 Speaker 1: didn't help me, you know, it didn't really help a 305 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: lot of communities, and so this system essentially kept people afloat. 306 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: And now we're trying to figure out how to really 307 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: create better ways to sustain it and to really create 308 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: better ways to get the resources directly to communities that 309 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 1: need them. So that's kind of where I'm at. I'm 310 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: working with other folks trying to figure out how to 311 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: how to keep the sustainable and really have more agency 312 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: over what kind of food and what kind of ad 313 00:18:53,080 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: you WoT. How have people that have been needing to 314 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: access mutualating the food, how have they been learning about 315 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 1: your organization? UM I think honestly, all this stuff really 316 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: happened by word of mouth. I think because I was 317 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 1: I was already part of this huge coalition UM that's 318 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: part of of the Sophie Knows a Cat for All. 319 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 1: There's a group called street Watch. There's a group called 320 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: crowd Game, There's a group called like There's there's all 321 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: these different folks that basically are in our wide coalition. 322 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: I haven't had to really advertise much like people just 323 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 1: sort of like just kept telling others like, hey, you know, 324 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: like Melissa and Polos and her team were doing this 325 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: and um. Also as a COVID response, I created another 326 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: um um uh like COVID initiative called Homemade Meals and 327 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:59,479 Speaker 1: and that is the partnership with another organization called Yikes. 328 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: And so as of today, I think we're close to 329 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: seventy meals UM. That's all community lead. Yes, so we 330 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: so we this smart of UM. We essentially created a 331 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: system where we uh we work with people who are 332 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: who are cooking homade meals in their homes and connecting 333 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: them to drivers. And so we have about six different 334 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: UM organ partners. So one of them is obviously it's 335 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:32,360 Speaker 1: the same people Kaytown, street Watch, Covenant House. They work 336 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: a lot with Homeless Youth um L a can or 337 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: in skid Row UM and a bunch of other mutual 338 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 1: aid groups in different areas of l A, so I 339 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: recognize UM. At the beginning of COVID, a lot of 340 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: my houseless neighbors were telling us that they were scared, 341 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: like because a lot of a lot of businesses were closing, 342 00:20:54,600 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: a lot of corner stores, restaurants, UM that the the 343 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: food access completely shut off for them during at the beginning, 344 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,719 Speaker 1: and I started to freak out. I was like, how 345 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: we're going to get food to people? And so UM 346 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 1: some friends who run UM basically they weren't kind of 347 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: like a youth kind of youth focus or UM wanted 348 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: to activate their you know, activate their community. They're like, hey, 349 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: how can we help? What can we do? So we 350 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: created this program basically that you know, figure out like, okay, 351 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: well a lot of people want to have volunteer, but 352 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: they can't leave home, So why don't they cooked meals 353 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: at home? And then we'll just pair them with drivers 354 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: who can pick it up safely. And so we just 355 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: started doing that. We created this system too, and and 356 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: I think we honestly, I thought we were just gonna 357 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: do it for two months, but now we're what like, 358 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: in nineteen months later, seventy five thousand nails over a 359 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: thousand volunteers, like it's been wild. Actually, Jane Expert, she 360 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 1: would be angry if we didn't state that. So Jamie, UM, 361 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: Jamie actually is UM. It's one of our o G 362 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: like like cooks, Like she started with home and made 363 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: meals from the very beginning. UM, she's kind of one 364 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 1: of our That's kind of how we know her. UM. 365 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: It's because she found she found that program UM. And 366 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 1: it's been a while, it's been it's been so amazing 367 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: to to really activate so many people across l A 368 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 1: to cook for our houses neighbors. And so I haven't 369 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: even fully digested our team hasn't even fully digested that 370 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: the real impact of that. But it's been seting five 371 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: thousand meals UM made by the community for our for 372 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: our houses neighbors. So so so that's yeah, so that 373 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: I don't know, like I feel like and I truly 374 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: believe there's just so much just so much power and 375 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: the people and really trying to figure out ways to 376 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: continue to you know, to create UM better systems where 377 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: where we can redirect those resources you know, UM to 378 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: us and UM you know like really kind kind of 379 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: break down these systems where you know, because because even 380 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: people were telling me, like folks who are like, you know, 381 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: these sort of big institutions, food institutions have been around 382 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: for decades or even folks UM from like yeah, from 383 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: like running food dogs since the eighties were like, you know, 384 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 1: how are you able to move so fast? I'm like, 385 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: that's mutual aid. That's like, that's mutual aid. Then our 386 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: ability to not have to run through so much bureaucratic 387 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: crap and red tape is a reason why we were 388 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 1: able to, you know, to to to create such huge 389 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 1: impact because people believed in what we did and you 390 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:03,680 Speaker 1: know and helped support us, funded us UM and we 391 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 1: essentially just you know, just hit the ground running. We're 392 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: able to figure out what people needed on the ground 393 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: and just just got it to them. That's what That's it, 394 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: you know, and we'll figure out if if we don't 395 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,959 Speaker 1: have it, we're gonna keep you know, we'll ask around 396 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: for folks who have it. Like UM. There's a group 397 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: called SILA there. It's silver like UM and my friend 398 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: Kat who's one of the co founders. She they also 399 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:32,680 Speaker 1: worked with with UM with Houseless Folks and they do 400 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 1: uh incredible work, like you know, providing showers providing hot meals, 401 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 1: providing UM referant services for folks. UM. She she was great, 402 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 1: I getting hygiene kits and so that's that was started 403 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: me to wil between each other. Like she needed hot meals, 404 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: so I gave that to her on Saturdays, and then 405 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: I needed like hygiene kits, and so that's kind of 406 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: like the basis, yeah, exactly, like I literally will give 407 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: her two hundred meals, She'll give me two hundred hydging kids. 408 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: And that was like that throughout the pandemic, Like we 409 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: just would share resources and people thought we were this 410 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: huge org, but essentially it was just you know, literally 411 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: like we're friends and I talking to each other like hey, 412 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:15,920 Speaker 1: what do you have today? What do they have coming 413 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: in today? And we just essentially kind of built this 414 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: sort of cloud like sort of inventory. Right, so it's 415 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: like Polos has a thousand meals and like Seela's got 416 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 1: five hundred Hygian kids, and like you know, street Watch 417 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: as like fifty tents and like a hundred tarps. So 418 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: it's like we all were like, hey, you know, there's 419 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: there's a houseless man on the corner of like Sunset 420 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: or whatever that needs like blah blah, blah, and so 421 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:48,239 Speaker 1: we essentially just you know, just grab and go like 422 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 1: Poles has meals and like street Watch has tents, like 423 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: Kate Towns got like the tarps. So y'all just again 424 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: beautifully just sort of started to like build this sort 425 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 1: of sort of out like inventory of stuff and it 426 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: just worked and it's still working. So um and it's consistent, 427 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: Like is what what we're bringing up or at the 428 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,440 Speaker 1: beginning is talking about how consistent you're able to you're 429 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 1: able to have done this work, which is if you're 430 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: an l A resident, you know that you know the 431 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: city's support is never consistent, so having that consistency is 432 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: so vital. Yes, yeah, I'm not thank you. And it's 433 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: it's a lot of hard work, just so much that 434 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 1: people don't see. Obviously, there's so many, so many things 435 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: that people don't see. There's a lot of organizing behind it, 436 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: just literally a lot of community building, a lot of meetings. Yeah, 437 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: I think that again, like the bulk of mutual aid 438 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: is relationships and trust, you know, like that that's that's 439 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 1: really it. That's how you breathe life into your system. 440 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,199 Speaker 1: And it's like, you know, you have to have you 441 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: have to continue to like nourish relationships, you know, between 442 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: yourself and other organizers, between yourself if you're running an 443 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: order between yourself and another organ UM. And and really 444 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: that's how we've been able to, you know, to to 445 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: reach so many people, is because we focused on making 446 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: sure but you know, UM, it's so easy to to 447 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: burn out in this work. But again, we also have 448 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: to make sure that we take care of each other, UM. 449 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,399 Speaker 1: And we focused on making sure that we're checking on 450 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: each other two and so I you know, it's it's 451 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: hard to fully explain what how to even teach that 452 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: you know, how to how to how to properly relationships, 453 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: but I feel like that's that's such a key part 454 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:47,479 Speaker 1: of creating a really robust mutual aid network. UM. And 455 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: that's at least the experience that we had youse. Yeah, 456 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 1: were the work that you've done and what you've been 457 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 1: able to accomplish is very impressive and is something that 458 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: people a lot of people can aspire to. UM. Is 459 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: there any like resources online that you can point to 460 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 1: if someone's wanting to get into this type of work, UM, 461 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: or any any like any kind of like advice to 462 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: get started in your own city or to like look 463 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: for stuff that's doing this similar that that's like that's 464 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: doing a similar thing. Um uh wow, let's see who 465 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 1: has um gosh, that's a really really really good question. Um. Well, well, 466 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:33,239 Speaker 1: first I hope that people have read Mutual Aid by 467 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:37,719 Speaker 1: Dean Spade. Um. Sure, that's a really good book. Um. 468 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: And and from there I would read I would read 469 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: The Black Panthers Social Programs. I got a lot of 470 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: I got a lot of my um my inspiration from there. Um. 471 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: And really that's that's really those those two things to 472 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: kind of start as just sort of like your um, 473 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: your primers um. And then if you want to kind 474 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: of get deeper into food Justice, um uh, they're's a 475 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: really good book. Are you get ready? Years ago it's 476 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 1: almost I think it's literally called food Justice one on one. Okay, 477 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 1: let me see it's really called it rely call food 478 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 1: Justice one on one. Yeah, there's there's quite a few, 479 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: but but one that's one, and then there's another there's 480 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:24,959 Speaker 1: a one book um I read called More Than Just 481 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: Food um. And then it's it's pretty by Yeah. I'll 482 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: give you guys my top five and that really canna 483 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: helps sort of um like shape my thinking. You're on 484 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: food justice. So that's it's written by a guy named 485 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: Garrett Broad and he essentially like kind of lays out 486 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: sort of how the industrial food system kind of created 487 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: this huge crisis that we're in, and you know, like 488 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: how there's there's really kind of an abundance of food everywhere, 489 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: but obviously it's gettributed, yes exactly, and so and and 490 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 1: and also kind of lays out how food justice you 491 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: know activists UM who are in mostly low income communities 492 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: of color help really build community based kind of solutions 493 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: to these problems. And so that's really kind of where 494 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:17,960 Speaker 1: my thinking and my my lens comes from is because 495 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: I am a child of l A, I'm able to 496 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: understand what different neighborhoods need UM based on because I 497 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: either grew up there, work there, have family there, you know, 498 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: what's school there, or just have friends or other organizers 499 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: who live there. And so say, if you know, I, 500 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: I didn't grow up in Ball Heights, but I have 501 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: friends who did. And so like, if I'm trying to 502 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 1: build out a food program or mutual aid program and 503 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 1: Ball Heights, I'm not going to just walk in there 504 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: and be like, all right, we're gonna do it at 505 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: you know, Yeah, you're not gonna take over there there 506 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: they're saying exactly. But I think that's one thing I 507 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: think I really want to for people to really especially 508 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: for for for young people who want to get to 509 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: food justice, Like you really have to really honestly do 510 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: your research first and let the media leaders lead, um 511 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: lead lead your program with you, right. And And there's 512 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 1: a difference between like making community connections and then trying 513 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:22,400 Speaker 1: to like take over, right, there's a very very two 514 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: very different things exactly. Yeah, you don't want to be extractive, right, 515 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 1: you don't want to be extractive. You don't want to 516 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 1: be coming in and you know, and and and really 517 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: like you know, try to like show up with like, 518 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: you know, solutions where there they weren't informed at all 519 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: by the community. And I keep trying to stress that, Yeah, 520 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 1: is there anywhere that people can support you or at 521 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: least follow you online to keep up with the work. Yes, Um, 522 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: I'm very active on Twitter. Um it's uh, we're at 523 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: Polos pantry, so that's p O l O, s UM 524 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: p A and p R why. And then I'm also 525 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: tweeting as myself as an organiser. It's under m E 526 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: smelling music as M E L L E music. UM, 527 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 1: and that actually that handled for me everywhere, just like 528 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: my personal so I I tweet from there a lot. 529 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: I tweet a lot about food justice work I feel 530 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 1: and all our all our work in l A I tweet, 531 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: I retweet a lot of our MOVEM network and coalition work. Yeah. 532 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: Just thank you for coming on to the show to 533 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: talk about though justice and the work you've been doing. Um, 534 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: it's great to hear more examples of people from around 535 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: the country than hopefully you know, around the world getting 536 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 1: involved in in this type of work. UM. Anyway, I 537 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: think that it wraps up us today. You can follow 538 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: this show on Twitter and Instagram at Happened Here pod 539 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: and cool Zone Media. UM, subscribe to the feed, leave 540 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: a hive star review or whatever. Anyway, that's that's that's 541 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: the show. Bye bye, everybody, say bye everybone, Bye bye everyone, 542 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: by everyone. It could Happen Here as a production of 543 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 1: cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, 544 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: visit our website cool zone Media dot com, or check 545 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 1: us out on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 546 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find sources 547 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 1: for It Could happen here, updated monthly at cool Zone 548 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: media dot com, slash sources, Thanks for listening.