1 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to How to Citizen with Baritu Day, a show 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: where we reimagine the word citizen as a verb, reclaim 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: it from those who weaponized it, and remind ourselves how 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:26,799 Speaker 1: to wield our collective power. I'm Baritune Day. Like a 5 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: healthy democracy, this show is stronger with your participation, and 6 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: we have a number of ways for you to do 7 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: that in public. Use the hashtag how to Citizen when 8 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: you post about the show on social media, and I'll 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: share out some of your stories. To communicate with us directly, 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: send feedback and ideas to comments at how to citizen 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: dot com, and if you've taken the actions we recommend 12 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: at the end of each episode, share those with us 13 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: by emailing action at how to citizen dot com. We've 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: been moved by which you shared from the episode so 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: far and look forward to more into building future episodes 16 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: with you and your actions. Finally, what kind of podcast 17 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: host would I be if I didn't ask you to 18 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: rate and review the show? The fact that you're listening 19 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: right now makes you very qualified to offer a legitimate 20 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: and authentic rating or review, so please take a moment 21 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: to do that. We appreciate it. Now, a word on 22 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: how we make this show. We've record most of these 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: shows live in Zoom with a studio audience, cameras on 24 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: chat room lit up, and we take questions from you 25 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: for our guests. I'd love to have you joined for 26 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: future taping. Visit how does Citizen dot com and join 27 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: my email list for the invites and my amazing weekly emails. 28 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: I'm the best emailer while I love the live audience. 29 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: Don't worry. I'll catch up with just you on the 30 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: other side of this conversation where I'll give you some 31 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: really specific ways to Citizen for this episode. In the meantime, 32 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna hand of Mike to myself as I set 33 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: up the conversation with our amazing guests. COVID nineteen is 34 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: a truth serum, and whether we like it or not, 35 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: it reveals the fragility of so many of our systems, 36 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: housing policing, how many zooms one human can take a day. 37 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: I think the answers for on that last one. One 38 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: area of acute vulnerability that COVID has exposed is our 39 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: access to food. We've got farmers burning crops and warehouses 40 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: of strawberries rotting because we aren't in business as usual. 41 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: We've seen the miles long images of people going to 42 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:43,399 Speaker 1: food banks, but rising to these challenges are restaurants, chefs, 43 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: and communities who are figuring out new ways to involve 44 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: everyone and productively feeding ourselves and our neighbors. In this episode, 45 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: we look at two approaches that exist largely outside the 46 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: realm of government, but well within the realm of people power. 47 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: Although they differ in several ways, both are anchored by 48 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: people committed to local community action as the way to 49 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: address the food crisis in America. I sat down with 50 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: chef Jose Andres to hear what he and his organization, 51 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: World Central Kitchen have learned about tapping into the resources 52 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,959 Speaker 1: and needs at the local level to help communities help 53 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: themselves across the US and around the world. But before 54 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: we go global with Jose, I realized there was a 55 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: model in my own backyard, right in Los Angeles. Back 56 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: in July, a friend had texted me about something called 57 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: the l a community fridge, a network of decentralized, independent 58 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: refrigerators and pantries that provide food and vital supplies to 59 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: communities through mutual aid. It may have started in New 60 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: York City, but now these fridges are popping up all 61 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: over the country. It's basically a set of public refrigerators, 62 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: usually hosted by a local business like Grows to Restore, Restauranto, bodega, 63 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:07,839 Speaker 1: and it's stopped, used and maintained by people in the neighborhood. 64 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: And they coordinate by every means. They've got WhatsApp groups, 65 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: Slack groups, conference calls, printed paper signs, and forms. I 66 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: sat down with two l A Community fridge volunteers, Caitlin 67 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: and Leanna, to learn more. I'm curious for each of 68 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: you how you initially got involved in the community fridge project. 69 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: I think I remember in June I had some friends 70 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 1: contact me and asked me if I wanted to be 71 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: involved in this. They had seen the New York group 72 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: in our Hearts their community fridge efforts and been like, 73 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: you know, we should do this here. L A is 74 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: so dense with people. This is something we definitely need. 75 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: And I had never really heard of community fridges before, 76 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: but I was like, okay, I've got time. I'm in Like, 77 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 1: this seems like something that's relatively easy to do and 78 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: it's you know, it's going to benefit so many people. Yeah, 79 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: So it's very hyperlocal and community driven. UM I had 80 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: mentioned that, like when I came into the community, I 81 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: was already kind of looking into restaurants. But people kind 82 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: of come to us at any stage. Some people come 83 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: to us after they've already set up a fridge, and 84 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: they've already picked a host, and they've already used all 85 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: the resources um that have been built and taken it 86 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 1: upon themselves to do all these things and get things 87 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: set up. But I think that's kind of one of 88 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 1: the main goals is to give everyone the resources they 89 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: need so they can do whatever they're able to do. 90 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: So if they want to hop in and they want 91 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: to find a host, and that's kind of like the 92 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: amount that they're willing to put in, that's totally fine. 93 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: And then as far as who's stalking them, we try 94 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: to encourage folks whenever they start a fridge to get 95 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: like a cohort of people who kind of agree to 96 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: go by the fridge at least every day to clean it, 97 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: to keep an eye on it, to keep it stocked. 98 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: And I feel like after the ball gets rolling with 99 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: it and the community really adopts it, it kind of 100 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 1: runs on its own. To a certain extent, of course, 101 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: like things need to be cleaned and everything. But we 102 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: have a slack behind the scenes where we're able to 103 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: keep in touch with each other and kind of let 104 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: each other know, like someone just reported that the fridge 105 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: really dirty. Can someone go hop over there and take 106 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: a look at it. Take me through that very elementary 107 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: step of getting one of these fridges going. We do 108 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: have a lot of resources on our link tree um 109 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: about how to find potential hosts. I think we did 110 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: make a fridge checklist, like, oh, you want to start 111 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: your own fridge, to make it very easy for people, 112 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: because that is ultimately the goal is like we're not 113 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: trying to do everything and oversee every fridge in l A. 114 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: It's like anyone can do this. It's definitely a collective effort. 115 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: One of the common questions is like, well, how much 116 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: is electricity costs? It costs about thirty bucks a month, 117 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: and most of the hosts, I think all of our 118 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: hosts are like paying that, you know, on their own. 119 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: Most of them are like markets and restaurants. There are 120 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: some anomalies they're the community centers and things like that. 121 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: Are these all the same community? Are they distinct populations? 122 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: What is the community around the community fridge look like, 123 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: the goal is for it to be kind of like 124 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: all things to all people, right, is for all of 125 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: us to be able to use it, and especially to 126 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: get even more hyper focused from the word community like 127 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: neighborhood based. Um, so what does that neighborhood need? Like 128 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: an unhoused person can't really use uncooked rice, but a 129 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: small family might be able to use uncooked rice, And 130 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: like what is the community of people that that fridge 131 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: is serving? And how can we best serve those people? Yeah, 132 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: the people who are in the slack, who are updating 133 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: and stuff. There's like different channels for each fridge and 134 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: we keep each other updated, like, oh, you know, vegetables 135 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: aren't really moving at this fridge will redistribute it somewhere else, 136 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: or people will put a food prep it. So it's 137 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: you know, more of a grab and go kind of meal, 138 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: but it's you know, it's definitely a learning herb. And 139 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: I think another thing is when someone gets something done, 140 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: they bring it to the group. We have a weekly 141 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: meeting every Monday, and so you're kind of like, hey, 142 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: I made this thing, what do you all think about it? 143 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: How can you be better? What didn't I think of? 144 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: It's just like what Leanna said, like you kind of 145 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: just skip ahead and do the thing if you think 146 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: people need it, and then be very willing and open 147 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: to accept feedback um to make it the most usable 148 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: for the most people. I'd love you to explain more 149 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: of this term mutual aid as the model that you 150 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 1: are using to delivered a service as opposed to operating 151 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: a formal charity. What's the difference and why have you 152 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: chosen to model yours on this design of mutual aid? UM. Well, 153 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 1: one of the things I think is actually kind of 154 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 1: connected to hierarchy. Typically with charities, you have people with 155 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: more money giving money to people who don't have the money, 156 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: and so they're sort of controlling what they think other 157 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: people want or making decisions for what they think other 158 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: people want, and so that hierarchy and power it just 159 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: never quite feels right. It doesn't quite feel like you're 160 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,199 Speaker 1: really servicing people and helping people in the way that 161 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: they need. So one thing about the mutual aid the 162 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: way that that's organized is the lack of hierarchy really 163 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: helps with that. It kind of um empowers you to 164 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: take on the thing that you think needs to be 165 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: done and to best service the folks who you're trying 166 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: to help. I think another distinction too, is that we 167 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: don't collect any money. And I mean this is like 168 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: a fridge specific thing, but like the food is the currency, 169 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: Like that is the thing that we're trying to empower 170 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: folks with. So we actually try to like actively avoid 171 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,559 Speaker 1: anyone giving us any money because then it just becomes 172 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: a different project. I think that just becomes a different 173 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,599 Speaker 1: type of organizations. So whenever folks want to help or 174 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: like go get food and put it in a fridge, 175 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: that's the best way that you can possibly help with 176 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: the fridges. Or sometimes well default to not asking for 177 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: many in other ways. For example, if we need some 178 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: one to help with maintenance with the fridges, we don't say, like, hey, 179 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 1: can you give us money we need to repair some fridges. 180 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,319 Speaker 1: We say, hey, do you know how to repair a fridge, 181 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: and we get a bunch of folks in and they 182 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: can help us with that. You cut out the middle 183 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: party in this case money money exactly as the medium. Yeah, 184 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: things done a lot more quickly. Yeah. Yeah, I knew 185 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: money was the problem. I know it. I knew it 186 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: the whole day. There's been some criticism of this model 187 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: from people in the food justice community who see these 188 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: fridges as not sustainable or as not truly meeting the 189 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: needs of the people who are pulling from the fridge 190 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: in the same way, and they read it still as 191 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: a charitable model of those with more time or more resources, 192 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: maybe more access to slack delivering unto people who don't. 193 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: How do you respond to that criticism or other criticism 194 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: you've received of your approach. It's not only people who 195 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: are on Slack, and I do think that there is 196 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: a big need and they are feeding a lot of people. 197 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:54,719 Speaker 1: There's a fridge that's set up pretty close to me, 198 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: and I was talking to one of the people who 199 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: lives at the place that's hosting it, and you was 200 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: saying that some cleaning ladies on their way to work 201 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: will like deep clean the fridge like once or twice 202 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 1: a week with their supplies and stuff. And it's like 203 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: they obviously are not slack, they're on Instagram, they're probably 204 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: not like in tune, but it's like they're on the 205 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: ground and they see it in front of them and 206 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: they want to care and help be you know, other 207 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 1: members of their community. So those are the people who 208 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: are also leaving food, but maybe taking something that they need. 209 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: You know, it's give and take, and I think it 210 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 1: definitely benefits everyone. And I want to see a lot 211 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: of these fridges around because there's so much food, so 212 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: much food waste, and everyone needs to see. What has 213 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: surprised each of you as you've become a part of 214 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: this effort. One of the things that I found really surprising, 215 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: I don't know if surprising is the right word, but exciting. Um. 216 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 1: Whenever we had first started the East Hollywood Bridge in 217 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 1: July was the first few days, what you saw was 218 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: a lot of people taking a lot of things because 219 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: they're used to living in this scarcity mentality. I mean, 220 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: if you I think we all, we all sort of 221 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 1: had this happen to us at the beginning of the pandemic, 222 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: where you went to the grocery store and you're like, 223 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: I guess we're never eating beans ever again. Like you're 224 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: just like, I guess there's just no more beans in 225 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: the world. So of course, as soon as they get beans, 226 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 1: like you take way more than you need because you 227 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: don't know when they're going to have that thing again, 228 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: you know. Um. And so what was really exciting was 229 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: after that first week of constantly, really adamantly refilling the fridge. 230 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: It just sort of like created a flow in a 231 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: system to where you didn't see as many people like 232 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: rabbing so many things because they trusted that something was 233 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:34,959 Speaker 1: going to be there the next day. So I wouldn't 234 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: say that was surprising, but it was like very interesting 235 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: and memorable connection to make it my own head, especially 236 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:42,079 Speaker 1: at the time of COVID when we were all kind 237 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: of like experiencing that in different ways. So just this 238 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: understanding that, you know, people take more than they need 239 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: when they don't know how long they're going to have 240 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: to need it, you know. I think something that's been 241 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: surprising for me is just how many nice and sweet 242 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,079 Speaker 1: people live all over lay, Like whether it's people who 243 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: help with the fridges or people who use the fridges 244 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: and you run into. It's so nice to just meet 245 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: people and like have genuine conversations with people who care, 246 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: especially like in this weird time where you're only seeing 247 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: people's eyes everyone's wearing a mask. But yeah, I love 248 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: the just the little connections that you make and not 249 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: surprising me because that's not something I thought would come 250 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 1: along with this. How have you managed conflict in operating 251 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: this network of fridges, we have these common resources, these 252 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 1: documents that are like this is our value statement, and 253 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: this is how we choose a host, and we all 254 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: agree upon those documents. And so you sort of set 255 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: these guidelines up front and empower people to work within 256 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: those guidelines. And of course if you feel like there's 257 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 1: an issue with a certain guideline, then you bring it 258 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: to the meeting um. But I think that that kind 259 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: of helps move things along a little bit more quickly. 260 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 1: So you wrote a constitution and then strive to live 261 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: up to it in the same vein, how are you 262 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: dealing with local authorities who may have different ideas about 263 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: how to regulate these We've had a few fridges that 264 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: have had some of those issues. One a few of 265 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,839 Speaker 1: them were cited by the city for health violations or 266 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: just the city code. To me, it seems like police 267 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: are just using anything to write it up. Because we 268 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: had a fridge in Compton and it got shut down 269 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: by authorities. They said it couldn't be out there. The 270 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: violation was like leaving machinery that's broken outside and obviously 271 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: it's like plugged in running there's food in it. And 272 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: then like they thought it and they ended up starting 273 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: the fridge back up again, but then somebody cut the 274 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: cord and it's like still sitting there empty. But since 275 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: it hasn't been running and sitting there empty, which actually 276 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: that is breaking you know, the code, they haven't been 277 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: written up at all. So it's to me it seems 278 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: like police are picking and choosing, or city you know 279 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: officials are picking and choosing. Um. But we have had 280 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: to remove a fridge because we don't want the businesses 281 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: that are hosting to get sided obviously. And then the 282 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: example that Leanna gave my understanding is that several different 283 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: city officials at different levels interacted with the fridge and 284 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: they all like didn't really speak to each other. So 285 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: it definitely seems like there's an inconsistency and kind of 286 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: like what the discrepancy is there? For sure? Um, But 287 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: obviously food health and safety is very critical, which is 288 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: why it is so critical to have a clean fridge 289 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: all the time and to take dirty stuff out of 290 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: it whenever you see dirty stuff in it. Um. And 291 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: I just think that that really just comes with frequency, 292 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: and I think the healthiest fridge is one where the 293 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: food doesn't stay in it for longer than six hours anyway, 294 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: which is kind of what the East Hollywood fridge is. 295 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: It's like nothing's there for if it's there today will 296 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: absolutely be gone tomorrow. What lessons would you share with 297 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: someone who wants to work in their neighborhood for mutual aid. 298 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: I feel like the biggest lesson that I've learned that 299 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: kind of does connect to this is like the more 300 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: people on hand, the more people who you have to help, 301 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: the more connections you make, the easier everything is. You 302 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: don't want a few people over working putting so much time. 303 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: Like if there's a lot of people, everything works more 304 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: smoothly and there's a lot more support for maintaining the 305 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: fridges and getting everything together. Yeah, I would agree with that, 306 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: I think likely. And I said, we have a ton 307 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: of resources that folks can use so they don't have 308 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: to start from scratch. And I believe that we adopted 309 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: some of those resources from New York as well. So 310 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: I think we're all kind of like learning as we 311 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: go and adapting as we go. But I think often 312 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: when we have people come into the group, solutions to 313 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: problems look like policing in a way, or like trying 314 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: to control a situation. It might be like, oh, people 315 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: are abusing the fridge after hours, we should lock the 316 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: fridge after hours. And so I think one thing I've learned, 317 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: just like as a human being is that how do 318 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: you provide resources so that folks can have what they need? 319 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: That's like literally what the whole fridge model is there for. 320 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 1: So we're always kind of instead of saying, like, how 321 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: do we cut this off? How do we make boundaries 322 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: around this? We're always trying to make it bigger. We're 323 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 1: always trying to help people with what they need. So 324 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: we've had conversations about frid Is being more than just 325 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: frid Is, about people perhaps bringing like clothes to donate 326 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 1: and things like that. So rather than just immediately cutting 327 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: it off and say okay, we don't accept close, saying like, 328 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: all right, how do we make clothes work. Let's give 329 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: this a shot. Let's put a clothing right there, Let's 330 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: see if people tend to it. Let's see how that works. UM. 331 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: So I think always defaulting what is the improv saying 332 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,120 Speaker 1: like always defaulting to yet yes and right, It's like yes, 333 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 1: and it's a very like yes and community, um to 334 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: sort of get people what they need and see what 335 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: the right solution is because it's kind of breaking a 336 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,120 Speaker 1: lot of rules to start, So like, why create more 337 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 1: rules when we could give people the things that they 338 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 1: say that they need the story of the local cleaning 339 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,679 Speaker 1: ladies regularly cleaning the community fridge in their neighborhood on 340 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: the way to work, that struck a chord with me. 341 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: That's a sign of ownership. They see value in these 342 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: fridges and they feel invested enough to contribute with their 343 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 1: own time and skills. At the end of this episode 344 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: will share ways you can support or even start your 345 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 1: own community fridge. But right now, let's go to our 346 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 1: conversation with Chef Jose Andres. We are hungry. Can you 347 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: take me back to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. I 348 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: was inside the female headquarters, in the room where was 349 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: supposed to be, the room where he happens, where it 350 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: was supposed to be, deciding how many people were hungry, 351 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: who was going to do it? And after listening to 352 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: the powers to be almost for an hour, I realized 353 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: that was not planned. I realized that everybody was finger 354 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: pointing at somebody else or responsibilities. I realized that everybody 355 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: was trying and used to do it. Together. I realized 356 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: that many of these people, they didn't even move from 357 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: that big convention center. And if you are not moving 358 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 1: away from the convention center, how do you really know 359 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: what's happening across the island. And that moment I realized 360 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: we began already by then doing close to ten thousand 361 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: meals a day. We never said no to anybody that 362 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: asked for food. So that's where we went from ten 363 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: friends three days after the hurricane, a whole bunch of 364 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: chefs that they responded to my what's up saying I'm here, 365 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,479 Speaker 1: and they I'm here meant I'm here, let's cook together. 366 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: We went from ten friends to more than twenty five 367 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: thousand men and women volunteers. Puto Ricans fed Puto Ricans. 368 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: We went from one kitchen to and the six. We 369 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: went from thousand mills the first day two hundred fifty 370 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: thousand meals a day, we did almost four million mills. 371 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: Even we did millions more because we were able to 372 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: give ideas to others about what to do. How does 373 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 1: World Central Kitchen operate and how different is that from 374 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: some of these other organizations you mentioned, the Red Cross 375 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: Female We are different because nothing is more powerful than 376 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: the local community. Why because nobody knows best what the 377 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: community needs. This mentality that the people coming from the 378 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: side and they are telling the locals what they need, 379 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 1: versus as shutting up and listening more to them what 380 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: they really need. This is used one of the main 381 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: difference that boll Centered Kitchen does. Obviously, in an emergency, 382 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:01,120 Speaker 1: people are shocked and be a whore can come the earthquake, 383 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:05,120 Speaker 1: a typhoon of fires, and yes, you need to come 384 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: from the outside and trying to create certain systems to 385 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: start in our case feeling, we don't plan, we don't meet, 386 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: We put boots on the ground and we start feeding. 387 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 1: In the process of feeding, what really we're doing is 388 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: gathering intelligence in the process of feeding. What really we know, 389 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: it's what's happening one community at the time. In the 390 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: process of feeding, locals began joining us. In the process 391 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 1: of feeding, we create an army of good. In the 392 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:41,199 Speaker 1: process of feeding, we have information that other people sitting 393 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: down in the comfort of their headquarters don't have. And 394 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: at the end, that's what we do. We put boots 395 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: on the ground and we start providing food and water. 396 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: In the process, we increase until there is no more need. 397 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: In the process, we learned what other end us are doing. 398 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 1: If these others doing, we try to partner. If they 399 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 1: don't want a partner, that's fine. We keep seeing so 400 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: we don't leave anybody behind. And what we do better 401 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,400 Speaker 1: than anybody is that we go to the forgotten places, 402 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: to the forgotten neighborhoods where sometimes police tells you don't 403 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: go there because it's too dangerous to go. And you 404 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: know where, I learned that those places that they are 405 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: too dangerous to go, you bring hope through food and water, 406 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 1: and you aren't playing with the kids basketball or you 407 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 1: end helping an elderly person moved to a more safe location. 408 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: And that those places that somehow they tell us they 409 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: are dangerous because it's used I don't know, a different 410 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:42,479 Speaker 1: part of town. You learned that there is no danger. 411 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: That the only danger we face is not knowing people 412 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: that live in our own cities and our own communities 413 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: and not listening to their needs. Have you ever felt 414 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: overwhelmed by the size of the help needed, and if so, 415 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: how did you work through that. Does the stress of 416 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: a restaurant kitchen help you work through the stress of 417 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: an overwhelming public need in the face of disaster. I 418 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: think the moment that for me was crazy is when 419 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: I saw the images of Katrina and especially on the Superdome. 420 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: And this is something like I've been playing in my head. 421 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: I wish I could go back in time, be there 422 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: right before Katrina heat. Not like we want to go 423 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 1: through and try to do more good to the people 424 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,119 Speaker 1: that suffer in an unnecessary way by not being ready 425 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: for them. What happened in the Superdome alone was never 426 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: supposed to happen many Americans alone in a stadium with 427 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: no food, no water, no basics, sanitation in mind. If 428 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: we were there a group of cooks. You know what 429 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 1: a stadium means. You know what an arena is? An arena? 430 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: People have it wrong. It's not a music venue. It's 431 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: not a sports venue. It's a gigantic restaurant that entertains 432 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: with the sports and musician. I just gotta that's a 433 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 1: very uh, chef centric view of arena. I love it. 434 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: And at the end of the day, if we were 435 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,880 Speaker 1: able to do that, to put all the foot vendors 436 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: up there, up and running the food spots, I bring 437 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: few of my friend chefs. We got some of the 438 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: volunteers there and we start organizing used by feeling people 439 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: and bringing them water and hope, and then we bring 440 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: everything else. But you see the big problems. They have 441 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 1: very simple solution. Can you talk briefly about like what 442 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: food is to you in terms of its connection to security, 443 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: it's connection to community. Um, why is food special? Well, 444 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: food is especial because we are highly attached to our mothers. 445 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 1: And in a way, one of the things that creates 446 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 1: this amazing bond beyond that she's been carrying all of 447 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: us for nine months, is that within hours of being 448 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: born our mother, our father, they're feeling us immediate And 449 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: this is a link that for ever, it's not forgotten, 450 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: even if we were highly unaware of the moment. If 451 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: I could go back one second in my life, I 452 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: we love to go and being a word the moment 453 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 1: my mother fed me. This makes food being this kind 454 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: of powerful way of saying. Food equals comfort, foot equals 455 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: somebody that loves you. Food equals home, foot equals family, 456 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: foot equals safety is beyond the physical need. So that's 457 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: why it's so important. We don't think deep enough about it, 458 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: but I do believe that link. I wish I could 459 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 1: prove the theory and maybe one day we can if 460 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 1: we can travel back to the past. And at the 461 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: end of the day you think about it. Unfortunately more 462 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 1: ways than one, boys like me, who are the ones 463 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: that are always giving praise or having the best restaurants 464 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: and feeding our cities and the most luxurious food. But 465 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: if you think for a second and you go around 466 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: the world and you stop and you go to Musambik 467 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: or Haiti or Peru or you know who, you know 468 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: who feeds the world. Women are who feeds the world, 469 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 1: not only because they feed us all the mothers when 470 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 1: we're born, but beyond that, who is really feeding the 471 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: world are always woman in every corner, in every street. 472 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: They're the ones feeling the people of the world. So 473 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 1: white food is important. Byetts around the French philosopher in 474 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: tell me what you eat, and I will tell you 475 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: who you are. Yes, food is who we are. And 476 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: he said another phrase that was even more important. He said, 477 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: the destiny of the nation will depend on how they 478 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: feed themselves. So food is essential for human life, but 479 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: is much deeper than that. Give us hope of a 480 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 1: better tomorrow, give us a sense of community, give a 481 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,400 Speaker 1: sense of peace, give a sense that things are okay. 482 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: That's why we must defend the right of every child 483 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: in American around the world to have access the food 484 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:13,880 Speaker 1: that empowers them to achieve every dream that a John 485 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 1: boy or girl can have. Can you share what you're 486 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: working on in terms of applying the World Central Kitchen 487 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: model to our COVID situation and in particular this bill 488 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: that you are working on with Senator Kamala Harris, which 489 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 1: is an escalation even further of your work in the 490 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: world beyond running restaurants. Back in the day, it's called 491 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: the featat and was to put restaurants upon working especially 492 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 1: family on a small restaurants to make sure that between 493 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: the federal government and years like ours and the local 494 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: governments the mayors are at the front lines, we will 495 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: be able to activate the restaurants to take care of 496 00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: the local food needs, elderly homes, homeless, hospitals for responders 497 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: and who amazing the federal government through FEMA supports the 498 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: local needs one seri at the time through local businesses 499 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: where the restaurants are working, they can be paying salaries 500 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 1: to the people locals, no locals. Best they know where 501 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: they need is working in alliance with the local mayors, 502 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: feeding the communities in need. In the process, the money 503 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 1: goes into the economy. Restaurants can pay rent, people can 504 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: pay food for their children, and the rent at home 505 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: we can buy from local farmers. At the end, one 506 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: dollar is multiplied by four. This is smart and that's 507 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: what we've been trying to do. We have twenty restaurants 508 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: total across forty estates and at one point we were 509 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: doing three hundred fifty meals a day. We are ready 510 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: in the north of thirty million mills through this pandemic. 511 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: And what we did was obvious at the very beginning. 512 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: Many Enginos, many of them run by elderly people. They 513 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: had to be home because that was the safe thing 514 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: to do. So many engeos kind of shut down business 515 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: at the early stages of this pandemic. Many hospitals they 516 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: had function in restaurants because while they built the hospitals 517 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: in the wrong way and the kitchens were in the 518 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: middle of the wrong place, or people didn't come to 519 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 1: work well because public transportation ended well because people were 520 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: getting sick, so wasn't our kitchen. First thing we did 521 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: was the start covering those needs. We've done hundreds of 522 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: hospitals across America. We did all the hospitals in Manhattan, 523 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 1: in Bronz, in Harlem, in Queens. We began going to 524 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: the very forgotten communities, a lot of Black communities, a 525 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: lot of Latino communities. We began feeding elderly care centers. 526 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: That's what we began doing, use covering the black holes 527 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: of the system. And I'm very proud we did it 528 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: because was necessary and we were able to apply our 529 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: experience to tell Congress, we're showing you what has to 530 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: be done. We are showing you what we should be doing. 531 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: We reached through to opeds New York Times and watching 532 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: them post. We told the White House, if I was you, 533 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: this is why I we'll do. With all Congress, if 534 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: we were you, this is what we will do. We're 535 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: testing that we're already doing it. Support us to keep 536 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: doing this work beyond what we are already doing. And 537 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: so far, let's hope this bill will pass, but there's 538 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: many other things that have to happen to fit America 539 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: can be done. It's political will. If Americans go hungry 540 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: in the weeks and months to come, it's because we 541 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: had a political way to stop it. We cannot stop tomorrow. 542 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: The pandemic, but we can stop tomorrow hunger in America. 543 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: If you were to define the words citizen, not as 544 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 1: a legal status, but as a verb, how would you 545 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: define it? You know, citizen, I would say, is used 546 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: to provide for the people you don't know, the same 547 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: you're trying to provide for your own. That should be 548 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: the true million of citizenship. If you only think about 549 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: your own, it's okay, so okay, you take care of 550 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: your own, but you will never protect your children, your 551 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: family if you are not hoping to work hard to 552 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: provide for others the same you're aiming for your own. Hey, 553 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: I'm from Spain. I know about castles. Somebody that tells 554 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: you that by putting your family inside for wolves, your 555 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 1: family is gonna be safer. I like guns, you know 556 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: I should sometimes when I'm in a Spain or here, 557 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: nothing wrong, I love it. But if you think like 558 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 1: putting people in four wolves and you just gonna that's 559 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,239 Speaker 1: the way you're gonna be protecting your family. Look at 560 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: the Spain, we had castles and we were in beaded anyway, 561 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:58,959 Speaker 1: what is really going to be providing you comfort and 562 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: safety are not higher walls but actually no walls along 563 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: their tables. Make sure you share the wealth of what 564 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: you're trying to get on your own with others, and 565 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: you'll be safer than you've ever dream of being. So 566 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 1: that's why we describe it. One must be good for 567 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: you must be good for others. It's not either person, 568 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 1: but with the people. I want to give some space 569 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: to our live audience. We have a question from Kathleen. 570 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: So this is an incredibly difficult time for human beings 571 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 1: to do what we normally do, which is to come 572 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: together physically, and it's something that is missing in all 573 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 1: of our lives. So when we talk about for those 574 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: of us who may be in a vulnerable population, or 575 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: taking care of children, taking care of elderly kinds of 576 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: things that we can do to help the organizations that 577 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: you're talking about who do provide support to the food challenge. 578 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: We have a program here in Portland, Oregon called Blanchet House, 579 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: so I've been getting people together to make sandwiches for them. 580 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: I feel like there has to be more that we 581 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 1: can do. So on your website, do you have a 582 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: list of all of the organizations and restaurants so that 583 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 1: we can expand our knowledge and our support even further, 584 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: because sometimes the only thing that we can do is 585 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: get together a coalition of people and make sandwiches and 586 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:41,240 Speaker 1: take them to Blanchet House. So even more specific things 587 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:44,760 Speaker 1: that we can do in our isolation to help other 588 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 1: than write a check. Yeah, I mean the complication of 589 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: asking everybody to do food and deliver. Obviously everybody can 590 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 1: do that, and I think this is great, but also 591 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 1: we need to be careful. I remember in the early 592 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 1: days of the pandemic that allot of random people were 593 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: bringing food to hospital. Actually that was not the best 594 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 1: for the hospitals because they already were going through hardships 595 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 1: and to have to be handling people that in good 596 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: will they were trying to bring food every day was 597 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:16,799 Speaker 1: creating some mayhem in some hospitals. As you may understand. 598 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 1: That's way for us to organize it in a systemic 599 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:23,360 Speaker 1: way that everybody knows at what hour you're delivering, to 600 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:27,760 Speaker 1: whom you're delivering, and you bring chaos out of the equation. 601 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,800 Speaker 1: And this is very important. But one of the things 602 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 1: that I want to mention that I'm very proud of 603 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 1: the early days wasn't the kitchen went to Yokohama to 604 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: feed princess cruise ship six thousand Americans, many Americans, six 605 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 1: thousand people, eighteen thousand meals a day in Yokohama. From 606 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,360 Speaker 1: there we moved to Auckland to feed also another princess 607 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:53,719 Speaker 1: cruise ship. That were the two big cruise ships that 608 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 1: got copied and from Japan. We already realized even we 609 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: were following what was happening in China. I was learning 610 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 1: about how the restaurants in China were handling, how the 611 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 1: food systems were happening. Where Chinese people in the middle 612 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: of Bohan running out of food, how are the distribution. 613 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:13,560 Speaker 1: So I began pulling a lot of thinking in that. 614 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 1: So by beginning of March, we got what we called 615 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 1: the Food Safety for COVID nineteenth and we created a 616 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:27,040 Speaker 1: little puppet called MASKI Mask M A. S k Y, 617 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 1: which is this guy with this big mask that he 618 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: began telling all of us how to behave, how to 619 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:35,840 Speaker 1: behave in the restaurant, how to cook in the restaurant. 620 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,759 Speaker 1: In a moment we didn't know how bad this virus boss. 621 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 1: To keep distance, to wear gloves, to sanitation washing hands, 622 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 1: to wear the mask, to even wear glasses, but also 623 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: how to deliver how to do take up, how to 624 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: keep people wearing in line outside the restaurants six feet aboy. 625 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:57,279 Speaker 1: We did these circles in mid March that MASKI will 626 00:35:57,320 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 1: be telling you all the things everybody need to know. 627 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 1: And we did this across many of the places we 628 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 1: were delivering food every day. Probably we've been delivering food 629 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: I don't know in more than sixteen teams at one 630 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:15,160 Speaker 1: point twenty thousand places a day, all across America. And 631 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 1: for me, I wanted to use that moment to keep 632 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: sending the message from early March about how we had 633 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 1: to behave to keep everybody safe. One of the things 634 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:28,359 Speaker 1: I'm very proud is that of the restaurants we've been 635 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: having without we don't have to close one. We keep 636 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 1: everybody safe, everybody doing good, everybody healthy. This to me 637 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 1: was very important because in the early days I had 638 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:41,479 Speaker 1: a lot of pressure on men will happen if something 639 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:45,840 Speaker 1: happens to somebody, because I'm asking them to cook. Obviously, 640 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:49,239 Speaker 1: everybody we have cooking in my restaurants or through Words 641 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 1: and Drag Kitchen. There are volunteers and they do it 642 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 1: with the heart. So the number one responsibility what you 643 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 1: can do is keep everybody safe. When you do this, 644 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,080 Speaker 1: make sure you keep doing it, that we don't bring 645 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 1: our guard on. The pandemic is gonna go with still 646 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: for a few weeks, a few months. We need to 647 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,360 Speaker 1: make sure that we don't bring our guard down. We 648 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:10,560 Speaker 1: need to think that wearing a mask, or wearing gloves 649 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,879 Speaker 1: or keeping distance shouldn't be because you are from one 650 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 1: political party on another. Should be because you are making 651 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: sure that you protect yourself but also you protect others 652 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 1: from you. This is what is to be a good citizen. 653 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:26,600 Speaker 1: This is what is to be a good American. And 654 00:37:26,719 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 1: every American I know they don't want any bad to 655 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 1: happen to other people. So man, the only sacrifice we 656 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: have to do is work masks and word gloves and 657 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: keep distance versus soldiers men and women that they've gone 658 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:42,360 Speaker 1: overseas and put their lives at risks, flying for freedom 659 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:46,799 Speaker 1: of others and democracy and protecting America. Wow, this is 660 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: the all sacrifice I have to do to keep moving forward. 661 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,720 Speaker 1: So this is important. This is one thing beyond feeling 662 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 1: that we all should be doing. To say, wearing a 663 00:37:56,440 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: mask shouldn't be political, keeping distance shouldn't be politics. Being 664 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:05,880 Speaker 1: respectful to others should be what's a citizen means and 665 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:09,399 Speaker 1: being an American means that we the people, we are 666 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 1: gonna look after each other. If on top of that, 667 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,279 Speaker 1: you're able to be doing feedling, that's that's where I 668 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:16,359 Speaker 1: go to Ward Central Kitchen. You'll see what we do. 669 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: But we are not the only organization. The banks of America, 670 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:22,759 Speaker 1: the food banks through Feeding America, they've done a great job, 671 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 1: but they need to be funded by government. Right to 672 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:28,160 Speaker 1: your Senator, right to your Congressman, and tell them why 673 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:32,320 Speaker 1: are you not supporting with all the needs of every 674 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: single food bank across America. The school lunches, they should 675 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:38,880 Speaker 1: be increased, not only to feed children, but also to 676 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,839 Speaker 1: feed the family of the children's in need. Make sure 677 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:44,720 Speaker 1: that every school becomes the heart, the Troy and horse 678 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:47,759 Speaker 1: for good of the community. Right to your Senator and 679 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: to your congressmen and tell them support the school lunches initiatives. 680 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: Make sure that every etherly home is spaid in the 681 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 1: right way, protecting the people so we keep them in 682 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:02,360 Speaker 1: safe heavens and we don't lose anymore elderly because the 683 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:05,840 Speaker 1: curless leadership in the early days of this pandemic and 684 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,960 Speaker 1: we let them alone is many ways we can keep helping. 685 00:39:09,239 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 1: One of them is keeping everybody safe and telling others 686 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:14,279 Speaker 1: to keep everybody safe by doing the same you do. 687 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:17,399 Speaker 1: And more important, keep righting to your senators and your 688 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 1: congressmen and tell them to feed an American in need. 689 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: Is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an 690 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 1: American citizen issue. Fit everybody through this pandemic, and maybe 691 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 1: we'll move away from this pandemic. Is stronger, no weaker. Jose, 692 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: I cannot thank you enough for sharing of your extraordinarily 693 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:43,480 Speaker 1: in demand time with us here and how the citizen 694 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 1: with Barraton Day you have modeled so well what it 695 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: means to citizens proving and living out which you've asked 696 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 1: us all to do that what's good for you, it's 697 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:57,600 Speaker 1: good for us all. And thank you for living by 698 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:03,680 Speaker 1: the words that you've just shared. Peace, love, Thank you, 699 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you, Hello you, my friend. I've got 700 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:12,319 Speaker 1: to cut in here just for you listener and let 701 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 1: you know what's about to happen. So we were in 702 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:20,279 Speaker 1: the zoom, Jose was saying thank you and I love you, 703 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:23,680 Speaker 1: and Tranquilo and the live audience is very excited to 704 00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 1: have spent some time and got to ask some questions, 705 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:28,480 Speaker 1: and I'm about to wrap this thing up. I'm about 706 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:32,279 Speaker 1: to bring it home. And then Jose cuts back in. 707 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:34,720 Speaker 1: I thought he was gone. I thought he was gone. 708 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 1: And he cuts back in and he starts kind of 709 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,400 Speaker 1: pounding his fist on his chest. Uh in a in 710 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 1: a loving gesture. He's pounding his fist on his chest, 711 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:49,839 Speaker 1: and he prepares to add one more thought to our 712 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:54,640 Speaker 1: interview about what we can do in the age of coronavirus. 713 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:03,000 Speaker 1: By any way, this is the way we should be saying. Hi, elbows, 714 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:07,839 Speaker 1: no more elbows. Everybody cough in the elbow, and then 715 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:12,280 Speaker 1: we're go giving elbows? Are we pricy? Are we pricy? 716 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:15,319 Speaker 1: If this is a spreading? Are we spreading? And throw 717 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:20,319 Speaker 1: our elbows? Never an elbow? Anymore elbows for coughing. You 718 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:24,720 Speaker 1: do these and that's all the people need now, man 719 00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 1: or or or what kind of forever in honor of 720 00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 1: our already gone friends. But no more elbowing. And we 721 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:38,080 Speaker 1: are getting America injured again. Everybody is having an elbow issue? 722 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:41,919 Speaker 1: Are we pricing? And if you love a person a lot, 723 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,320 Speaker 1: you do three, but never elbows again? Are we stupid? 724 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,880 Speaker 1: We get too close with the elbow. Every time I elbow, 725 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:54,880 Speaker 1: somebody's if this kissing me? No, Hans is fourther away. Sorry, 726 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 1: I had to man, no more elbows, are we not. 727 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:02,640 Speaker 1: There's a there's a lot of things. There's a lot 728 00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 1: of things I did not expect in and that just 729 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:08,919 Speaker 1: became the number one thing I did not expect Jose 730 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:13,680 Speaker 1: Andrews ranting against the elbow for amazing reasons. No, no, no, 731 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:24,880 Speaker 1: do not apologize. That is only that. Okay, that's it, alright, armano, alright, 732 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:36,280 Speaker 1: wakonda forever Yo. That was Jose Andre's chef, entrepreneur, humanitarian, 733 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 1: big citizen and defender of the realm of hygiene and 734 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:47,640 Speaker 1: safety when it comes to interpersonal greetings. So wonderful. I 735 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 1: heard a lot there, and I just want to reflect 736 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: intuitively about it. We thought we knew why we wanted 737 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 1: jose to be a part of this show because he 738 00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,839 Speaker 1: has worked in a way that unlocks the capacity within 739 00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: the communities that he's attempting to help and not just 740 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:08,840 Speaker 1: distribute top down aid upon them. And that came through 741 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:13,040 Speaker 1: glaringly to me just now that this is a well 742 00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:17,839 Speaker 1: thought out, compassionate and highly integrated system that's not just 743 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:21,880 Speaker 1: either person but one that is run by, for and 744 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:26,520 Speaker 1: with we the people. He said, nothing is more powerful 745 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:30,000 Speaker 1: then local community. And the only real danger in those 746 00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:33,880 Speaker 1: dangerous communities is not knowing what they really need because 747 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:38,960 Speaker 1: we're not listening, we're not asking those questions. Food waste 748 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,919 Speaker 1: is a problem, but wasting people is a much bigger one. 749 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:45,799 Speaker 1: And we have an opportunity to tap people to do 750 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,719 Speaker 1: more to help each other out in this moment that 751 00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 1: we're in. This idea that the meaning of citizen, to 752 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 1: Jose is that we essentially do for others as we 753 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,400 Speaker 1: want done to ourselves, but that we give to there's 754 00:44:00,440 --> 00:44:03,000 Speaker 1: that which we demand for ourselves, and that we cannot 755 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:09,919 Speaker 1: secure ourselves alone, just like we cannot citizen alone. What's 756 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:12,760 Speaker 1: the point of being in a society? To build walls 757 00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:16,040 Speaker 1: and bear arms alone is not going to bring us safety. 758 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:20,480 Speaker 1: Lower those walls and extend the table so that we 759 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:23,839 Speaker 1: all might be nourished, so that we all might eat, 760 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:27,720 Speaker 1: so that we all might feed on all the beauty 761 00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:31,719 Speaker 1: that food provides us, which isn't just the nutrition, it's 762 00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:35,120 Speaker 1: the love, it's the connection, it's the community, and that 763 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:39,200 Speaker 1: will allow us to show up stronger literally in all 764 00:44:39,239 --> 00:44:42,839 Speaker 1: these other areas that we need strength for especially now, 765 00:44:46,680 --> 00:44:51,000 Speaker 1: hey you, it's me again and it's just us. And 766 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:54,160 Speaker 1: whether it's Leanna and Caitlin from the l A Community 767 00:44:54,239 --> 00:44:59,200 Speaker 1: Fridges or Jose Andrace with the World Central Kitchen, we 768 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:01,439 Speaker 1: know that the are other ways for us to feed 769 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:04,560 Speaker 1: ourselves and take care of each other. If you see 770 00:45:04,719 --> 00:45:07,359 Speaker 1: examples in your own community or been a part of them, 771 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:10,720 Speaker 1: please send an email two comments at how to citizen 772 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:12,560 Speaker 1: dot com and just let us know what you think 773 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:16,400 Speaker 1: in general about this episode. And now it's your turn 774 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 1: to do some actions. In each episode, we love sharing 775 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:24,399 Speaker 1: things you can do internally and externally to strengthen your 776 00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:27,240 Speaker 1: citizen practice. I don't want you to get all tripped 777 00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:30,279 Speaker 1: up on memorizing what I'm saying here. One you can 778 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:33,640 Speaker 1: always rewind, but we make this available visually at how 779 00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:37,480 Speaker 1: to citizen dot com or even closer wherever you're listening 780 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,640 Speaker 1: to this podcast right now in the show notes of 781 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:45,359 Speaker 1: that app. For this episode feeding Ourselves our Way, Here 782 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,960 Speaker 1: are three things you can do now. The first is internal. 783 00:45:49,719 --> 00:45:52,880 Speaker 1: It's kind of a journaling exercise. You can think it 784 00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,480 Speaker 1: out loud to yourself. You can send yourself an email 785 00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:59,080 Speaker 1: or voice memo. Or right, longhand, but we want you 786 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:04,040 Speaker 1: to explore your relationship with different types of assistance, mutual 787 00:46:04,080 --> 00:46:08,080 Speaker 1: aid versus charitable aid. And I want you to think 788 00:46:08,120 --> 00:46:12,200 Speaker 1: about how comfortable you are in asking for help when 789 00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:16,520 Speaker 1: you're in need. Think about a time when someone tried 790 00:46:16,560 --> 00:46:19,520 Speaker 1: to help you with really good intentions, but they missed 791 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:23,359 Speaker 1: the mark because they didn't listen. Think about these and 792 00:46:23,400 --> 00:46:26,279 Speaker 1: many other questions we have with more detail again in 793 00:46:26,280 --> 00:46:29,160 Speaker 1: the show notes or how to citizen dot com. But 794 00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:31,600 Speaker 1: I want you to get personal about your relationship with help, 795 00:46:31,800 --> 00:46:35,120 Speaker 1: both giving it and receiving it, and whether you notice 796 00:46:35,160 --> 00:46:38,560 Speaker 1: the difference when that help is mutual versus top down. 797 00:46:39,040 --> 00:46:43,280 Speaker 1: All right, so that's number one. Number two external action, 798 00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:47,680 Speaker 1: I want you to look into whether your community could 799 00:46:47,719 --> 00:46:52,960 Speaker 1: benefit from a community fridge or some other mutual aid project, 800 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:55,839 Speaker 1: depending on what the actual needs are. I'm not gonna 801 00:46:55,880 --> 00:46:59,200 Speaker 1: say everybody needs a fridge, because maybe everybody doesn't, but 802 00:46:59,320 --> 00:47:03,120 Speaker 1: every commune to t needs something. So we've posted some 803 00:47:03,200 --> 00:47:05,560 Speaker 1: guides in the show notes and on how the citizen 804 00:47:05,680 --> 00:47:08,839 Speaker 1: dot com. But see if this is something that you 805 00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:14,800 Speaker 1: can start up or even better join, join, even typing 806 00:47:14,840 --> 00:47:18,560 Speaker 1: in to your favorite search engine. Mutual aid and insert 807 00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:21,359 Speaker 1: the name of your city or neighborhood. You may find 808 00:47:21,400 --> 00:47:23,319 Speaker 1: something you can be a part of. So that's number two, 809 00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:28,359 Speaker 1: number three, And finally, lend your voice to ensuring that 810 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:33,040 Speaker 1: the Feed Act becomes law in the United States. This 811 00:47:33,239 --> 00:47:36,279 Speaker 1: is the piece of legislation in Jose Andres has been 812 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:40,200 Speaker 1: advocating for and spoke about with US. It allows FEMA 813 00:47:40,320 --> 00:47:44,680 Speaker 1: to use already allocated disaster relief funds to feed people. 814 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:48,719 Speaker 1: It allows for local, state, and tribal governments to form 815 00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:53,880 Speaker 1: contracts with local restaurants and nonprofits and small businesses to 816 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:58,120 Speaker 1: make and distribute healthy meals. And it's bipartism. And how 817 00:47:58,160 --> 00:48:00,719 Speaker 1: often can we say that? In these times? There's a 818 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:04,640 Speaker 1: House version and a Senate version and they're stalled. They 819 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:06,920 Speaker 1: were part of a larger package. That package has been 820 00:48:06,960 --> 00:48:09,800 Speaker 1: held up for too many reasons for me to get into. 821 00:48:10,120 --> 00:48:13,680 Speaker 1: What I want you to do is call and have 822 00:48:14,040 --> 00:48:17,359 Speaker 1: this thing happen. There's a phone number two O two 823 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:21,920 Speaker 1: two to four, three one to one. That's the general switchboard. 824 00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:24,680 Speaker 1: If you already know your REPS number, good for you. 825 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:28,160 Speaker 1: If you don't check the show notes, we have resources 826 00:48:28,520 --> 00:48:32,120 Speaker 1: to help you make your first call to Congress, say 827 00:48:32,160 --> 00:48:37,000 Speaker 1: your name, be polite, be direct, be respectful, and let's 828 00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:40,960 Speaker 1: feed this country with the money and the food flowing 829 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:44,799 Speaker 1: through local businesses and local restaurants who are actually on 830 00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:48,680 Speaker 1: the ground. If you take any of these actions reflecting 831 00:48:48,680 --> 00:48:52,080 Speaker 1: on mutual aid, creating or joining a mutual aid effort 832 00:48:52,120 --> 00:48:55,480 Speaker 1: in your community, calling Congress to demand passage of the 833 00:48:55,560 --> 00:48:59,280 Speaker 1: Feed Act, let us know about that. Send an email 834 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:03,040 Speaker 1: to action. How does citizen dot com include feeding ourselves 835 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:06,520 Speaker 1: in the subject line? And if you're feeling real excited, 836 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:08,799 Speaker 1: you can share some of this on social media to 837 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:12,120 Speaker 1: just use the hashtag how to citizen and we will 838 00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:14,479 Speaker 1: lift up as many of those as we can through 839 00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:17,719 Speaker 1: my accounts. If you liked what you've heard here and 840 00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:20,720 Speaker 1: what you've been hearing in this series so far, please 841 00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:24,719 Speaker 1: leave a review in your podcast app of choice, give 842 00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:27,280 Speaker 1: us the good rating if you're feeling that good about 843 00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:30,839 Speaker 1: the show, and stay connected by signing up for my newsletter. 844 00:49:31,239 --> 00:49:34,760 Speaker 1: At barrattune Day dot com, I announced the upcoming shows. 845 00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:37,920 Speaker 1: I provide links to get you into those live tapings 846 00:49:38,280 --> 00:49:40,799 Speaker 1: so you can ask questions and share your thoughts too. 847 00:49:42,239 --> 00:49:45,040 Speaker 1: How does Citizen with Bartune Day as a production of 848 00:49:45,120 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio podcast executive produced by Miles Gray, Nick Stump, 849 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:53,840 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Stewart, and Barrattune Day Thurston, Produced by Joel Smith 850 00:49:54,080 --> 00:50:00,719 Speaker 1: and edited by Justine Smith. 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