Modern capitalist food systems have become major sources of labor exploitation, poor health, climate change, ecological destruction, profiteering, animal abuse, and cultural erasure. Join us to hear from three innovative speakers about creative ways that communities and workers are reimagining how we grow, distribute and prepare food in the 21st century – and in so doing, are nurturing seeds that could grow into an economically, racially and ecologically just society for generations.

Featured Panelists:

• Jessica Gordon Nembhard, John Jay College, CUNY, and author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice.
• Raj Patel, University of Texas, Austin, co-author of Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice and author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System.
• Rafaela Rodriguez, Worker-driven Social Responsibility Network and Partners for Dignity & Rights
• Moderator: Kesi Foster, Co-Executive Director, Partners for Dignity & Rights.

Jessica Gordon Nembhard is professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College, CUNY. Dr. Gordon Nembhard is a political economist specializing in community economics, Black Political Economy and popular economic literacy. Her research and publications explore problematics and alternative solutions in cooperative economic development and worker ownership, community economic development, wealth inequality and community-based asset building, and community-based approaches to justice. Her most recent book is Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice.

Raj Patel ​​ is an award-winning author, film-maker and academic. He is a Research Professor in the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin and is the co-author of Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice and author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. His first film, co-directed with Zak Piper, is the award-winning documentary The Ants & The Grasshopper. He can be heard co-hosting the food politics podcast The Secret Ingredient with Mother Jones’ Tom Philpott, and KUT’s Rebecca McInroy.

Website: https://rajpatel.org/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raj-Patel/169411481893?ref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_RajPatel

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/915989.Raj_Patel

Rafaela Rodriguez is the Director of Partnerships at the Worker-driven Social Responsibility (WSR) Network. Prior to joining WSR Network staff, Rafaela worked for over seven years in various national and international settings as an advocate working alongside human-trafficking survivors, migrants, and undocumented communities. In 2016, she supported the implementation of the second national WSR-Program in the dairy industry in Vermont and New York. She helped develop the Milk with Dignity Standards Council, the third-party monitor responsible for implementation of the Milk with Dignity Program, bringing dignified living conditions to farmworkers.

Website: https://wsr-network.org/