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Food Workers are Essential Workers and Deserve to be Safe at Work!
By Jose Oliva, Campaigns Director, HEAL Food Alliance Last month, the HEAL Food Alliance co-organized with workers and safety advocates around the country for a National Day of Action, calling on President Biden to expand COVID-19 safety protections to essential workers across all industries. In early June, the Biden administration issued an Emergency Temporary Standard […]
Five things I learned from HEAL’s SoPL Cohort
By Marlene Manzo, Political Leadership Coordinator I began working with the HEAL Food Alliance as the Political Leadership Coordinator in February 2021. A big part of my job, which I was really excited about, was helping to coordinate the School of Political Leadership (SoPL)! The 2021 cohort is my first example of what the SoPL […]
Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: Congress Passed Aid for Farmers of Color. Now, we need follow through.
For immediate release: June 17 2021 Contact: Kara Watkins-Chow, kara.watkinschow@berlinrosen.com Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: Congress Passed Aid for Farmers of Color. Now, we need follow through. Statement by the HEAL Food Alliance & Members & Allies (June 17, 2021) Last week, a federal judge in Wisconsin issued a temporary restraining order preventing the United States […]
Our Vision & Path: Reflections on Session 5 of HEAL’s School of Political Leadership
By Zoe Hollomon, Organizing Co-Director, MN Lead, Pesticide Action Network, North America I have been a big fan of the HEAL Food Alliance for years. I learned about the School of Political Leadership from a couple of Food Justice organizer friends, Miah Ulyssee and Rebekah Williams, who were both part of HEAL’s first SoPL cohort. Participating […]
Land is Liberation: Reflections on Session 4 of HEAL’s School of Political Leadership
By Richard Morris Land is Liberation. When I first heard those words from a local Black farmer, I could not have guessed that they would become our North Star, steering Cultivate Charlottesville on a direct path to HEAL’s School of Political Leadership. We had an ambitious plan. In partnership with residents, we want our city […]
Deconstructing Power: Reflecting on Session Three of HEAL’s SoPL
In April, the HEAL Food Alliance brought together our four teams of 14 SoPL leaders for a dynamic session on Power Analysis & Campaign Strategy Development. For this session, we engaged the expertise of HEAL’s Campaigns Director Jose Oliva, who led the group through power mapping exercises and a discussion on deconstructing power to win […]
CoFED is ushering in a QTBILPOC-led future for our food economies
This year marks 10 years since HEAL member CoFED has been working with young people across the country to build knowledge, inspire action and realize our shared dreams for a community controlled food system. CoFED has been a member of HEAL since early 2019, and this month, as we reflect on the fourth plank of […]
Personal Stories to Collective History: Reflecting on Session Two of HEAL’s SoPL
By Elizabeth Esparza, HEAL SoPL Leader & Member of the Good Food Oakland SoPL Team Storytelling was at the heart of the HEAL School of Political Leadership’s Session 2. Remembering, roots, mother, grandma, connecting, characters, kitchen table, community, culture, vulnerability, emotions, oral history, beads. These are just some of the words that came to mind […]
Looking Forward: HEAL Kicks off Year Three of our School of Political Leadership!
By Marla Karina Larrave, Political Education Director Last July, when we wrapped up a successful 2nd year of our School of Political Leadership, the world as we knew it had changed. Alongside a global pandemic, 2020 made it very clear that the threats of white supremacy and climate chaos would bring to light a massive […]
HEAL Food Alliance & People’s Action Statements on the Confirmation of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture
On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed former Iowa governor, Tom Vilsack, as Secretary of Agriculture. This is Vilsack’s second time leading the Department of Agriculture (USDA), having done so first from 2009 to 2017 during the Obama administration. In response to Secretary Vilsack’s confirmation, Navina Khanna, Executive Director of HEAL Food Alliance issued the following statement: “The […]