As spring was beginning to transition into summer, Slow Food NYC was thrilled to host an esteemed panel of speakers at our 12th annual Food Almanac event. Marisel Salazar—food writer, restaurant critic, cook, and recipe developer based in New York City—hosted a conversation with Karen Washington, activist and founder of Rise & Root Farm, and Matt Jozwiak, founder and CEO of Rethink Food.
The group’s dialogue centered around the theme of “Cautious Optimism.” Despite the challenges that arose during the pandemic, food entrepreneurs and communities have shown tremendous resilience. The panel reflected on successful innovation during the pandemic and articulated their visions for a more good, clean, and fair path forward.
The speakers touched on this country’s two-tiered food system, the role of trust in capital investment into organizations, the unifying potential of social media contrasted with the role of the press, as well as the need for accountability from politicians to communities and organizations. Before there was a vaccine, food was the tool people had to stay healthy. Throughout the pandemic, Karen Washington saw a growing curiosity about healthy food—where it comes from how to grow it, and what it is like to go directly to farmers for your food.
As the pandemic exacerbated and exposed a two-tiered food system, Washington has seen young people ask penetrating and unrelenting questions about access to land, food and water. She has seen communities reclaim their power through entrepreneurship focused on building and reinforcing the community.
She says, “We’d lost that connection when it comes to agriculture. The word ‘culture’ in agriculture was being lost, and now that’s coming back.”
During the pandemic, Matt Jozwiak saw that funds directly invested into restaurants in communities had outsized benefits, not only feeding people in local community centers, but also beautifying communities and promoting local businesses. He saw that real change could be affected at the community level through programming that makes a year-over-year capital commitment to its partners.
Both Jozwiak and Washington agreed that the way forward involved cash injections into community businesses and organizations that would keep the money in the community. Both speakers called on politicians to keep their commitments and on constituents to help hold politicians accountable. While Washington cited the positive unifying opportunities that social media has afforded, both speakers agreed that we can’t rely solely on social media to get the word out. The panel agreed that monetary contributions, engagement from the press, and ongoing commitment to these food entrepreneurs and organizations will drive long-term change.
Watch a full recording of the Food Almanac event here to find out more about the work of Marisel Salazar, Rise & Root Farm, Rethink Food, and the ways you can be involved.
Written by James Mather, Slow Food NYC Volunteer