After our rebrand, the Rainier Beach Seeds of Change Network has felt so much more aligned in the work. We went from youth pressured to change entire systems through the Food Policy Council to centering our strengths and community through the Seeds of Change priorities: 

 

  1. Engaging youth in food systems through community care for farmers 
  2. Local Economy: Operations, Value-Chain, Distribution Supports
  3. Advocacy through education & storytelling on various policy initiatives such as the farm bill, Seattle food action plan, Neighborhood Plan, talk stories

 

One thing that has been sown is youth solidarity in the food system. We’ve been able to share space with so many other youth-led food justice initiatives. Pictured is the SOC team sharing space at the Nourishian Youth Food Justice Panel at the Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands with partners like FEEST Seattle, Young Women Empowered, and the Nourishian Youth cohort. 

 

We held our Youth Food Justice Town Hall on May 4th with all of our partners present with youth sharing so much vulnerability and commitment to climate justice through their own people’s fight for foodways. Our Seeds of Change and Food Justice fellows Omar, M’Bouilee, Elizabeth, Cardin, and Gayatri have spent this summer supporting farmers with harvesting at Horseneck Farm in Kent, Washington every Thursday. We organized a Garden Gremlins Paint Party with the Rainier Beach Urban Farm Youth Stewards at the end of July. We also had the privilege of leading a workshop for FEEST youth about Locally Resisting Environmental Racism this past month. 

 

Lastly, and arguably most exciting, is being knee-deep in our summer Seeds of Change Farmer Talk Story documentary project that is set to be out this fall! We are so excited to share our farmer’s stories and weave the connections we have been making in the food system.

 

-Nurhaliza Mohamath

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