CALL TO ACTION

Albuquerque, NM | Jun 11-13

Best Practices for Indigenous Peoples and their Communities:
Sharing a Vision for Thriving Children and Youth

Best Practices for Indigenous Peoples and their Communities:
Sharing a Vision for Thriving Children and Youth

Special Guests: Raj Patel and Janet Poppendieck

 

Join on Facebook Live for "Food, Equity & Justice — Live Leadership Matters Roundtable" with Raj Patel & Janet...

Posted by Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance on Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Just a few days after Thanksgiving, a group of prominent authors, activists, food policy experts, academics and others participated in a Leadership Matters Roundtable tackling the global and local intersections of food, justice, equity, and leadership. The roundtable was recorded on Nov. 28 at 1 pm EST or 10 am PST, and was viewed live by the public at go.kfla.org/live.

Special guests include award-winning authors, activists and academics Raj Patel (FCF-08) and Dr. Janet Poppendieck (KNFP-05). The event was sponsored by Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance (KFLA), and hosted by global-local advocate, policy entrepreneur and artist Tanya Dawkins (KNFP 14).

“Leadership Matters is a platform that engages Kellogg Fellows in important issues facing communities in the United States and globally,” explains Tanya. “This time we are delighted to address food equity issues with such renowned voices as Raj and Janet. Both are recognized for their knowledge of food topics ranging from childhood hunger and poverty to the real societal, health and environmental costs of ‘cheap’ food. We look forward to a stimulating discussion with other Kellogg Fellows, and we are delighted that the general public can listen to the discussion.”

Meet Raj Patel and Janet Poppendieck

Raj Patel is an award-winning writer, activist and academic. He is a research professor in the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs at University of Texas, Austin and senior research associate at the Unit for the Humanities at the university currently known as Rhodes University (UHURU), South Africa.

Raj Patel profile photo

His first book was Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. His second, The Value of Nothing, was a New York Times and international best-seller. His latest, co-written with Jason W. Moore, is A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things.

Raj co-hosts the fortnightly food politics podcast The Secret Ingredient with Mother Jones’ Tom Philpott, and KUT’s Rebecca McInroy. He is currently working on a ground-breaking documentary project about the global food system with award-winning director Steve James.

Janet Poppendieck was a professor of sociology at Hunter College, City University of New York since 1976. Recently retired, she is a nationally recognized scholar and activist whose work focuses on poverty, hunger and food assistance in the United States.

Janet Poppendieck Profile photo

She authored several noteworthy books, including her seminal book — Sweet Charity? Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement– published in 1999, which offered an important critique of the policies and responses to hunger in the United States.

Read more about Janet’s work in this far-reaching interview written by another Kellogg Fellow, Dr. Rose Hayden-Smith. Her article discusses social and food equity issues, including the seemingly intractable issue of childhood hunger, school lunch policy, poverty, wage erosion and growing inequality in America.

Committed to Change

As Tanya explains, the strength of the KFLA Leadership Matters program is the diversity of the participants.

“Leadership Matters formats are as diverse as the voice they feature,” says Tanya. “The Kellogg Fellows are activists, entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and change makers committed to helping create more just, equitable and sustainable communities. We encourage the public to listen in to this important discussion.”

Agenda

Saturday, June 11th

2:00PM    Arrival

3:00PM    Welcome and prayer by local indigenous person

3:30PM    Creation of Sacred Space & Personal Introductions

6:00PM    Dinner

7:00PM    *5-Minute Project Presentations (IGNITE format)

Sunday, June 12th

7:00AM    Breakfast

8:00AM    Healing Practice

9:00AM     Remaining Project Presentations

12:00PM    Lunch

2:00PM    Review and refine list of best practices, values, and elements

6:00PM    Dinner

Monday, June 13th

7:00AM    Breakfast

8:30AM    Departure to Sandia Pueblo

8:30AM    Feast Day celebration/activities

4:00PM    Departure to Tamaya Resort and Spa

6:00PM    Dinner and debrief

9:00PM    Closing Ceremony

Highlights

This invitational event was a working gathering of tribal leaders aimed at promoting the well-being of young people that gave Fellows the opportunity to:

  • Exchange your community's best practicies during engaging, IGNITE-style presentations*
  • Create a sacred space and share culturally/spiritually meaningful items
  • Observe local traditions led by a member of the indigenous community
  • Participate in ceremonies, such as the Sandia Pueblo Feast Day

*All participants were required to present at least one best practice used in their community

I hope we can create a sacred space that honors our ancestors and reminds us of our responsibilities to future generations. 

-Debra Harry, Chair of Design Team

Goals

Goals of this event, in support of KFLA's 2016 initiative to improve the lives of youth and children from all backgrounds, included:

  • Forming mutually benefitial relationships with the Native American Fellows in our network (ie. National, Health and Food Fellows)
  • Sharing and exchanging dialogue with them on best practices in Fellows’ communities that provide children and youth with the ability to thrive

Registration

Registration for this event was free and included:

  • Economy class airfare/transportation to Albuquerque, NM
  • Double occupancy lodging for four days at a resort
  • All meals at the resort