Connecting the Movements:
Food Sovereignty in Detroit and the Global South
Wednesday, May 27
6-8pm
(With light refreshments from SunflowerMama’s Vegan catering)
Where: University of Michigan Detroit Center, 3663 Woodward Ave, Detroit
Free Parking: A parking deck is located on Parsons St. between Woodward Ave. and Cass Ave. Parking tickets should be validated at the Center’s front desk.
Please join us for an evening of conversation about the growing “food sovereignty” movement in the Detroit region and the Global South. Six speakers will start the conversation based on their perspectives, experiences and work related to food sovereignty in the Global South (Mexico & Brazil) and Global North (Detroit & the broader region), ending with a discussion with the audience about the similarities, differences, and potential for collaboration across the movements. This is part of a kick-off event for a free conference being held May 28th and 29th at the University of Michigan entitled “Food Sovereignty: Local Struggles, Global Movement”.
Speakers:
- Phil Jones is a member of the Detroit Food Policy Council, a chef, a part of the Slow Food Movement, and a local grower.
- Myrtle Thompson is a co-founder and director of Feedom Freedom Growers (FFG) non-profit. She is the director of FFG’s Cook Fresh Program, and is a lifelong detroiter, mother, and grandmother. Myrtle is also a board member of the Bogg’s Center to Nurture Community Leadership.
- Helda Morales is a researcher and professor at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), in Chiapas Mexico. She studies agroecosystems that conserve biodiversity and the environment. She is involved in school and urban gardening movements, teaches about food sovereignty , and works in Chiapas schools on cultural restoration of just and ecologically harmonious food systems.
- Shiloh Maples, MSW works in Detroit with the American Indian Health and Family Services. Her work includes promoting traditional native foods for a healthy diet and traditional dance as a form of physical activity, facilitating nutrition lessons, and coordinating a variety of garden activities.
- Antonio Rafael is a local grower and water rights activist in Detroit.
- Bruce Ferguson conducts research in Central America and southern Mexico on biodiversity, sustainable dairy production, food sovereignty, urban agroecology, and participatory certification of agroecologically produced food. He also collaborates with the the Slow Food chapter of San Cristobal de las Casas.
- Jahi Chappel is Director of Agroecology and Agricultural Policy at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). He has worked with various groups on topics related to food sovereignty, food security and political agroecology, including Via Campesina, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and Growing Hope.
