11/16/2023
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ก๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐
๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต
Deep in our hearts, we carry the weight of profound grief for all the lives lost to US-backed imperialism in Palestine and globally. Our commitment remains unwavering to fighting for all oppressed people’s liberation, freedom, and sovereignty through these troubling moments. We profoundly believe all forms of oppression are interlocking, and our liberation is bound together. We have linked our complete solidarity statement here.
๐๐ฆ ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ฑ-๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด!
While the monthly newsletter is a great way to get updates, we wanted another way to connect with our community and supporters. We hope op-eds will give you a fuller picture of what we’re working through and thinking about. Read our first op-ed and stay tuned for more. Follow us on LinkedIn to be the first to see when they’re released!
๐๐ช๐ต๐บ๐ธ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐จ๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ
Citywide students recently wrapped their final program offering, Seminar. We are incredibly proud of the participants, their projects, and the seeds they’ve planted for their futures. Curious about their projects? We’ve linked one here by student, Monie Seto.
๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ด๐ช๐ค๐ด
Co-facilitators Rayland, Zach, Kim, and OA Cole led a modified high tunnel build at the Pleasant Village Community Garden, completing the challenging build with lots of support. One of the students, Sister K, filmed most of the build, and her footage is linked here.
๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ซ
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐๐น๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฅ
The USDA extended the application deadline to Saturday, January 13th, for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP). This program offers financial assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced USDA farm lending discrimination prior to 2021. Those who did not apply due to fear of discrimination may also be eligible.
If you’d like to start looking over the application and/or complete it on your own, visit DFAP Online Application. The documentation checklist for interested applicants can be viewed here. Visit How Do I Apply for more information. The final date to submit an application is Saturday, January 13th, 2024.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ’๐ด ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ท๐ฆ๐ด๐ต
Black VegFest is back with its annual People’s Harvest on Thursday, November 23rd, starting at 12pm in Brooklyn, NY. Black Vegfest will serve free vegan food, share goods, and provide a safe space for all to share, join, and be in community with each other.
Black VegFest seeks volunteers and asks dedicated folks to assist in their food giveaway. Culinary experience and vehicles for transporting items are a plus. Direct questions to francis@gamenyc.org or info@blackvegfest.org. Here are the links to volunteer, donate and RSVP.
๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ‘๐๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ’๐ด ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด’
The USDA launched a Peopleโs Garden Initiative in partnership with Just Food. They will work together to award funding to several NYC community gardens. Gardens who have previously not applied for or received similar funding are encouraged to apply. Up to $10,000 is available to take your garden to the next level!
Learn more by watching this video.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ค๐ณ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด
USDA Microloans are available for Urban Farms. Farmers can use USDA farm ownership microloans to buy and improve property. Microloans can help with farmland and building purchases and soil and water conservation improvements. FSA designed the expanded program to simplify the application process, expand eligibility requirements, and expedite smaller real estate loans to help farmers strengthen their operations. Microloans provide up to $50,000 to qualified producers and can be issued to the applicant directly from the FSA. Contact 680 895-0228 or visit fsa.usda.gov/microloans for more information.
๐๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐ด ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ด๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด
We’re excited to announce the upcoming Winter Business Skillshares Series. This series aims to share knowledge and skills on crucial aspects of business, catering specifically to Black Farmers.
Today, we want to see who in our community is interested in participating in this series as a paid co-facilitator or co-educator. If you have expertise in Co-Ops, Finding Funding, Finances, Marketing, Operations, Human Resources, Land Access, or Food Policy, we want to hear from you! To share interest, fill out this form.
๐๐ฏ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ซ๐ฆ: ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด
Enjoy food, drinks, and vibes as Deep Routes uplifts Haiti, Haitians, and Haitian foodways. Join to celebrate the launch of An Manje: A Celebration of Haitian Foodways alongside an exclusive screening of the multimedia anthology!
This in-person event will be held at Mayday Space in Brooklyn, NY, on Friday, December 8th, from 6:30-10pm.
For Community Care COVID-19 Protocols, please see FAQ.
Find General and Special Admission tickets here.
๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ท๐ช๐ด๐ฐ๐ณ๐บ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐๐ณ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐จ๐ณ๐ช๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ท๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ
Urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders are invited to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on Wednesday, November 29th from 1-3pm.
Learn more and register here.
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The next public Urban County Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 18th, from 5-7pm. This meeting will be virtual through Microsoft Teams. Email ana.villamil@usda.gov for the link.
For questions, comments, or more information about Farm Service Agency programs, please reach out to Mirem Villamil, Urban County Executive Director, at ana.villamil@usda.gov or 680 895-0228.
๐ญ๐ผ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP to afford food for themselves and their families. In March of this year, many saw a significant drop in their monthly federal benefits following the end of SNAP Emergency Allotmentsโtemporary benefit increases that Congress enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. With food insecurity on the rise, The NY Food Policy Alliance is calling on New York State to support an adequate minimum SNAP benefit of $100 per month in the 2024-2025 Executive Budget.
Help call your state representatives today! New York Assemblymembers and Senators can write what is known as a ‘Legislator Letter’ from the Legislature to the Governor, asking to include a funding priority in the upcoming budget. Can you make two calls to ask your representatives to sign on right now?
Make two phone calls to your State Senator & State Assembly member asking them to sign on to this Legislator Letter and cosponsor A06214/S7663 by Friday, November 17th. Click here to locate and find the phone number for both your State Senator & State Assembly member. If you need a call script, please reach out!
๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐
โข NEFOC – Bridge Team Coordinator
โข Wildseed – Operations Co-Director
โข Edible Schoolyard- Assistant Garden Manager
โข Glynwood- Vegetable Apprenticeship
โข RAFI- Grasroots Engagement Lead
