Congrats to Brown Girl Farming: One Giant Step for Food Justice

Natasha Bowens (left)

Some ITYC listeners and those who follow on us Twitter, Facebook and Google+,  have probably heard ITYC Radio raving about Natasha Bowens of the ever impressive blog Brown Girl Farming and her equally impressive Color of Food project. We interviewed Natasha back in April for our Earth Day 2012 series while she was on the road doing the Color of Food photo documentary. She's been on the front lines of the food justice movement telling the cross generational stories of  black farmers and other farmers of color who are struggling to maintain a sustainable way to bring our food from farm to table.

Today, Natasha shared the news that she's received some much needed support to continue her work and to finish the project:

With the state we’re in today, it’s no secret that society puts value on the wrong things. Hardly anybody wants to truly help our farmers. Young farmers are struggling to find money for land. And it’s as if folks are trying to get blood from a stone when applying for funding with amazing projects in agriculture and urban food systems that would change the world. 

So you can imagine my despair over the years in asking myself if I could really find the support to do this work. I’ve been caught in the impossible Catch 22 that so many of my fellow activists, farmers and dreamers are caught in: clawing for the time and support to realize our movement’s dreams while facing the nightmares of its reality. 

In short, since Brown Girl Farming and the Color of Food’s inception, I’ve been asking myself “how the hell am I going to pull this off with impact, living as a dirt poor, land-less farmer with no voice to be heard?” 

Then, somehow, you all gave me a voice. A collective voice growing with every farmer and food sovereignty-passionate person that showed interest. You all eased my worry and gave me hope for these crazy project ideas. The support for this documentary getting off the ground poured out in a huge way.
And just when I returned home, trying to make impossible calculations like Mitt Romney on how to close the gap in what is needed to complete this project and publish the Color of Food book, the voice you all created was heard. 

I’m writing all this to say that today the Color of Food received funding that will ensure the completion, the printing and publication of the photo documentary book on farmers of color across this country! Farm Credit has gotten behind us, and I can’t thank them enough.

The hard work is not over yet though and Natasha still needs your support. You can help support farmers and the Color of Food project by donating here.  Congrats to Natasha on this amazing achievement and all the ones to come!