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Join us for an enlightening discussion with Ashley Drakeford, the visionary behind Capital Market in Capital Heights, MD. With roots spanning six generations in Prince George's County, Ashley's profound commitment to community and social impact shines through her work. Discover how her family history shapes the mission of Capital Market, situated near the site where her ancestors were enslaved, and explore its sustainable approach to addressing food inequality. Ashley shares her daily responsibilities as market organizer and co-owner, along with her plans to expand access to fresh, healthy foods in Prince George's County and beyond. Don't miss this dynamic conversation on community resilience, social justice, and grassroots initiatives with Ashley Drakeford.

Edible Activist launches its exciting 2024 season with a dope episode featuring Maryland native, Sean's Veggie Garden! Sean, a passionate grower and pepper master, is renowned as the ultimate watermelon connoisseur. Join us as hosts Melissa and Falani explore Sean's journey into the world of food cultivation, his deep affection for crabbing, and the sprinkling of nostalgic home-cooked memories. Tune in for a heartwarming and engaging conversation! Be sure to follow us on Instragam: @foodtalksncolor Sean's Veggie Garden: @seans_veggie_garden

Join us as we chat with Juliet "JuJu" Harris, a culinary expert and organic gardener. Inspired by her father's successful management of health conditions through diet and exercise, JuJu emphasizes the accessibility of preparing affordable, healthy meals, drawing on her experiences as a self-taught cook and recipient of food assistance benefits. Culinary education takes center stage in JuJu's work, recognized as a transformative tool for expanding food access and community health. Her community cooking classes address practical topics like eating well on a budget and post-partum nutrition, providing invaluable advice for new mothers. JuJu's cookbook, "Healthy and Homemade: Eating Well On A Budget," now in its third edition, has evolved to meet the dynamic needs of her audience. Discover more about JuJu Harris and her mission at www.nanajujurocksfood.com. Tune in for a enlightening discussion on the synergy of health, food, and community in this episode of Edible Activist!

Join us for this episode as we welcome LaMonika Jones as the new director at DC Hunger Solutions. LaMonika shares her journey combating hunger in Washington, D.C., stressing the importance of avoiding silos in food and advocating for a comprehensive system approach. Our conversation explores the intersection of agriculture in her ambitious agenda, shedding light on the essence of ending hunger. LaMonika passionately emphasizes collaboration, highlighting the significance of working with local officials, advocates, organizational partners, and the community. Join us as we connect the dots between activism, agriculture, and the relentless pursuit of ending hunger in the dynamic landscape of our nation's capital. Let's dive into this insightful dialogue without further ado!

Step into the world of "The People's Market" with us in this episode! Meet the visionary founder, Brandon Starkes, who is reshaping the game with a subscription-based food delivery service sourcing from local black farms and artisans in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Join us for a lively conversation that takes you to Brandon's roots in Prince George's County, where a deep love for agriculture was nurtured by the wisdom of his great grandmother. But we're not stopping there! We'll also dive into the challenges of accessing premium groceries in suburban neighborhoods, explore the variety of products you can find in their subscription box, and unveil the fascinating process of producing over 100 produce boxes every single week. Tune in now and get ready to be inspired by this incredible journey! ----- To ensure you never miss an episode, subscribe to Edible Activist on iTunes and Spotify, and follow us on Instagram: @foodtalksncolor.com for episode drops. For an in-depth look at The People's Market, visit: https://www.thepeoplesmarketdmv.com/

Movements do not have an expiration date! The legacy that our ancestors built rests in the hands of our generation to continue the fight and address the food apartheid that still exists in urban and rural black communities today. In this episode of Cuzzin' Talk - we chat with social change agent and founder, Xavier Brown of Soilful City to unpack the politics behind large organizations that claim to "feed" communities and question why folks are still hungry! We also deep dive into how other countries organize and build around food and farming in comparison to the United States, then pay homage to some of the most notorious, yet underground, black activists who played a pivotal role in feeding and protecting black communities. Throughout the episode, Xavier shares some recommended books (see episode notes). that every black food organizer and advocate should tap into. Grab your herbal tea - you'll want to lean into this episode!

In this episode, Tennessee native, Jarren Hill-Lockridge, also known as the "Woman from the Well '' shares her story and commitment to the Great Ward 8 in Southeast Washington, DC to prioritize health and wellness for the residents. As an advocate for her community, Jarren serves on the Ward 8 Health Council and also helped to build a green space project in Southeast centered around homegrown, local food and wellness. Tap in and listen to Jarren's journey that led her from the south to Chocolate City and the work that she has done to make wellness accessible and equitable.

Communications professional, Brittany Bell Surratt was called back to her family's Mississippi farm in 2020 when a weather disaster almost put the farm at stake for loss. An ice storm swept through their small rural town that killed livestock and disrupted operations. The land was in jeopardy so Brittany knew she had to come home and help dad save the land that had been in the family for generations. She grew up in Mississippi and would spend weekends with her dad showing horses at what she called, "Old McDonald" until she made the big move to Washington, DC to attend Howard University. In this episode, Brittany walks us through her journey of becoming a farmer during the pandemic while balancing her full-time job in D.C, the challenges she faced in working with the USDA, and how she has been able to be an advocate on behalf of black farmers. Tap in!

We are celebrating Women's History month with another episode of Cuzzin' Talk featuring a special guest and the original cousin - Chrissy Sheffey of Charismatic Creations. In this episode we celebrate the accomplishments of one another as creative-preneurs and growing together to make an impact on people and communities. Tune in to hear the inspiration behind Chrissy's Earth Day Weekend events, the importance of connections, our shout outs to other amazing women in food and agriculture and all the laughs and jokes that the cuzzins share in this living room conversation!

Remember Jay-Z's line "nobody wins when the family feuds" in the acclaimed 4:44 album? Well, when family fights over land it can get downright ugly! The cuzzin's Melissa L. Jones and Falani Spivey of Byrd's Nest Box dive right on in and open up about their personal challenges in attempting to acquire land within the family. Falani points out that when we often discuss land loss, many refer to the discriminatory USDA practices, imminent domain, and other racist acts that have swindled black families out of their land, but we forget about the internal family feuds that result in land loss as well. Tune in for this lively Cuzzin' Talk episode!

Melissa L. Jones of the Edible Activist Podcast and Founder, Falani Spivey of Byrd's Nest Box kick off a series of new episodes called Cuzzin' Talk. Both having come from large families who hail from the South, the two always call each other cuzzin' jokingly and swap family stories. Listeners can expect for us to talk about our family traditions, kitchen recipes that grandma and auntie handed down, our family lineage, travels to the South where we unearth so much rich history, and all the things that cuzzin's do best...we share a lot information with each other. This new episode introduces the series and we also get to learn about a huge dinner that Falani curated for her family and ancestors down in North Carolina. Tune in! *This recording was taped at The Line Hotel DC. New episodes will begin in January 2023*

Alexes Haggins, the Owner of Flowers by Alexes, spent a significant part of her childhood working at her dad's floral business on Upshur Street in Northwest, Washington, DC. The Washingtonian remembers being planted at the shop, surrounded by an abundance of flowers, wishing she was playing outside with her friends instead in their Uptown neighborhood. However, this is where Alexes would learn how to clean flowers and witness her dad wear his entrepreneurs hat. Alexes' story is one filled with humble beginnings and reclamation - an inspiring journey that has positioned her to continue her father's legacy by reestablishing the business on the very same street, almost two decades later. Tune into this remarkable episode! This episode was recorded live at The Line Hotel DC.