
Artwork by Marcus Hill
Hundreds of farm and food system leaders, public service and nonprofit leaders, local food councils, key partners, and community food advocates from across North Carolina participated in Forging our Food Future: 2023 Community Food Gathering March 15-16 in Rocky Mount, NC.
The Community Food Gathering brought together food system practitioners to explore solutions, learn skills, and strategize around how to create a food system built by us and for us. Along with keynote speakers and workshops, the Gathering also featured additional events in the surrounding area, including a Farm-to-Table Dinner and viewing of the documentary Freedom Hill at Golden Organic Farm in Pinetops, NC and an After Party and StorySLAM held at The Power House at Rocky Mount Mills.
On March 15th, Keynote Speaker Kim Pevia, Founder and Principal of K.A.P. Inner Prizes, Lumbee Tribe, encouraged attendees to ground ourselves and “call in our ancestors” to access the wisdom we need to “…uproot systems and change things that have never even been imagined.” Referencing sheroes Joy Harjo, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Grace Lee Boggs, Pevia offered perspectives and emotional and somatic justice tools to transform our ways of being and of doing our personal and collective work towards living into a just food future.
On March 16th, a Keynote Panel moderated by Jesalyn Keziah, Lumbee Tribe, UNC American Indian Center with panelists David Anderson, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Lariza Garzón, Hispanic Federation; and Samantha “Foxx” Winship, Mother’s Finest Family Urban Farms, explored existing and future work at the ground level, in communities to forge a just food future.
Sixteen workshops and panel discussions featured more than 30 speakers, representing organizations from across the state. Workshop topics included statewide policy and advocacy opportunities, existing community food solutions, opportunities to support growing value chains and local food system infrastructure, creative communications and engagement strategies, and capacity building for our own and our communities’ wellbeing. Find workshop descriptions and speaker bios here and presentations below.
Special thank you to the Rocky Mount Event Center for hosting the conference!
“One of if not the most impactful conferences I have ever attended. To hear the stories shared altered my way of thinking in how I approach situations in my work. It challenged where I am in deconstructing my old ideologies (raised in a small rural NC town). I truly felt at home amongst people who spoke their truths and work every day towards not only a more equitable and just food system, but in every walk of life. Thank you for everything! It was an amazing time surrounded by beautiful people.”
– Gathering participant
Policy
Opportunities to learn and engage with food-related policy and advocacy campaigns, ideas, and actions
Increasing Impact
Skills, techniques, and models to build an organizational culture that creates more equitable outcomes
“Food is a social justice fight and a fight against racism, and we continue that fight by doing events like this and speaking up.”
– Terrence Whidbee, ABC2
Food & Community Health
Case studies, solutions, and analysis of ways to improve health of people, land, and community
Regional Food Economies
New and existing value-based solutions that create wealth throughout local food infrastructure
StorySLAM speakers, 2023 Forging our Food Future Gathering
- Ten incredible storytellers at the Forging our Food Future: 2023 Community Food Gathering on March 15th in Rocky Mount, NC. The participants were provided with the following story prompt:
- Story Prompt: Forging our Food Future. Think of an early or important food memory. What do you want to bring forward from that memory into the work of creating our food future?
Photos By Jamaal Torrence
Jamaal Torrance is a wedding videographer and business videographer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. 5+ years of professional experience with capture and editing in fast-paced environments, such as agencies, media, or design studios.