Community Vision’s six-part podcast series “The Food Future is Here” is a powerful take on how the California FreshWorks community is changing the food system. The series, hosted by Leticia Corona, a small business advisor, and Ome Quetzal Lopez, a social commentator, centralizes the voices of BIPOC-owned small businesses and community-centered food system advocates. Together we are paving the way toward an equitable and sustainable food system. Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on our website.
Episode 1: Examining the Impacts of the California FreshWorks Program
In this episode we interview Esperanza Pallana, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Community Vision and Administrator of California Freshworks, and Mariela Cedeño, Interim Director of Mandela Partners. This episode highlights the California FreshWorks program’s equity criteria, diverse community partnerships, and its collaboration with Mandela Partners. We share insights about the program’s evaluation and impacts as they relate to people’s lives and community accountability.
Episode 2: Community Ownership of the Food System
In this episode we interview Neil Thapar, Co-Director of Minnow, a project focused on advancing land justice and belonging in California, and Andrea Talley, a Co-Owner of Mandela Grocery Cooperative. We discuss why food cooperatives and grocery stores co-owned by people of color are important to building community wealth and essential to creating equitable access to healthy, affordable and culturally relevant foods.
Episode 3: Community-Centered Business for Healthy People & Economy
In this episode we interview Miriam Martinez, Owner and Founder of La Jacka Mobile, and Nydia Cárdenas, a consultant. They share how they are working together to expand La Jacka Mobile’s reach and mission of providing affordable Mexican vegan and healthy food options to communities across California’s Central Valley. This episode is in Spanish. Este episodio esta en español.
Episode 4: Central Valley Investment in the Food System
In this episode we interview Isabella Guzman, Director, Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development and Esperanza Pallana, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Community Vision and Administrator of California FreshWorks. We discuss practical steps to investing in equitable and sustainable food systems and the importance of supporting entrepreneurs of color and BIPOC-owned small businesses in California’s Central Valley.
Episode 5: COVID Business Impacts & Recovery
In this episode we interview Rani Langer-Croager, Co-Founder and CEO of Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative, formerly Uptima Bootcamp, and Daniel Tellalian, Founder and CEO of Angel City Advisors. Together we explore how businesses have shifted their operating models and highlight some successful approaches to weathering the unpredictable economic climate.
Episode 6: California FreshWorks Ecosystems
In this episode we interview Anthony Chang, Founder and Director of Kitchen Table Advisors, and Genoveva (Veva) Islas, Founder and Director of Cultiva La Salud. They share their inspiring stories of how they have built and sustained a resilient regional food ecosystem that focuses on equitable access to healthy foods in low-income communities.
