This month: Black Food Sovereignty & Indigenous Foodways

More than a bag of food...a FREE, immersive monthly series...

Get started on your own food sovereignty journey! The Learning Circle series welcomes Black youth, students, the BFSCN, and community members to the Urban Farm to participate in an afternoon filled with learning and fun!

Join us Friday, September 20th as Black Food Sovereignty initiative teams up with the Indigenous Foodways program to explore and learn aboout some of the traditional foods and medicines we grown on the rooftop

The Indigenous Foodways program aims to promote Indigenous wisdom and traditional agricultural practices through knowledge exchange and community engagement. Indigenous peoples have a historical connection to these lands, having practiced sustainable and regenerative agriculture to protect these lands for generations.

While this program prioritizes Black participation, Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples are always welcome, as are other people of colour and anyone with an interest in learning about Black Food Sovereignty in action.

12:50 PM Urban Farm staff posted to grant access to the building (card access only)

1 :00 PM Program starts with a guided tour of the beautiful DCC Urban Farm rooftop *

1:45 PM Indigenous foodways & medicines

2:30 PM Take home some freshly harvested produce and herbs!

Cost FREE!!!

Location:

Daphne Cockwell Complex (DCC)

288 Church Street, Toronto

8th Floor Urban Farm rooftop

The is an experiential learning opportunity grounded by 4 key pillars of the program: food literacy, food justice, environmental stewardship, community healing. We will discuss topics related to the connections between nutrition and food, physical health and mental well-being while fostering a meaningful sense of belonging. The program focuses on knowledge mobilization as we explore topics such as, Black food histories, urban agriculture, ecological farming practices, plants as medicine, seed saving and more!

• Please dress according to the weather
• Don’t forget to bring a water bottle

Looking forward to meeting YOU on the Urban Farm rooftop!

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Access to the buildings is via card access only, so be sure to arrive before 1:00 PM *
• Pre-registration is mandatory due to building access restrictions and to ensure we know to expect you.
• Registration closes Thursday at 5pm.
• If you require any special accommodation(s), it is important that you email your request in advance and no later than Thursday by 5pm, to help us do our best to meet you needs. Send your request via email: [email protected]

Nicole Austin, Black-led Programs Coordinator and Samantha Williams, Indigenous-led Program Coordinator at the Urban Farm, are very pleased to welcome folks to participate in this immersive learning experience

Nicole is a food justice advocate, environmentalist and geographer who knows nutrition and food are central to individual and community well-being. Therefore, she champions restorative justice, progressive urban planning, environmental stewardship, and community-based initiatives upon which marginalized people can build capacity and become food sovereign on their own terms. Nicole firmly believes positive, sustainable food system transformation comes through collaboration, knowledge-sharing and intentional reconciliation.

Indigenous Led Programs Coordinator Samantha Williams-Barrantes began her work on the Indigenous Foodways Pilot Program at the University Urban Farm in January 2021. When Samantha first visited the farm, she suggested the idea of an Indigenous medicine garden which inspired the beginning of the Indigenous Foodways Program. Samantha has contributed to the research and design of new programs for Indigenous Initiatives at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her current position as Indigenous Led Programs Coordinator at the Urban Farm has allowed her to continue advancing Indigenous led Initiatives across campus.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Daphne Cockwell Complex (DCC), 288 Church Street, Toronto, Canada