Slavery left a bad taste in most African-Americans' mouth when it comes to farming. But as Will Scott points out, when we eat together, we don't fight. This nation needs more small farmers, more people growing food in general - black and white.
About Will Scott, president of the African American Farmers of California:
Will was born in Oklahoma to a family of sharecroppers; his parents moved to Fresno, CA, in the 1940s, where they continued to farm. After enlisting in the Navy, Will served in Vietnam aboard a submarine; later, when he retired, he bought 40 acres near Fresno and began to farm in earnest again. He grows Southern staples such as black-eyed peas and collard greens, which he sells at farmers' markets in Fresno and West Oakland. He is the president of the African American Farmers of California, which runs a 15-acre demonstration and education farm to interest African-American kids in agriculture.
This talk is part of Session One: Meet for TEDxFruitvale, which was held on October 14, 2011 at Mills College in Oakland, CA. The conference's theme was Harvesting Change, and it focused on farmworkers, labor and other social justice movements, and fair labor practices in business. www.tedxfruitva...
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In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)