The first part of our two-part virtual dialogue series aims to raise conversation about issues related to food, hunger, and the environment by creating an opportunity to listen to people directly involved in these topics. Just in Lynn and Johnson counties, thousands of adults and children struggle with having enough nutritional food to eat. Yet, collaborative projects like those represented on the panel provide important clues about addressing these issues. This talk with feature an hour-long moderated conversation and fifteen minutes for Q/A to help us understand our food systems. The conversation will include three leaders discussing their work at farms and nonprofits in east central Iowa:
First, Brandi Janssen is a Clinical Associate Professor in the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health. Brandi will discuss ethnographic research into small farms in Iowa and her experiences directing Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health.
Second, Míchi López is the Access and Equity Coordinator at the nonprofit Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development (IVRCD) and its project Grow: Johnson County. Míchi will talk about this organization’s efforts to assess food-related resources and teach people to grow food through hands-on experience.
Third, Carter Oswood is the Executive Director for the nonprofit Feed Iowa First. Carter will teach us about how the organization collaborates with local groups for space to garden and supply residents with food.
Moderator: Tyler Snelling is a fifth year PhD student at the University of Iowa in Communication Studies. He brings experience over the summer with the NCSML’s gardens and research into food and community development to the conversation.