Governor Newsom Again Fails to Support the Health Equity & Racial Justice Fund
June 30, 2022 Roots of ChangeFor a second consecutive year, Governor Newsom has declined to invest in a Health Equity and Racial Justice Fund to support transformative community-driven change to reduce health inequities and advance racial justice. Despite strong backing from the Legislature, whose members understand the power of direct investment in community-based organizations (CBOs), our request was denied. The […]
Read MoreCalifornia Meat Processing Progress: Time for Change!
September 15, 2021 Roots of ChangeIn another key accomplishment this year, ROC worked with UC Davis Food Systems Lab and a coalition of stakeholders, co-led by our ally CCOF, to produce this white paper related to the challenges and opportunities in the small- and mid-scale supply chain for high quality, healthy meat and poultry. Our report is out and having […]
Read MoreWe are transforming the food system: $1.3 billion in the CA budget!
Roots of ChangeIt takes a movement to transform the food system and ours leaped forward this year. ROC and our AB 125 coalition partners worked closely with Assembly Ag Committee Chair, Robert Rivas (Salinas) to drive home a historic budget request. The list of programs that will be funded by the $1.3 billion in the 2021-22 budget […]
Read MoreProgress, Never Perfection: Preliminary Results from Our California Budget Work
July 2, 2021 Roots of ChangeWow, our fingers are crossed for even more good news. There are a huge number of unknowns still related to our sustainable agriculture requests. There is more clarity around healthy food access. Our hope for $100 million annually for grants to community-level projects via a Healthy Equity and Racial Justice Fund got zeroed out for […]
Read MoreLet’s Feed LA: emergency food relief reveals the power of collaboration
March 20, 2021 Michael R. DimockAt about the time the pandemic hit in March 2020, ROC had entered a partnership with Wholesome Wave to aid them in bringing a new nutrition incentive technology to under-resourced families in Los Angeles and Sacramento counties. But with a request from the Los Angeles County Emergency Food Security Branch, ROC and Wholesome Wave had […]
Read MoreA Resilient and Equitable Food and Farming System in California
March 17, 2021 Roots of ChangeToday, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D- Hollister) made an exciting announcement about a bill he just introduced called the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act (AB 125). If you missed it live, you can watch the press conference here. Roots of Change is a member of the diverse […]
Read MoreAssessing 2020 and Looking Ahead
December 23, 2020 Roots of ChangeRemarkably, the pandemic’s forced isolation has had a silver lining! I sense that as a nation we are quieter, less peripatetic, more rooted in our communities. I see more reflectiveness, interest in dialogue and commitment to antiracism work. More folks are shopping for healthy local food, cooking at home, growing gardens and preserving the harvest. […]
Read MoreReflections on the Moment
November 25, 2020 Roots of ChangeWith over 250,000 Americans dead, family members unable to gather to celebrate, the economic destruction of the pandemic, and a year of racial and political conflict, giving thanks might feel a bit difficult for some. Nevertheless, I would like to share my list of positive developments from this year. I hope you have one too. […]
Read MoreThe Logjam in Meat Processing is Killing Producers & Meat Plant Workers
October 28, 2020 Roots of ChangeLast month I mentioned the tragic events surround the death of poultry processing workers at a Foster Farms plant in California’s San Joaquin Valley. It is a sad fact that along with hospitals, elder care facilities, prisons and homeless shelters, meat processing plants are the work sites with the greatest COVID-19 infection rates. Closely stationed […]
Read MoreReflections on the Moment
September 3, 2020 Roots of ChangeI believe resilience may prove the key word for this century. The word simply means the ability to recover quickly from difficulties. As most will acknowledge, this century will bring plenty from which to recover. Resilience is the response we need. Fortunately, the word is in the air. I read many articles, hear conversations and […]
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