The youth have been growing food, their knowledge, as well as their hearts this month. The Food and Leadership youth did farm maintenance, and planting with our community crew. They planted tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and kale and seeded cilantro, spinach, and radishes. They also visited our food access partner, Farmshare Austin, and helped them plant cabbage and kohlrabi on their farm. Meanwhile, the South Austin Interns got to learn about Urban Roots’ history and relationship with our community, and how the South Austin Internship program has developed over the years. The Interns also worked on their “Urban Roots Story” for their ongoing meetings with residents who purchase produce from Urban Roots, as well as supporting and enjoying the Dove Springs event “Eggstravaganza” and distributed flyers in the area.
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Have you heard the news? Urban Roots’ 10th annual Tour de Farm event is next month, set for May 11, 2022 from 6-9 p.m. at Meanwhile Brewing! Hurry to get tickets here for this inspiring gathering that will feature a conversation with our community about food and food access led by Urban Roots youth leaders during the farm tour. You won’t want to miss the delicious chef-crafted, farm-to-table dinner featuring Distant Relatives modern African American food and a menu with veggies sourced from Urban Roots farms! The menu will be paired with delectable items from the Meanwhile Brewing taproom and local artisan food and beverage makers. Learn more about the featured chef and beverage makers below.
Our signature event of the year will also include exciting performances by Ray Prim and his band and Chulita Vinyl Club ATX! Plus, attendees will enjoy a South Austin Farm tour, an auction and raffle, lively yard games, and great conversation. Event sponsorships are still available. Contact Development Director Eric Maxson at eric.maxson@urbanrootsatx.org to learn more.
Purchase Tickets or a Table Sponsorship Today!!
Tour de Farm is showcasing James Beard nominee Damien Brockway from Distant Relatives as the headlining chef of the event! Distant Relatives is “inspired by the textures, flavors, heritage and narrative of the African diaspora within the United States.” As a result, they “employ strong elements of Pecan and mixed hardwood smoke, heightened spice profiles, traditional preservation methods and a nose to tail, root to stem approach utilizing products from our local food system. Distant Relatives has and continues to be a project that supports the agricultural, artisan and underserved communities by continued partnerships with local artisans, farmers and likeminded organizations.”
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Urban Roots is excited to announce that tickets are now on sale for the 10th annual Urban Roots Tour de Farm event, which is set for May 11, 2022 from 6-9 p.m. at Meanwhile Brewing! Hurry to get tickets for this inspiring gathering that will feature a conversation with our community about food and food access led by Urban Roots youth leaders. Our signature event of the year will also include exciting performances by Ray Prim and his band and Chulita Vinyl Club ATX that you won’t want to miss. Purchase your ticket or table sponsorships here before they’re all sold out! Plus, event sponsorships are still available! Contact Development Director Eric Maxson at eric.maxson@urbanrootsatx.org to learn more.
The evening will showcase young voices of change and a delicious chef-crafted, farm-to-table dinner featuring Distant Relatives modern African American food and a plant-strong menu sourced from Urban Roots farms. The menu will be paired with delectable items from the Meanwhile Brewing taproom and local artisan food and beverage makers. The benefit evening also include a South Austin Farm tour, an auction and raffle, lively yard games, and great conversation!
Purchase Tickets or a Table Sponsorship Today!
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Today we celebrate Cesar Chávez Day, in honor of the legacy of Cesar Chávez’s tireless work, first as a farmer, and then as labor organizer and Civil Rights leader. He began working on a farm young, and witnessed the oppression Latinx and Filipino-Americans faced, especially by Anglo ranchers and farm owners. He found the injustice around him inexcusable, and utilized nonviolent methods to fight for civil and worker rights, using boycotting and strikes to grab the attention of the nation. Chávez wanted to ensure the United States couldn’t ignore the exploitation of the migrant farm workers who fed them.
Cesar Chávez co-founded the National Farmworker Association (now known as United Farm Workers of America), hand-in-hand with fellow civil rights activist and leader Dolores Huerta and others. It was one of the first successful labor unions for farm workers in America. He’s a true example of grassroots efforts and on the ground activism; he participated in voter drives to being a figurehead in the boycott of grapes, driving potentially more than 17 million Americans and Canadians to join the Delano Grape Strike.
Urban Roots strives to follow in the footsteps of what he’s provided with our holistic approach to what we do. We aren’t just a farm, after all, and we value the people we work with, the youth we empower, and the community we work with. We strive to not just feed our community, but to nourish it, empower it, and help it grow, as our youth and staff grow, and as we grow as an organization.
With the world being what it is right now, we feel our local efforts are more important than ever to ensure our community is nourished, and that we’re connected as a whole. Like Cesar Chávez said, “The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.” Feeding our community is extremely important, and part of what we do, but we cannot forget the power of community, connection, and collective activism.
Learn more about Cesar Chavez Day here.
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It’s been a hustle and bustle sort of month for our youth programs; they’ve been planting for spring and getting out and about in the community! Our Food and Leadership Fellows (FLF) seeded cilantro and spinach, while also getting lettuce, bok choi, kale, tomatoes, and peppers in the ground. FLF and volunteers also managed to plant as many as 3,000 potatoes on the South Austin farm. They also spent time with some of our local partners, Central Texas Food Bank and Farmshare Austin. Meanwhile, the South Austin Interns have been busy, too. The youth distributed 200 flyers for Urban Roots and 200 flyers for Farmshare Austin’s Fresh-for-Less program, hosted a virtual meeting with community members who purchase produce through our partnership with Go! Austin/Vamos! Austin, and have been doing a Photo Voice project using themes of freedom and opportunity. Stay tuned for more updates!
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Amplify Austin Day was a huge SUCCESS! We’re extremely grateful to the 104 donors who helped us raise $25,210, which was above and beyond our $15,000 goal. These generous donations will help fund our summer farm program that we are currently recruiting for, and help us accomplish our mission of community nourishment and youth empowerment. This allows us to purchase everything from seeds and equipment, to funding youth participation awards that they earn for their hard work. Thank you for your support for this year’s Amplify Austin Day; we can’t wait to update you as we roll out our summer farm program. Keep an eye out on our blog, newsletter, and on our social media @urbanrootsatx.
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We made a short video about what we do at here at Urban Roots, and what the experience has been like for alumni, staff, and board members. They discuss what working at Urban Roots was like for them, and how it’s helped them in their own lives. You’ll also hear from our food access partners about how we work together, and how that work helps the community navigate how to overcome obstacles in their food system. Check it out in the video above to see how we’ve grown!
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Video Credit: Embody Media
ICYMI: The 10th annual Urban Roots Tour de Farm event is set for May 11, 2022 from 6-9 p.m. at Meanwhile Brewing! Join us for an inspiring gathering that will feature a conversation with our community about food and food access led by Urban Roots youth leaders. This year’s signature event of the year will include exciting performances by Ray Prim and his band and Chulita Vinyl Club ATX that you won’t want to miss! Learn more about these artists below, and be sure to secure a table or ticket to our event! Sponsorships and table sponsorships are now available with a limited number of tickets on sale in April! Contact Development Director Eric Maxson at eric.maxson@urbanrootsatx.org to learn more.
The evening will showcase young voices of change and a delicious chef-crafted, farm-to-table dinner featuring Distant Relatives modern African American food and a plant-strong menu sourced from Urban Roots farms. The menu will be paired with delectable items from the Meanwhile Brewing taproom and local artisan food and beverage makers. The benefit evening also include a South Austin Farm tour, an auction and raffle, lively yard games, and great conversation!
Purchase a Table Sponsorship or Event Sponsorship Today!
2016 Black Fret Recipient, Ray Prim, is a Singer Soulwriter based in Austin, Texas. His music takes you back to the days when songs were inspiring, meaningful and thought provoking. His tunes are melody-based short stories that anyone can relate to and identify with. It only takes one of his many songs to be instantly hooked. Five words sums it up – Ear Candy for the Soul. Ray will be performing with fellow band members Christina Steele (violin), John Ray (percussion), Brian Mendes (percussion), Adam Prado (bass), Alberto Ferrer (bass), Jason Cherry (bass), Kim Zielnicki (violin), Mike Robledo (vocals), Marianna Tanguy (keys), Courtney Castaneda (Cello), Diana Burgess (Cello) and Cait Coughlan (Viola).
CVC is made up of women, gender-non-conforming, non-binary, LGBTQ+ and self-identifying people of color. CVC launched in 2014 with the context of providing a safe space for empowerment, togetherness, and to utilize music and vinyl as a form of resistance against the erasure of culture. The CVC ATX chapter puts an emphasis on individuals of mixed-heritage combining narratives to speak crucially about intersectional identities. Each Chulita has their own unique identity. They are not to be classified as one nationality or culture; they can be brown, black or white and all shades in between. The unifying denominator is the belief that el disco es cultura and they have established a strong coalition deliberately choosing to only play vinyl with the goal of activating a musical history that might not otherwise be shared in the digital age.
Photographer Credit: Jinni J
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Have you heard the exciting news? The 10th annual Urban Roots Tour de Farm event is scheduled for May 11, 2022 from 6-9 p.m. at Meanwhile Brewing! You’re invited to an inspiring gathering that will feature a conversation with our community about food and food access led by Urban Roots youth leaders. Join us for an evening showcasing young voices of change and a delicious chef-crafted, farm-to-table dinner. Sponsorships and table sponsorships are now available with a limited number of tickets on sale in April! Contact Development Director Eric Maxson at eric.maxson@urbanrootsatx.org to learn more.
The event will include Distant Relatives modern African American food and a plant-strong menu sourced from Urban Roots farms. The menu will be paired with delectable items from the Meanwhile Brewing taproom and local artisan food and beverage makers. The benefit evening also includes:
– a South Austin Farm tour with an artisanal food tasting and signature cocktails;
– a performance by singer and soulwriter Ray Prim and his band;
– Chulita Vinyl Club ATX spinning the cocktail hour – El Disco es Cultura!;
– an auction and raffle; and
– lively yard games and great conversation!
Learn More About Tour de Farm Sponsorship Opportunities!!
This event raises critical funds for Urban Roots as we continue to provide transformational experiences for young people, while growing our footprint to nourish the community. Support Urban Roots and the youth leaders we serve by making this event possible!
This is an outdoor and COVID-conscious in-person event.
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