About Dr. Batiste

Dr. Columbus D. Batiste is a board-certified Interventional Cardiologist and Regional Chief of Cardiology for Southern California Permanente Medical Group. In 2010, Dr. Batiste sought to break-the-cycle of prescriptions and procedures as the sole management of chronic disease and began promoting a long-term solution for his patients through nutrition, stress reduction, and exercise. In 2016 Dr. Batiste led a group that collaborated with Samsung Technologies and developed a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program utilizing a Samsung wearable. Since its launch the program, which applies the principles of lifestyle, has treated over 15,000 patients. Understanding that the health of an individual is uniquely tied to their community, Dr. Batiste collaborated on the formation of a non-profit organization called the Healthy Heart Nation. The mission of Healthy Heart Nation is to improve the health of the community by narrowing disparities in education, business, justice, and ultimately health otherwise described as social determinants of health. Dr. Batiste is a passionate advocate for lifestyle lecturing across the nation and internationally on the power of plant based nutrition. His anticipated first book entitled SELFish: A Cardiologist Cure to A Stressed and Broken Heart is expected in the spring of 2023. Learn more about Dr. Batiste and his work at https://www.thehealthyheartdoc.org/ and https://www.myhhn.org/.

About Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice. Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements.The program covers important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges. Visit our website at https://www.fjpodcast.com/ to subscribe to the podcast, watch or listen to past episodes, and access our social media.

Bonnetta Adeeb is the founder & president of STEAM ONWARD, Inc, a non-profit 501(c3) organization in southern Maryland, as well as the projects: Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA) and Ujamaa Seeds. UCFA is a collective of emergent and seasoned growers who cultivate heirloom seeds and grow culturally relevant plants for food, healing, and textiles. Ujamaa recognizes the need for increased diversity in farming and the seed industry, and the need to provide more opportunities and support for growers from historically oppressed and marginalized communities. To this end the UCFA is working to bridge the gap between prospective growers and seed companies. In addition, she works with the Cooperative Gardens Commission to distribute free heirloom seeds to communities in need serving 300 seed hubs nationally. January 12, saw the launch of a new Black Indigenous led project. Ujamaa Seeds is and online store cultivating and distributing culturally important seeds to increase diversity in the seed industry. Learn more about Bonnetta and her work at https://ujamaafarms.com and https://ujamaaseeds.com.

 About Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice. Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements.The program covers important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges. Visit our website at https://www.fjpodcast.com/ to subscribe to the podcast, watch or listen to past episodes, and access our social media.

About Providenza Rocco

Providenza Rocco, JD MSW, MBE is committed to highlighting the systemic injustices that have prevented thousands from freely enjoying healthy food option. Enza has made a life-long commitment as an ally to learn accurate history and work to identify, dismantle, and decolonize systems of oppression that continue to devalue and limit opportunities for growth in dense, disparate, and urban places like North Philadelphia. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when food insecurity peaked as supply chains were stressed, Enza’s training as a social worker enabled her to address nutritional scarcity and connect individuals in Philadelphia and in counties surrounding Philadelphia with food and other life-sustaining supplies including baby formula, dog food, and diapers. Since 2017, Enza has been working with Farm to Families, a food insecurity program that brings organic, local fruit and vegetables to North Philly residents at low- or no-cost. Learn more about Enza and her work at https://providenza.net/ and https://www.facebook.com/FarmtoFamilies/.

About Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice. Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements.The program covers important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges. Visit our website at https://www.fjpodcast.com/ to subscribe to the podcast, watch or listen to past episodes, and access our social media. 

About Chloë Waterman:

Chloë Waterman currently serves as the senior program manager for Friends of the Earth’s Climate-Friendly Food Program where she leads Friends of the Earth’s policy and markets campaigns to advance a healthy and climate-friendly food system.

About Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders:

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice. Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements.The program covers important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges.

This Week's Guest

Dr. Lakshman Mulpuri, MD, Chief Executive of PlantsNourish

About Dr. Mulpuri

Dr. Lakshman (Lucky) Mulpuri graduated from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University's School of Medicine. He has served as managing director for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Auntie Na’s Village in Detroit, President of the Plant-Based Nutrition Group (PBNG), and is currently the Chief Executive of PlantsNourish. He has been intimately involved in policy initiatives spanning the local, state and federal levels particularly focused on communities of color. He also developed and implemented the first-ever mandatory plant-based medical curriculum for all 300 1st year medical students at Wayne State. Dr. Mulpuri's work has been featured in VegNews, Forks Over Knives, and numerous newspapers and television stations. As a community activist and a doctor, he is a strong proponent of the benefits whole-food plant-based nutrition has for the community and the patients he serves.

 About Food &  Justice w/ Brenda Sanders

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice. Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements. We will cover important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges.

Join the co-founders of Vegan Soulfest, Brenda Sanders and Naijha Wright-Brown to learn about the exciting plans for Vegan SoulFest's long awaited return -- this weekend!

Vegan SoulFest, Baltimore’s premier vegan food and music festival is returning this weekend, Friday, August 19 to Sunday, August 21, after a two year COVID hiatus! This year the festival is  expanding to three days this year to give attendees more time to indulge in plant-based eats and treats, take in even more information about the benefits of a vegan and sustainable lifestyle, vibe to live music from national and local artists each day from our main stage, and so much more! Vegan SoulFest is also sharing its festival grounds with We Give Black Fest, powered by CLLCTIVLY. What does this mean? Even more content for the three days that provide insight into how to effectively uplift and make real change in your communities! 

Special Offer  - Thursday, August 18 only! Attend Vegan SoulFest for 50% off the normal price! Go to https://www.vegansoulfest.com/tickets/, select the ticket option you prefer, and enter discount code VSF50.

Volunteer for FREE Attendance: Vegan SoulFest needs volunteers to help fulfill our commitment to minimizing waste by recycling and composting. We find that the most efficient way to do this is via staffed trash stations where festival attendees are guided by volunteers who direct their waste to the correct bins, avoiding contamination. Anyone who commits to a four hour volunteer shift is entitled to free attendance at the festival for the remainder of that day, both before and after your volunteer shift. You can take advantage of this offer on one, two, or three days. If you'd like to volunteer, fill out this form.

We look forward to seeing you at the festival

In this episode, Brenda interviews Dr. Christina Schiavoni, PhD, longtime food sovereignty activist and senior communications coordinator for Grassroots International.
 
 About Dr. Christina Schiavoni, PhD

Christina M. Schiavoni is Grassroots International’s Senior Communications Coordinator. A longtime food sovereignty activist, she was involved in the founding of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance and the Food Sovereignty Prize and the establishment of the Civil Society and Indigenous People’s Mechanism of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security. She has worked in partnership with social movements across the globe. She holds masters and PhD degrees from the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands. Her research, based in Venezuela, focused on co-generation of knowledge by and for social movements. Passionate about the intersection of communications and movement-building, she is excited to contribute to Grassroots International in this area.

About Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice.

Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements. We will cover important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges.

Visit https://www.fjpodcast.com/ to subscribe to the show on your favorite video streaming or podcast platform and to watch and listen to past episodes.

Join Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders for our first full-length interview of Season 2, featuring Tracye McQuirter, MPH 

Premiering Friday, July 22, 5:30 PM EDT / 2:30 PM PDT


About Tracye
 
 Tracye McQuirter is a 34-year vegan, best-selling author, award-winning public health nutritionist, and vegan trailblazer. She is the founder of 10 Million Black Vegan Women and the author of By Any Greens Necessary and the African American Vegan Starter Guide and co-author of Ageless Vegan.  The New York Times called her work a key reason for the popular rise of veganism among African Americans—who are the fastest growing vegan demographic in the U.S. She's spent the past 30 years teaching people how to go vegan for life and loves doing it.

About Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders

Food & Justice w/ Brenda Sanders is a weekly online video series and podcast that tackles issues of food access, environmental justice, health disparities, dietary racism, and other topics related to food and justice. Food & Justice features 1 hr pre-recorded interviews, panel discussions and conversations with activists, thought leaders, experts and influencers working on the front lines of food, environmental and social justice movements. We will cover important and timely topics from a socially conscious, non-oppressive perspective, exploring real world solutions to pressing global challenges.

Visit http://fjpodcast.com to subscribe to the show on your favorite video streaming or podcast platform and to watch and listen to past episodes.

Among Tracye's Accolades and Accomplishments

• Received Compassionate Vegan Living Award from Farm Sanctuary
• Received U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame Award
• Received Vegan Soul Superstar Award from Vegan Soulfest
• Received Distinguished Alumni Award from Sidwell Friends School
• By Any Greens Necessary cited by The New York Times as a key reason for the popular rise of veganism among African Americans during the past decade
• Named a national food hero changing the way America eats for the better by Vegetarian Times
• Featured in PBS Women Thought Leaders Series
• Ageless Vegan received starred review by Library Journal, which stated the book "raises the standard of plant-based cuisine"
• Ageless Vegan was twice the number one best-seller in vegan cookbooks on Amazon in 2018 and 2020
• Featured in The Invisible Vegan documentary
• Featured on the cover of Barefoot Vegan and Natural Awakenings magazines
 • Directed the first federally funded vegan nutrition program in the U.S., the VSDC Eat Smart Program
 • Co-created one of the earliest vegan websites in 1997, which was also the first vegan website by and for African Americans, blackvegetarians.com 
 • Co-founded an animal rights organization in 2000 for people of color, Justice for All Species
 • Co-founded the Black Vegetarian Society of New York
 • While in college, co-founded We Feed Our People, a 32-year nonprofit that organizes the now largest Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday Day of Service event in Washington, DC, providing food and services to unhoused residents