Latest stories, research,  and happenings for the Growing Roots community!
Illustrated thank you card from a child
Heartfelt and hand-drawn thank you card to Mandela Partners for emergency service relief
In this issue:
  • East Bay urban farming project team message for Black Lives Matter
  • Partner Profile: Mandela Partners, shifting in service to their communities
  • Community events and job announcements
Got news?  If you're receiving this, you're doing work we'd like to share with our 800+ person network.  Please send your news, events and job opening s to [email protected] . 

Share your story!  Partner Profiles (re-)introduce you and your farm to the East Bay community. Please let us know if you'd like us to feature your work in an upcoming issue. 
Email Marit Doshi (Growing Roots Project Manager) at [email protected] and let's talk!

Sustainable East Bay Urban Farming project team's message for Black Lives Matter
As a team of academics and practitioners working together on an urban agriculture and food security project in the San Francisco East Bay Area, we wish to express our outrage and sorrow over the recent murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and other Black Americans. These murders were enabled by the systemic racism embedded in our nation's cultures, governance structure, and economies.


Below, we highlight some of the Black-owned and -led urban farms and farming groups here in the East Bay and encourage you to support them as neighbors, businesses, and community partners. To call in more, please email us at [email protected].

We also want to draw your attention to this resources doc from Sustainable Economies Law Center (shared with permission) highlighting Black-led land justice organizations, from the local to national levels, and supporting political education learning.
To our BIPOC partners: thank you for all that you do. 
Partner profile: Mandela Partners
Swiftly changing to be in service to their communities during crisis
For over 15 years, folks at Mandela Partners have supported an East Bay regional food
Three staff members posing with their food offerings
Mandela Community Meals Partner - Thank Que Grill
system that serves local farmers of color and low-income, low-access communities. Via its food hub - Mandela Produce Distribution - Mandela Partners sources sustainably grown-produce from local growers and distributes through a network of food access programs, independent grocery stores, and community-based businesses.  But when the pandemic hit in March, they had to change up their model and fast.They re-focused their efforts on providing free CSA-style produce bags and produce-based meals which meant reconfiguring their warehouse and repurposing partners' restaurant kitchens. They still play their role as a trusted, caring food distributor and community-connector, but how that is expressed shifted in a big way. Interim Executive Director, Mariela Cedeño, chalks up Mandela Partners' ability to quickly meet their communities' changed needs to their deep, multi-year relationships in the local food system -- community groups, local businesses and small growers, and even funders -- and to their organizational culture that prioritizes equitable community-based work.

Read on...
Events & Happenings
Organic Gardening and Revolutionary Politics
Only two sessions left! This Thursday 23rd and next. Led by Antonio Roman-Alcalá, this course (four total) combines short (15 minute) lectures on basic organic gardening techniques with short lectures on topics of politics, from a radical revolutionary perspective. Based on these presentations, participants will be able to ask questions of the presenter, and to discuss their own perspectives on these topics and issues. The class offers a chance for participants to learn, to share, to think, and to prepare for an uncertain future. 
All proceeds benefit North Oakland community space  PLACE for Sustainable Living.
When: July 23rd & July 30th at 12:00PM
Where: Virtual!
Suggested donation: $10-40
Register  here

Run4Salmon 2020 
The 2020 Run4Salmon has begun! Chief Caleen Sisk of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe is leading a prayerful journey to restore salmon runs, protect waters, and indigenous lifeways. This year, the emphasis is mostly on virtual participation with some in-person events that are physically-distanced and number-limited. "We will walk, run, bike, boat, sing, dance and pray to restore the salmon and bring them home." The run started in Northern California in Winnemem Wintu territory and will end on August 2 in Ohlone territory here in the Bay Area. 
This year Run4Salmon has created at-home mini-lessons for teachers, parents, and any resident of the focal watersheds. Check them out here!
When: July 17-Aug 2

To share more relevant East Bay urban food community events, trainings, workshops, and other happenings, email  [email protected]. The next newsletter will come out two months from now.
Jobs &  Opportunities
Ashland Entrepreneurship Associate at Mandela Partners
Part-time, paid positions (Ashland, CA). See here.
Due Aug 8

Lead Farmer & Garden Co-Manager positions at Urban Tilth

Multiple positions through Imperfect Foods
Local paid positions in executive, grocery, customer care, HR & more (San Francisco, CA) and remote paid positions in business intelligence & engineering (remote) 

Labor and Climate Policy Specialist at UC Berkeley
Full-time, paid positions (Berkeley, CA).  See here.
Open until filled

Two tailored grant opportunities through Western SARE
The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education program ( Western SARE) has two tailored grant opportunities open. One for agricultural professionals to help them spread knowledge about sustainable agriculture concepts and practices ( due Nov 12), and the other 'grass roots' program for agricultural professionals, farmers, ranchers and others to increase their understanding and proficiency in sustainable agriculture ( due Nov 18).

To share job postings with the Growing Roots network (800+ subscribers!), email
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This newsletter is a project of Growing Roots and the Berkeley Food Institute.