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While we continue to negotiate a formal deal to create a home base for RootDown LA in the Ralph Bunche house, the LA Community Redevelopment Agency has been nice enough to let us run some programming in this gorgeous little home, just a half block from where we currently operate, at Jefferson High School.
We've been acting as stewards of the house for a couple of months now, picking up the trash, fetching the mail and meeting the neighbors. Now were are slowly getting in, cleaning up and running some of our Youth Leader trainings in the child hood home of Ralph Bunche, American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize.
Last Saturday, Rudy Sanchez from the Environmental Charter High School came to work with our Youth Leaders on their presentation skills. Our kids were amazed to hear that Rudy, who was SO energetic and confident throughout the training, used to completely AVOID any classes where he would be required to speak publicly. He assured them that their willingness, just to step up and attempt to share some of their knowledge in front of a group, was a GREAT start.
We're using this time to amp up for our "You're Gonna Wanna Eat Your Veggies" campaign; new this year, our RootDown staff and Youth Leaders will be delivering cooking, horticulture and healthy food system advocacy classes from the house. We'll also continue creating experiences out in the greater community that inspire people to eat and grow their veggies!
We're knocking out veggie aversions and working to get everyone reconnected to affordable and convenient sources of veggies (and other healthy foods -we're omnivores here!)! And, thanks to a new MAJOR grant from the Network for a Healthy California, and to our partnerships with people and orgs. who already know a lot about growing, distributing, and cooking healthy food in LA, it's going to be a LOT more fun to increase the daily consumption of the fruits and veggies in South LA!
