We Can Be Podcast - The Heinz Endowments

Leah Penniman, “Farming While Black” author, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm and Heinz Award for the Economy honoree has a deep commitment to sharing regenerative farming best practices and land stewardship with Black, Indigenous and people of color. Addressing racism and injustice in the food system is a central focus of her work. “When I was a young farmer growing up in the mid-90s and attending agricultural conferences and trainings,” Leah tells host Chris DeCardy, “it was very rare to see someone who looked like me or reflected my heritage, especially among leaders and experts.” Based in Petersburgh, NY, Soul Fire Farm started as an 80-acre family farm and has since blossomed into a nonprofit training center for Black and brown people to reconnect with the land and equip them with the skills needed to become leaders in the farming and food justice movement. Whether in her books – “Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists” and “Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guid