Join us for a dynamic and hopeful conversation about the future of food in our region. For years, many of us have worked tirelessly to serve families in need through food pantries, mutual aid, and emergency relief. But what if we could go further? What if we could build a system where everyone has not just access to food, but the income, dignity, and stability to choose fresh, delicious, locally grown food for themselves and their families?

In this breakout session, we will explore a bold and practical vision of food sovereignty rooted in economic justice. Together, we’ll look at how full employment, worker-owned cooperatives, and strong wages and benefits can transform our communities, shifting us from a model of scarcity and charity to one of abundance and self-determination.

Grounded in real-world examples and regional possibilities, this session will invite participants to imagine and help shape a Hudson Valley where local farms thrive, workers are empowered, and every household can participate fully in a vibrant, equitable food economy.

Come ready to think big, share your experiences, and be part of building a future where everyone truly has enough.

Panelists:

Henry Corsun (He/Him), Good Food Farmers Network

Henry founded Good Food Farmers with his partner Sara and several farming peers in 2014 in an effort to expand the reach of local farms, bring good food to more people, promote regenerative farming practices, and build a more resilient food system. Henry continues to manage Good Food Farmers with a great team and also operates Dog Wood Farm and Rock City Mushrooms.

Michelle Hughes, Glynwood Center

Michelle is the Associate Director of Regional Food Programs at the Glynwood Center in Cold Spring, NY. This role allows Michelle to use her passion for connecting diverse people with varied experiences to create a more just and resilient food system in the Hudson Valley. At Glynwood, Michelle co-manages the Food Sovereignty Fund, and leads the “CSA is a SNAP” and “Regional Food for Health” programs. Prior to working with Rolling Grocer 19,  Michelle was the Director of Investments and Partnerships for the National Young Farmers Coalition, and for 10 years directed a program at GrowNYC where she helped 20 immigrant families establish independent farm businesses on a combined 400 acres. Michelle and her husband also run Reclamation Herb Farm, a medicinal herb farm at their home in Germantown, NY.

Michael Capers, Sweet Freedom Farm

Growing up in a food desert, Michael was only able to understand food as a tool for survival. Over time, Michael started to see food for what it truly is, a tool to heal and resist.  Through his work as a farmer, activist, and community bridge builder at Sweet Freedom Farm, he seeks to give marginalized people, including those incarcerated, agency in defining their own health through education, opportunity, and access. Michael became active in the food justice movement while he was serving his 14-year prison sentence. He doubled down on his efforts immediately after his release in February of 2022.

Ruby Olisemeka, Free People’s Market

Ruby Olisemeka is an independent educator/consultant focused on socially transformative education; food justice; and the inclusion of African and indigenous practices in farming – as well as food and farming pedagogy. She began her farming career as an apprentice at Stone Barns (2011) and has since built numerous school and urban gardens in lower Westchester and Harlem. Ruby has over ten years’ experience educating children and young adults. She has worked as an educator at Edible Schoolyard NYC, Harlem Grown, as well as other institutions, including public and private schools. She is a facilitator with Farmschool NYC – an urban agriculture training program for adults.

She initiated and is a part of a grassroots community effort, “The Free Peoples Market,” whose mission is to bring local organically grown food to Mount Vernon residents at no or low cost (a “pay-what-you-can” model).

Antonia Estela Perez, Herban Cura

Antonia Estela Perez is a Chilean-American clinical herbalist, gardener, educator, and community organizer. Born and raised in New York City, in a first-generation household that nurtured the values and principles of nature appreciation, land tending, interdisciplinary education, and social justice—Antonia’s lifelong passion for plants helps to bridge the relationships between rural and urban spaces. Antonia facilitates classes and produces events as the founder of Herban Cura: a healing justice herbalism and ecology school which centers the knowledge and stories of Indigenous, Black, Queer, and Trans communities.

Colby Jenkins, Greenburgh Farmers Market

Colby Jenkins has been instrumental in making the Greenburgh Farmers Market happen, and she is known for helping to create a welcoming, community-centered atmosphere that connects residents with local farmers and producers. Through her involvement, she supports the market’s mission of strengthening the regional food system and making fresh, locally grown food more accessible to the community.

Panel Moderator, Jody Wright, Prout Alliance

Jody Wright travels internationally as a parent educator and instructor trainer with the International Association of Infant Massage and Infant Massage USA. From 1987-2004, she was president and co-owner of Motherwear Inc., an award-winning catalog and website resource that was listed by Inc Magazine as one of the 500 fastest growing small businesses in the United States.  She has worked with Prout organizations for over 40 years advocating for progressive social change and an economic model that is based on regional self-reliance, worker cooperatives and ecological resilience.