Weekend Update

On Saturday, Amy A (me) and Amy B did a workshop on the environment during the youth session of the Washington Alliance of Black School Educators annual conference. Amy B talked about environmental justice, and I talked about individual and collective action and opportunities in the green economy. It didn't go as well as I had hoped. We spoke in the mid-afternoon, and the young people, who had been very engaged in the morning, were tired by then. Also, I wasn't as prepared as I would have liked. But it was a start.

It was also great to get to know Amy B better. In addition to her work in public health, she founded a nonprofit with some of her graduate school classmates that focuses on environmental justice issues locally and tries to make sure that people of color and low-income communities are represented when environmental issues are being addressed here in the state. She also has a cornucopia of animals at home, and invited me to bring my little one over sometime to see them.

Meanwhile, said little one and hubby were visiting a farm here in Pierce County, run by an older black gentleman. My daughter got to see chickens and goats, and pet a baby pig. This farmer is interested in partnering with us for the Hilltop Farms idea by providing produce for a farmer's market that we would like to start up here. Hubby bought two dozen organic eggs from him. I wasn't sure I could taste a difference, but I could definitely see a difference. The yolks are much firmer, and a much brighter golden yellow than non-organic eggs.