EAT, DRINK & LEARN

2024-2025 Speaker Series

Join us for an evening of delicious food and drink, great company, and an engaging presentation!

Thursday, March 20: Farms & Fizz

Building Resilient, Equitable Food Systems

All people deserve the right to access nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food. In the United States, 1 in 8 American households experience the lack of adequate food while 30-40% of our food supply goes to waste. This problem is rooted in socio-economic inequalities driven by national and international policies and trends. How can individuals and organizations at the community level be agents of change to improve their own food systems? How can states allocate resources to support community-led efforts? In this talk, we will consider community responses within urban, immigrant communities; rural, agricultural communities; and indigenous communities to envision and inspire resilient, equitable food system

Valerie Imbruce is the Director of the Center for Environment and Society and a faculty affiliate with the Department of Anthropology and Archeology at Washington College. She is a facilitative leader who takes a collaborative approach to research, education, and community engagement. Her research interests include sustainable food systems, food justice, and interdisciplinary undergraduate education. She is the author of From Farm to Canal Street: Chinatown’s Alternative Food Network in the Global Marketplace, among other articles and book chapters. A recent essay and first contribution to a cookbook can be found alongside delicious photos and recipes in Made Here, proceeds from which support Send Chinatown Love’s community building efforts in New York City. Imbruce received her PhD from the City University of New York Graduate Center and the New York Botanical Garden.

Time: 6:30-9:00 PM

Location: Irvine Nature Center

Price: $55 Members (Pacesetter Level or above) / $65 Non-Members