Workshop to explore food sovereignty and climate justice

Jan. 18 webinar designed to promote activism

by Darla Carter | Presbyterian News Service

Photo by Markus Spiske via Unsplash

LOUISVILLE — Registration has begun for an interactive workshop that will explore the connections between food sovereignty and climate justice and encourage participants to take action.

The Jan. 18 webinar, hosted by the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) and Presbyterians for Earth Care, is designed to spur activism that goes beyond simply advocating for replacing fossil fuel with renewable energy.

“Climate activism narrowly focused on electrifying our economy and reducing emissions, even if successful in those areas, still leads to ruin. On the other hand, by integrating climate justice and food sovereignty into our climate work, we have the potential to change the playing field itself,” said Andrew Kang Bartlett, National Associate for PHP. “This approach can create pathways that circumvent and restructure the systems that created the crises we face. As Audre Lorde famously said, ‘For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us to temporarily beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change.’”

Andrew Kang Bartlett, National Associate for the Presbyterian Hunger Program, will lead a Jan. 18 workshop called “Changing the Way We Do Food Will Save the Climate Movement.” (Photo by Rich Copley)

Examples of work happening in Louisville, Kentucky, will be lifted up during the workshop to illustrate this approach, Kang Bartlett said. There also will be opportunities “to harvest examples of change strategies from participants and examine them through this lens,” he said.

The time together will include takeaways on applying lessons learned in the workshop to one’s own settings and engagements. Advice on how to stay motivated will be given.

“In the webinar, I’ll be asking people to take action, if they aren’t already or wish to do more, by first choosing what area of work they are drawn to and feel passionate about,” Kang Bartlett said.

Participants also will hear about the importance of finding “someone who also wishes to be active and to mutually support and encourage each other … and we’ll talk about figuring out a way to reward oneself for taking action.”

Go here to register for the 7:30-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time workshop set for Jan. 18 and to download a bulletin insert about the webinar to share with your congregation.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program is one of the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. It is supported by your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing.