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TemuAsyr Martin Bey: We are back. Peace and blessings, Islam. Welcome to Secure to Soil. Today we're going to talk about how to use this system, how we're to be navigating California's land equity ecosystem. Yes. So we spent the last few episodes breaking down the California agriculture land equity task force recommendation. talking about what it is, who's involved, what the recommendations actually say. But today we're going to do something a little bit different, like I've been talking about before. We're not going to be talking about the task force itself, and we're not going to just be talking about ideas. We are going to talk about the system around some of these ideas. The reality is that the work doesn't live only on the report. It lives in a, there's an ecosystem that's been built around this report. There's years of this stuff, right? Years of this work happening. There's so much initiatives, there's so much history, there's so much happening. So many people put their energy into these type of ideas and concepts and are really making sure that our people have access to land. So one of the clearest windows into that ecosystem is just a single page. from the Strategic Growth Council. It's a very simple page, but I try to view it as more of a map. So that's what we're going to be talking about today. We're going to be going through this map. So if you've been following this series, you know that the task force, they create recommendations. And now those recommendations, they are meant to help to shape policy. that policy is meant to help unlock funding, help unlock land, help unlock opportunity. So we talked to some people behind it. We've talked about different vision. We've broken down the vision. And now, you know, the next step and the next question is where does all of this actually live? So where do you go if you want to move from, you know, understanding what's going on to actually, you know, activating actualizing this? So I'm going to... start and share my screen. And from that, you know, I'll go through the strategic growth council and then what it actually looks like. And you're going to see, you know, an overview basically, right? You're going to see some links to different things, a couple of resources. And you know, you'll just kind of see essentially the whole ecosystem, right? You'll see different references. You know, but I want to shift you how you see this, right? Because this is not just random information. This is from my vantage point, it's real infrastructure. And when you see how this initiative, how you see it from an overview, it's not just, you know, a description, right? This is the state in all of its nuances and the work that advocates and stakeholders have done to help to prioritize this information. And there's a lot of links to the task force, right? It's a lot of background, right? And from my vantage point, there's a bridge between policy and implementation. And when you see these resources and you see these program references and it's not just simple support, this is where you can start to see how programs, how funding and how policy, how it all connects. So when you were going through looking at the stakeholders, right, or that type of material, right, it's not just us acknowledging something. This is a signal of who's actually in the ecosystem, who's helping to shape it. So from my vantage point, instead of asking yourself, quote unquote, what does this page say, you could be asking yourself. What does this page allow me to do? Right? So. It's not always easy to access, you know, this system. You know, this system, the system is very nuanced, it's very real. There is a major gap, let be very honest and very clear. ⁓ And it's very complex. And from my experience, from being, you know, in these rooms for years and being a part of these conversations, I've... I do truly believe that it's really not a lack of resources, that it is more of a lack of the accessibility to those resources. We have different grants and we have loans, but a lot of times it's not really clear, honestly. And we have different land programs that are tied to restrictions like easements. And we have funding that moves very slow, especially when it comes to land transactions. Like we was talking about with Nelson and even within these advocacy spaces, people are still actively trying to figure it out. Like this is a ongoing process, you know, honestly, you know, like what should be a grant, right? What should be a loan? How do we make sure land actually gets to farmers and land stewards? These are real questions, right? And these also, these aren't just theoretical questions. These are real active conversations that are continuing to happen, right? There's so many coalitions. There's so many policy spaces. And it leads us with the question of like, you know, so what, what, happened? And with that, end up with a system that, yeah, it exists, but functionally, it still feels out of reach for most people. Just being honest. So. We're trying to navigate this big disconnect. And there are many issues, but I think this is a core issue, that there's really a disconnect between three different groups. You have the policymakers. on one hand, you have the land stewards on the other hand, and then you have the general public. And from what I see, the way policymakers communicate is through legislation. Like that's how they speak, right? They create funding structures. They create program designs. They create things like that, right? Now you have, you know, structure organization, but you have land stewards who speak in, you know, practice, honestly, and speak in survival mode and speak in implementation, right? How do we actually get this done? And, you know, us, the general public, Like we're trying to figure out how do I even get involved, you know? ⁓ And I think that this page, it kind of sits in the middle of that disconnect, you know, the task force page that I'm going to go to.
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So I'm just kind of purpose it. You know, I think it helps to connect a lot of different things. I think that was, you know, kind of the mindset behind it. Right? But also I understand that for most people's general public, it doesn't fully translate. And honestly, that is a part of why Secure the Soil exists. Right? Taking something like, you know, this, which is a ⁓ California bodies that created an organization and a group that created, you know, like so many layers to it. Right? How do we turn this into something that's actually just usable? Honestly, So, you know, I'm going be honest, like, there is no single pathway into land access. ⁓ There's really ⁓ multiple pathways, right? Especially from, you know, from what I've been showing and what I will continue to show, right? We have Ujamaa Farma Collective. They have created their own model of collective ownership, you know. started from grassroots organizing and advocacy and then funding alignment. You have, know, Adamsworth Progressive Association, you know, which started, you know, with land and building a city, building a community, and now they're tapped into training and actually institutional development and, you know, actually doing something at scale. You still have community gardens, which is how I got started, right, which is, you know, real grassroots, right, early entry points. that you can scale over time. And those are just a few examples, right? And these didn't really come out of nowhere, right? They came from people who have been learning how to move through different systems. examples of those systems are what we're going to be looking at today. And that's a key, right? I don't want to act like this page is just the solution and it's the magical wand. But it can be an entry point into different solutions. So. Let's make it practical, right? So first step we're going to be talking about. is the California agricultural land. Let me just see. theory. So. Here we are, So you can go to sgc.ca.gov, right, and then go to initiatives. Right, so I started from here, Strategic Growth Council. Right, boom, and then go to initiatives. Right, from initiatives, you see all the different things they have on this website. And then we scrolling down to the agricultural land equity task force, Independent by that work to develop recommendations to equitably increase agricultural land access through California for food and fire production and traditional tribal agriculture uses. So then you click on that. Right now, got a brief little summary, right? Boom. That you can go actually look at all the meetings. They have different languages. You can look at the actual reports. And then you actually have, you can take a look at all the members. So once again, we already clicked on the report. We already know that. They also have a summary for the report. You know, if you just kind of want to get a general gist, which I've already read, you know, 16 pages. Then they also have all the meetings. So let's say you like, you you want to take a deep dive. You really want to, you know, really see just how it started. So they have meetings all the way from the, you know, from the beginning of October 11th, 23, I remember that day. ⁓ We actually went to Sacramento for it, you know, so. You can take a look at all that. You can sign up to get more information. They have different languages, like I said. So they have different aspects of how you can tap into local governments. This is for local government, which I think is pretty cool. They have one where, let's say you got a town or you run in a city. you know, things of that nature. This is how you can access this information. Then I got one, of course, for much respect. You know, this is recommendations for the tribes and tribal certain organizations as far as, you know, how they think that. how this applies to them, right? Right? Let's take a look at that as real. Right? And then you got, you know, Korean, you know, different summary recommendations for funding needs. Right? These are recommendations specifically for funding. And then you got a summary for technical assistance for the people who want to help the farmers and help people get land. So as we see, there's a lot of information on here that I do think is important, right? Even for those conservation, not to skip over that, the people who really in the field who want to save the land and conserve the land, conservation organizations. So. There's a lot of different, as we see, lot of different aspects of how to access this information. Right, and just the ecosystem around it, right? You know, there's a full report, but there's also just a lot going on. I know it's out of the way, but I want to Yeah, but this is also something I wanted to tap into. know, we can take a look at the members. Right. Take much respect to all of them, independent, 13 people independent all across California. Right? Darlene Franco, Dorian Robinson, Doria Payan, Emily Porgiano, Irene De Barra-Hua, James Nakahada, Lawrence Harlan, Leah Schwartzman, Nathaniel Brown, Elson Hawkins, Ruth Daquis-Willard, Teh Rittenhouse, Quee Zhao. And also you can take a look on, know, click on there. Everybody got some information, some insight, know, a little bio, things of that nature. You know, just kind of get an idea, know, get a feel for who these people are, things of that nature. If you ever want to reach out or you have any questions, you know, their information is, I don't know about their personal information, but you know, they're here, where they at, what they represent. So you can just get idea of who these people are, right? Also, you know, I like this one, insights from community engagement, right? There's a lot of different summaries. Once again, I think summaries are important. As we see they traveled a lot, talked to lot of people. Right, created a survey. had different speakers come out and talk on their perspective. So I do think that this is a lot, know, it's
good information, good insight. If people kind of want to take a deep dive, which I'm going to strongly recommend, is for those who are saying they want to tap into access and culture land and being part of the solution. There's a lot of insight, a lot of information. lot of summaries. You know, once again, lot of summaries, the Strategic Growth Council really documented, you know, a real and depth history of these couple years. And this is another one I really want to tap into, which is different reports and recommendations. This is a full... Okay, So this right here, I do think is very important that I think is I want to spend some time with. This is ⁓ a spreadsheet of different reports and recommendations on this same topic of agriculture line access and equity. Right. So for once again, like For those who really want to take a deep dive and those who want to say, how do I support and you know anybody who knows me, you know I have a framework of how I do anything, which is education, innovation, implementation and how I utilize AI. So. This is the first start for my vantage point is you know as you read a report like Look at the history look at look at really, you know The work that's been done as far as letting you know what's already, you know, what's already was created sustainable economies Economy Law Center already created a report, you know, we have all these reports already of just like Come on to say that ginger equity you at us ad culture. You was the equity commission found a report ⁓ You know, once you get nearest, come on, I'm gonna keep scrolling. Right? So, yeah, like, it's a lot of information. A lot of information. Over. Man, it's keep going too. Look it, come on. It's like over 63 reports, recommendations with a detail of what this is, a summary of each thing. For those who just want to educate and inform themselves on this topic, there's a lot of insight and information that's right here. you can take it upon yourself to read, to educate yourself, to inform yourself, to as you want to learn strategies, as you want to support farmers, as you want to be prepared for the great reset. There's so much insight and work that's already been laid in front of ⁓ you. Also, there's a whole another resource list of land access and equity programs that already exist. Come on now. As far as like, you know, what type of entity is, where it is, how they support the name and the link to the name, you can click on them, right? So, and once again, I have already began the process of reaching out to... to as many of these organizations, because some of these are just USDA. I, you know, that's nuance as far as talking with the USDA, things of that nature. But have I restart the process of reaching out to these organizations and these programs, and you know, maybe people who work in these departments and people who in these offices to see if they would like to come on the show and discuss, you know, more about these programs. Excuse me. And more,
just more insight. I do think it's important. That's the purpose of, the purpose of Secure the Soil. Like there's so much information and insight, you know, but it's one thing to just read it, but it's another thing to, you know, to pull out, get, to get more game and more bars, you know, and more understanding from the people who are, who are behind these programs, you know, especially people like the People's Land Fund who I, who have already supported me in my... I'm blasted with journey years ago who is very supportive and helpful things that nature, you know, I've already started the process of like I said, we're going to start reaching out. We're going to try to get them on the show. We're going to try to see, you know, just how we can get more insight from them. You know, so once again, there's there's public comments and written communication guides. You know, there's your email. You know, like I said, let's be honest, like there's a lot of information here along with the report, which is, you know, imperative that we'll be going into. wanted to start with just looking at the ecosystem and looking at just how much has already came before these recommendations, you know? So. Let me go back. you. Let me get, give me one second. Okay, so now let's make this practical, right? Now if you're listening to this, ⁓ you're probably thinking how do you actually use this page and its information. Right. And I think that one is just really asking yourself. and then identify your entry point. Ask yourself, are you trying to learn? Are you trying to access land? ⁓ Are you trying to build something? Are you trying to influence policy? Because where you start definitely matters. And I think another step too is to really just kind of map out, not kind of, but map out your resources to your goal. Don't just be scrolling through, you know, be intentional, right? I think that's a really key step. If you're looking for funding, then look at different programs. If you need to educate yourself, then you know, find the partners. and organizations. But if you are looking specifically for land, you identify as a collective, find different pathways. And I think that another step is to really plug into the ecosystem. This is where most people stop, from what I see. It's like there's one thing to read it, ⁓ but how do you connect? How do you join coalitions? How do you reach out to organizations? How do you show up in these spaces where this work is being done, where this work is actively happening? Another step is how do you start to build leverage? This is where stuff can actually make real changes. You're not going to be able to do none of this alone. Trust me. Y'all know I'm big on advocacy. I'm big on partnerships. I'm big on OPM. Right? And I'm also really big on technology because from my vantage point, the truth is the truth, That this system, as we see, it's not built for individuals. It's built for networks. It is. So I think it's time for me to offer my insight. think from what I see, this is what I think people can miss. that this page, I don't think it can be meant to be something that you passively consume. I do think it's a working tool. It tells you where the state is focusing their attention when it comes to this energy. It tells you how the task force work is being organized. what kinds of resources are part of this conversation. and where opportunity may be opening up. And if you can understand... you know, all this stuff, then don't look at it as just a website. I we need to, well, yeah, I think I'll recommend that we look at, like I said, like a map, like a map of power, of land, of resources, right? And this is moving in real time. It really is. It really is. Now. I think I think it's time for us to step up, honestly. I've been making these episodes and I've been getting a lot of good feedback. But I do want to continue to let it be known that like... This is serious to me, you know? ⁓ I think if you've been listening to this show and you've been moved by some of these stories and you're learning something and this policy analysis, these different history I'm talking about, the vision behind this work, I want to speak directly to you, for real. I think that this is bigger than a podcast. For me, you know that. We're talking about... creating a platform, creating a bridge. Right, Ausseers Bridge, this is the media of Ausseers Bridge, right? And bridges are only useful when people help to build them and when people walk and use them. So once again, if you are an organization who is working in food justice, who's working in land access, who's working in agricultural equity, who's working in BIPOC land return, who's working in indigenous sovereignty, who's also working in rural development. And for all you policymakers slash advocates, this is for you. There is room here. Pull up. If your work is touching any part of this ecosystem, this show... can help translate it. And it could be a wider audience. I think that the deeper the public understands these different issues and these nuances. And that way we can now start to connect the work to the people who just need to hear it. Not only general public, but the stewards and the farmers and the policymakers. And I don't think that this is about visibility. I think it's more so about alignment. From my vantage point, it's really about making sure that the people who are doing the work on the ground floor are not doing it in isolation. And I think it's about helping people to understand just how policy, how land, how funding, and also how culture and how history, they all move together. So if you are an organization that wants to support this work, there are a few ways to step in. Now, yes, you can definitely sponsor an episode. You can help to underwrite some series, some concepts. You can help support production. So that way these conversations can stay at a high level. That way they can stay thoughtful. That way they can stay consistent.
And that way they can stay accessible. I think that you can help with fun reporting, you can help with storytelling, you can help with research, you can help with travel. And that way this show can keep reaching the communities and could reach the leaders as well. Because there are lot of leaders who are shaping the future of our food system and the future of land on a state level. And also, if you're a guest who you have some expertise, you have some lived experience, or you just got a story to tell, I definitely want to invite you. and let's have a conversation. I think this show is definitely for organizers, it's for land stewards, it's for policymakers, right, and for policy thinkers. But it's also for just the cultural workers, just the everyday people. We have ideas, we have a voice, right, it's for educators, it's for people who have spent years building something. and actively being involved in these spaces and also for people who are in these spaces who can feel unseen. You know, for those who have insight into land equity, into food systems, into cooperative models, for those who have insight into rural innovation, into public policy, into land stewardship, black land stewardship. Hispanic land stewardship, Asian land stewardship, et cetera, et cetera, right? Indigenous foodways, right? Or just simple community-based solutions. I definitely want to hear from you. Because the point of this show is not to just be up here talking. It's also not just talking about the problems. I think the point is to start the process of documenting these solutions, documenting these different tensions, documenting the history, and documenting the people who are shaping what is coming. And to you funders and you philanthropists listening, I know y'all listening, right? This is your opportunity as well. This is opportunity to invest into a narrative infrastructure. There is a lot of important work that really fails to scale, not just because the ideas are weak, but... because the storytelling is weak, honestly, Like I'm from LA. The public doesn't always understand what's at stake. Decision makers don't always hear from the people closest to the issues. And communities and community members who are doing this work don't always have the resources to make their message travel. So that's where you can make a difference. Your support can help reach more listeners to create more educational episodes. and to bring on more guests. From that, we'll produce deeper reporting that connects the policy to real life. I think that it's important to say that we're not just funding content. We're not just creating content. We are funding and creating public understanding. We are funding and creating access. We are funding and creating cultural land policy record that helps people to see what's possible. For real, that's how I feel about what I'm And to you policymakers, I know y'all listen to, if you really care about implementation, if you really care about public trust, if you really care about making sure that your initiatives actually are reaching the communities that they are meant to serve. then this show right here, Secure the Soil, is a resource for you too. Because I mean, policy doesn't live in memos and in hearings and, you know, all that stuff, reports. Like policy, it lives in public imagination. It really lives in how people can explain it, unfortunately, or you know, it is what it is. Like it lives in where the communities can actually understand it and critique it. and support it. and then use it. And I think that this podcast is going to help translate policy into language that people can actually work with. So if you're trying to build durable policy, I think a part of that work is to support spaces where that policy can be not only made, but made legible. And that's what Secure the Soul does. I don't think there's no other podcast like this. And I think that's why your support. It matters. lastly, I definitely want to talk directly about From the Block to the Table. You know, my sixth book. This book definitely extends the same mission as this show. It's about building a movement. It's about building memory. It's about food, labor, and our culture. This book is about a system that is shaping who gets fed, who gets hurt, and who gets to build the future. And let's say if this podcast has given you something, you know, anything useful, then from the block to the table is another way that you can go deeper. Another way that you can support the mission, the initiatives. It definitely carries the same spirit of, you know, inquiry. And it carries my commitment to telling the truth about our food system. while also honoring our communities. you know, our communities, we've always been just doing the work, you know. So if you want to support on a larger ecosystem around this work. You know, those are some things that you could do, right? And here's some things, some more things that you could do right now. Now that I think about it, right? Definitely, you know, share the episode, right? Share the recommendations, right? You know, recommend a show to somebody in your network, you know? Bring security to Soyo, into your organizations, you know, and maybe bring it into your programming, you know? You know, invite me to come speak. Invite me to come moderate, invite me for an interview, or let's collaborate. You can definitely sponsor the show, of course. You can, you know, fund a series, fund, fund an episode, fund some initiatives. ⁓ you can definitely support the research. You know, you can support the storytelling. You can support building this bridge, you know, between all these different communities, all these different initiatives. ⁓ because once again, that's what this is. Like it's to me, it's not just a podcast. This isn't just some project I'm doing, you know, William and the Elite. I really do in my heart and in my mind, you know, believe I'm building a bridge between policy and people and building a bridge between the history and the future. and building a bridge between land and communities. And I mean, between like, what is and what can we create, what could be. And if you believe that food justice and land equity. and public storytelling, if you think those things matter, then this is your invitation. to be a witness. So thank you for watching Secure the Soil. We're gonna come. We're coming soon. Peace and blessings. What? Wait. Okay. So I'll leave you with this. You don't need to wait for any opportunities to be created. They're already being built. The question is, now, does this system exist? because it definitely does. think that the question is, are you positioned to use these systems and these tools? And that's what we're trying to do. We're not just talking about the soil. We are learning how to secure the soil. Peace and blessings. Catch you next time.