Recent and Ongoing Projects
Recent Events
| Event |
Date |
Number of Attendees |
| ALCE hosted a Future Faculty Diversity Fellow. |
Oct. 2 |
N/A |
| ALCE hosted the Fall Middle School FFA Leadership Conference |
Oct. 12 |
270+Virginia students |
Donna Westfall-Rudd hosted guest speakers in the Introduction to Cooperative Extension course
- Dr. Brittany Hoover, New York Agriculture in the Classroom
- Erin and Mark Parman, Cherokee Tribal Extension/4-H
|
Nov. 1 |
5 UG students, 1 Grad student |
| Eric Kaufman and Olamide Olowoyo facilitated a roundtable discussion, “Promoting Leadership Capacity to Enhance Women’s Access to and Control over Land,” at the International Leadership Association’s Global Conference. |
Oct. 13 |
10 |
| Kim Niewolny, Katie Trozzo, and Stephaine Zhu, from The Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, collaborated with Virginia State University and Cornell University to co-host a national urban agriculture and food systems summit in Atlanta, GA, focusing on culturally relevant programming for urban communities, especially black, brown, indigenous, and limited resource farmers and growers |
Oct. 10-12 |
200 |
| The Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation hosted a Fall Fellow Talk, “Rooted in Collectivity: Lessons from Black Farmer Organizers in Virginia,” presented by Dr. Nicole Nunoo, Farmers Market Manager and EBT/Food Access Coordinator, Mass Farmers Markets. |
Oct. 18 |
85 |
| Justice Madden, with The Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, presented at the Black Urban Growers and Seed Keepers Conferences. |
Oct. 20-22 |
25 |
David Smilnak, Justice Madden, and Stephanie Zhu, with The Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, co-led a graduate learning circle on food justice themes.
|
Oct. 25 |
8 |
Ongoing Projects
| Project Title and Description |
Duration |
Collaborators |
| Desiree Shelley and Donna Westfall-Rudd received the Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia grant for the Yesá:sahį Language and Sacred Places Project |
Nov. 1, 2023-Dec. 1, 2024 |
Yesá:sahį Language Project, Indigenous East, Landberry Limited |
| Donna Westfall-Rudd is serving as chairperson for the American Association for Agricultural Education’s Special Committee to develop the diversity portion of the National Agricultural Education Preparation Program Standards. |
July 1, 2023-May 30, 2024 |
N/A |
| Kim Niewolny is serving as faculty expert for the USDA Higher Education Challenge grant, “Food Justice Challenge,” and teaching classes to a national audience with more than 100 students and 12 institutions. |
8 Sessions |
VT CALS and national partners |
| Kim Niewolny is serving on Justice Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee for The Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society. |
Monthly meetings |
N/A |
| Kim Niewolny, Katie Trozzo, Eric Bendfeldt, and Stephanie Zhu from The Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation launched the “Advancing Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems in Virginia” project, aimed at increasing access and participation of historically underserved farmers in USDA Farm Service Agency programs in urban areas. |
Launched Fall 2023 |
Virginia State University |
| Kim Niewolny, David Smilnak, Roberto Franco, and others implemented a Virginia Cooperative Extension survey focusing on health equity and social vulnerability of farm workers and agricultural laborers in Virginia. |
Launched Oct. 2023 |
Virginia Cooperative Extension |
Past Events
| Events from Previous Months |
Date |
Presenter |
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