#32 - Growing a New Future of Farming and Food Equity | Dr. Damien Thompson
#32 - Growing a New Future of Farming and Food Equity | Dr. Damien Thompson
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that steer the social stream of consciousness….Truly a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. Each episode is a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us in different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Damien Thompson, the co-founder of the organization Frontline Farming and director of the Center for Food Justice and Healthy Communities.
In addition to his training in anthropology, Dr. Thompson holds a certification in Permaculture Design and a 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teaching Certification. His interests center on building community food systems, small-scale urban food production, developing community and cultural practices related to food and medicine, and teaching and learning in education and permaculture. Dr. Thompson has a keen interest in how communities can utilize traditional and modern information and practices to build food systems that uplift marginalized and oppressed peoples, restore ecosystems, create biodiversity, support cultural diversity as well as provide individuals and families with the highest level of access to the means to support their health (and we talk quite a bit about these topics today). I should mention that Dr. Thompson is also a mayor-appointed member of the Sustainable Food Council for the City of Denver and a co-chair for the city’s Good Food Purchasing policy group. Undoubtedly, he plays a significant role in the necessary trend of regenerative agriculture and our future connection to food.
The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody featuring Dr. Damien Thompson
In our interview, we bridge his education in anthropology to his farming practice and social work as the co-founder of Frontline Farming. Specifically, we geek out on the fundamentals of farming, the benefits of permaculture, and a focus on regenerative agriculture. We further dissected the social challenges surrounding food security, justice, and sovereignty and the equitable changes needed in our food system.
In this episode, we specifically discussed:
-Frontline Farming's mission.
-The advantages and disadvantages of regenerative agriculture practices, with a focus on no-tilling/conservation tilling, water conservation, terracing, and cover crops.
-Inequality in our present food systems and the need for changes in food security, food justice, and food sovereignty.
-The connection between big data, food systems, and racial equity.
-The importance and repercussions of our language in our discussion about food systems and the policy that supports them.
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To learn more about Dr. Thompson, visit https://www.frontlinefarming.org/.
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