Empowerment

I was reflecting over the last week a few days ago and decided that empowerment is the best word I could use to describe what I took away from all of my experiences. In one of my political science classes I took last spring (current debates in US foreign policy) our professor would always stress the need for there to be a "bottom line". Essentially, what is the takeaway for the listener or in this case, from the experience. So empowerment is the bottom line for week two. It is clear to me from my time on the farm last week and the trip on Friday that almost every person around the country has something they could be doing to lift themselves on higher ground when it comes to our food system.

When I think about Barbara's farm I can't help but think of how happy she is to be doing what she is doing. She is constantly smiling and always giving us positive feedback. It is clear to me that she took her opportunity and ran with it when it comes to agriculture. During our trip to Portland, I was genuinely blown away by the ability of people to gather and plant a garden in the middle of an empty lot. I know we have talked and read about this, but to see it first hand really inspired me. If these people can do this in the middle of Portland, then is there any reason that could hold me back from doing this same thing? During Friday's shenanigans I was constantly feeling the need to enact all of these positive changes that were occurring all over the city. I hope one day I will get this chance and I'm confident I will.

You don't have to go into organic farming, start a farm to school program, or become a politician and advocate for food justice. These all could be great things, but at minimum I feel like we all have the capacity to make small changes hat would not only benefit ourselves, but those around us as well.