WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:10.160 You're listening to Heritage Radio Network. Hi, 00:00:10.259 --> 00:00:12.460 everyone. Welcome to Pot Luck Food Talks. I'm 00:00:12.460 --> 00:00:14.980 here in the Bronx with Henry Obispo, also known 00:00:14.980 --> 00:00:20.620 as the Sustainable Papi. He's a community activist 00:00:20.620 --> 00:00:24.100 in many regards, everything around food, eco 00:00:24.100 --> 00:00:27.039 -gastronomy. He's around many different projects, 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:30.420 and we're going to talk about them today. Welcome 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:34.579 to the Bronx. So let's start with the project 00:00:34.579 --> 00:00:38.000 I knew you for, which is Reborn Farms. Oh, Reborn 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:41.140 Farms, my gosh. Reborn Farms is really an extension 00:00:41.140 --> 00:00:46.799 of work that started really in 20, I would say 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:50.020 2014, when we launched a small farm. It's like 00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:53.320 250 square feet on a rooftop in the South Bronx. 00:00:59.229 --> 00:01:02.890 start growing food hyperlocally, and to start 00:01:02.890 --> 00:01:05.450 connecting that to different initiatives that 00:01:05.450 --> 00:01:07.950 we would launch. And out of that really came 00:01:07.950 --> 00:01:11.950 this bigger initiative that was Bronx -wide, 00:01:12.090 --> 00:01:15.769 which was the Bronx Salad. And so we tested that 00:01:15.769 --> 00:01:20.329 out and began that there. Reborn Farms became 00:01:20.329 --> 00:01:25.689 really an idea since then because once we launched 00:01:25.689 --> 00:01:28.790 that and we understood how everything could connect, 00:01:28.969 --> 00:01:31.670 not just to restaurants, to cultural institutions, 00:01:31.950 --> 00:01:35.209 to schools, meaning growing food hyperlocally 00:01:35.209 --> 00:01:37.989 and how that could be transformative. Now to 00:01:37.989 --> 00:01:42.030 formalize that and to scale that, that was really 00:01:42.030 --> 00:01:46.739 the beginnings. after that farm of reborn farms 00:01:46.739 --> 00:01:49.079 and thinking about how we could do that while 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:52.659 building systems and economic development with 00:01:52.659 --> 00:01:56.400 an urban farm that could be also technological, 00:01:56.439 --> 00:02:01.060 but also, you know, make use of space that would 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:03.920 be underutilized, et cetera. So the idea was 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.939 to install farms and strategic places of the 00:02:06.939 --> 00:02:10.759 Bronx that were underutilized and also to transform 00:02:10.759 --> 00:02:14.379 the shape of the city, so to say? Yeah, so it 00:02:14.379 --> 00:02:17.620 was, you know, when you think of city life and 00:02:17.620 --> 00:02:20.879 urban space, especially in New York City, you 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:24.039 realize that there's space, but also the space 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:27.000 is very expensive. You can grow food, but then 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:29.719 seasonally there could be a hindrance because 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.020 of weather, right? certain things just don't 00:02:33.020 --> 00:02:35.759 grow half the year. When we're thinking of open 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:38.840 space, and because it's New York City, now you're 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:40.900 thinking of rooftops. And so that's where we 00:02:40.900 --> 00:02:43.500 started thinking about, you know, but we have 00:02:43.500 --> 00:02:47.099 this vast resource here in New York that are 00:02:47.099 --> 00:02:50.139 rooftops that could be engaged. That was really 00:02:50.139 --> 00:02:52.560 sort of like the center of the idea in terms 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:56.500 of developing a model. Now thinking about public 00:02:56.500 --> 00:03:01.159 housing. as a way for us to solidify that model 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:05.599 and to showcase how areas that are in need and 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:07.479 communities that are in need, you know, need 00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:10.219 access to food are precisely the communities 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:13.979 where these projects could be developed. Last 00:03:13.979 --> 00:03:16.659 time we met in Spain, you brought me this hot 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:19.539 sauces that were made with like in the same context 00:03:19.539 --> 00:03:22.780 of this project. So how was it? You took like... 00:03:23.020 --> 00:03:25.280 chilies that were grown in many different so 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:29.979 yeah so that was um a project so also in partnership 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:34.240 with chefs and one of the chef king who um passed 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.819 away a couple years ago actually was the co -founder 00:03:37.819 --> 00:03:40.680 of that project of the bronx hot sauce and he 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:46.199 also was a a partner and in the bronx salad development 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:49.919 with us specifically that the bronx hot sauce 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:55.550 took This idea of urban production when it comes 00:03:55.550 --> 00:04:00.310 to chili, specifically Serrano peppers, and engaging 00:04:00.310 --> 00:04:03.830 the local community gardens to grow some of these 00:04:03.830 --> 00:04:08.449 peppers to then find a viable path for potential 00:04:08.449 --> 00:04:11.750 economic development for those people that would 00:04:11.750 --> 00:04:14.729 be working in these community gardens to grow 00:04:14.729 --> 00:04:18.720 these peppers. be able to build an added value 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.980 product for the company, which is called Small 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:25.240 Axe Peppers. Kind of like the big vision behind 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:29.379 this is to transform the Bronx into a food sovereign 00:04:29.379 --> 00:04:34.339 place. That's a great idea behind it. When I 00:04:34.339 --> 00:04:37.040 started getting into this project and also some 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.579 project of other chefs here in New York, I walked 00:04:39.579 --> 00:04:42.259 across this concept that I never heard before, 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:46.600 that is food apartheid. that is about systematically 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:50.019 marginalizing communities through access to healthy 00:04:50.019 --> 00:04:53.699 food. That's kind of like the enemy in this movie, 00:04:53.779 --> 00:04:56.639 so to say. Food apartheid is, I think, a very 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:00.800 important term because it frames, it helps to 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:04.319 frame better than this idea of a food desert. 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:06.980 Because food deserts, so yeah, it's a desert. 00:05:07.019 --> 00:05:09.300 There isn't food, there isn't, these are the 00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:11.600 things that are happening. But food apartheid 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:15.110 now gives it... context, which is, it's a system. 00:05:15.209 --> 00:05:18.689 What allows the system to essentially become 00:05:18.689 --> 00:05:23.509 what it is, who created it, etc. And so that's 00:05:23.509 --> 00:05:26.709 the beauty of that term, which was coined by 00:05:26.709 --> 00:05:30.810 actually Karen Washington, an incredible mentor 00:05:30.810 --> 00:05:34.310 of mine. She coined that because precisely she 00:05:34.310 --> 00:05:37.649 wanted to make the distinction, which is, no, 00:05:37.750 --> 00:05:40.230 it's something that is actually, it's by design. 00:05:41.050 --> 00:05:44.790 And what that is, is that it showcases how, because 00:05:44.790 --> 00:05:48.810 it's by design, there is a separation between 00:05:48.810 --> 00:05:52.990 access to the people and the people and how it 00:05:52.990 --> 00:05:57.850 is institutionalized, it is systematized. And 00:05:57.850 --> 00:06:01.470 so food apartheid essentially can describe what's 00:06:01.470 --> 00:06:03.850 happened in the Bronx when it comes to food and 00:06:03.850 --> 00:06:07.120 food access. Specifically, initiatives like Reborn 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:11.959 Farms and even the Bronx Hot Sauce and then these 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:15.379 other projects that we're working on are precisely 00:06:15.379 --> 00:06:19.439 to, I would say, to address that in a myriad 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:24.540 of ways because there isn't just one way to sort 00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:27.199 of tackle this issue because it's so vast and 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:31.120 it's been for so long. We've talked not only 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:33.620 in the conversations we've had, not only about 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:37.439 food but also about comic books music and this 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.319 kind of thing i know you're pretty much into 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:42.199 afrofuturism do you think that that played a 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:46.240 role also in your vision of conceptualizing these 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:50.379 models and this kind of things for sure i mean 00:06:50.379 --> 00:06:56.060 i i exist mostly i would say in the future in 00:06:56.060 --> 00:06:59.740 my mind i'm i mean since childhood i've been 00:06:59.740 --> 00:07:04.540 in wonderment just about everything. And I think 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:07.379 that's also what's allowed me to step out of 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:10.339 reality a bit. To birth anything new, you have 00:07:10.339 --> 00:07:12.980 to kind of be out of the loop and be in your 00:07:12.980 --> 00:07:16.040 own world or some other worlds. And that future 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:20.120 that you envision, how does the Bronx look like? 00:07:20.180 --> 00:07:24.399 I mean, the future I envision is obviously the 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:29.540 Bronx is transformed and it's... you know, focused 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:33.519 on, well, obviously the needs in the Bronx, but 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:36.220 the people of the Bronx are the ones creating 00:07:36.220 --> 00:07:40.939 this. The innovation is coming from here. It 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:46.920 looks like a place of abundance. It looks like 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:51.420 a place of just vast resources where all of these 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:54.720 ideas have... come to be and have scaled. The 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:57.800 level of access is no longer sort of like limited 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:02.399 in ways that we often have to fight to have. 00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:07.500 And so that's the great vision I have in a general 00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:10.399 sense. And I would say that the projects that 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:12.240 we're working on, whether it's research that 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:15.639 we're doing currently or developing certain components. 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:19.660 Yeah, so whether it's the research that we're 00:08:19.660 --> 00:08:22.459 doing or the projects that we're in development 00:08:22.459 --> 00:08:27.120 of, the idea is for that vision to be a reality 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:30.660 because of what we're preparing. And then globally, 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:34.080 because a lot of my work has now taken me to 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:38.139 the globe, in many ways, I would say it's tackling 00:08:38.139 --> 00:08:41.860 similar issues because, believe it or not, very 00:08:41.860 --> 00:08:43.779 similar things are happening all over the world. 00:08:46.539 --> 00:08:50.399 histories that sort of differ and locations, 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:57.139 whether it's rural, whether it's city, whether 00:08:57.139 --> 00:09:02.000 it's desert, there are these issues that are 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.080 just so pronounced globally. And so I've had 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:07.659 the great opportunity to also start working. 00:09:08.429 --> 00:09:12.370 and many places around the world to address those 00:09:12.370 --> 00:09:16.950 very issues. You told me you're in how many community 00:09:16.950 --> 00:09:19.289 boards here in the Bronx? Like in the museum? 00:09:19.470 --> 00:09:25.149 What else? So, I mean, I tried to be active in 00:09:25.149 --> 00:09:27.809 terms of like community boards. What is exactly 00:09:27.809 --> 00:09:30.049 a community board? How does it work? Well, these 00:09:30.049 --> 00:09:33.370 are boards that are where community members are 00:09:33.370 --> 00:09:36.519 part of. of these, like the institutions. So 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:39.399 they may have, I don't know. So for example, 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:43.860 there's a community board at Hostos College where 00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:46.320 everything is sort of discussable. It's like 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:53.220 the vision for the college. And we can, you know, 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:57.000 offer our opinion, but also direction and also 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:00.830 resources. for the betterment of whatever a greater 00:10:00.830 --> 00:10:05.450 vision the university or the college has. And 00:10:05.450 --> 00:10:09.549 so it allows for the enrichment of whatever programs 00:10:09.549 --> 00:10:12.669 are going on because it's someone from the community 00:10:12.669 --> 00:10:15.789 being informed, but also informing the process. 00:10:16.070 --> 00:10:19.370 And that's really important to have because you 00:10:19.370 --> 00:10:21.490 know the community, the community knows you, 00:10:21.549 --> 00:10:24.970 and you want the better for it. It's important 00:10:24.970 --> 00:10:27.990 to be a part of these community boards because 00:10:27.990 --> 00:10:30.669 it allows for that. And also because you have 00:10:30.669 --> 00:10:34.129 the pulse of what's going on in the community 00:10:34.129 --> 00:10:36.889 and you can connect dots with whatever it is 00:10:36.889 --> 00:10:39.990 that you're doing to be able to now amplify and 00:10:39.990 --> 00:10:43.230 be of service in a greater way also. So you're 00:10:43.230 --> 00:10:47.250 in the Bronx Museum of Art, the Botanical Garden, 00:10:47.409 --> 00:10:50.990 what else? Hostos College, as well as part of 00:10:50.990 --> 00:10:54.379 the community group at Fordham University. And 00:10:54.379 --> 00:10:57.740 Lehman College as well. Okay. Yeah. Has this 00:10:57.740 --> 00:10:59.980 also something to do with you work with the U 00:10:59.980 --> 00:11:02.879 .S. Embassy that brought you these recent travels 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:05.320 you were in? Oh, no, that has nothing to do with 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:08.519 that. I mean, you know, everything in life is 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:12.980 connected, but no. How did that happen? How is 00:11:12.980 --> 00:11:17.679 that story? Man, this is a very powerful and 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:21.059 incredible story because I'm going to just backtrack 00:11:21.059 --> 00:11:25.159 a whole bunch of years. Because I actually, when 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:31.179 this came to be, I was very excited because as 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:35.379 a teenager and in my adolescence in general, 00:11:35.500 --> 00:11:40.159 part of my dream, what I often dreamt about was 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:45.179 to actually go to the Pacific. areas in the Pacific, 00:11:45.379 --> 00:11:49.139 whether it was like Vanuatu, Papua, New Guinea, 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:54.039 and other areas, or the Cook Islands, to really 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:58.059 be able to explore on a cultural level, but also 00:11:58.059 --> 00:12:03.440 from a sort of gastronomy level to connect all 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.460 these dots. And I've been dreaming about this 00:12:05.460 --> 00:12:09.799 ever since I was that age. kind of like travel 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:13.039 point of view, travel show point of view, you 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.960 know, back then. And so when I got the opportunity 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:20.759 to be the culinary ambassador to Fiji, I was 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:23.279 just, you know, beside myself. That's crazy. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.960 Yeah. That's like a crazy offering. It was the 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.820 most incredible thing. It really was a result 00:12:29.820 --> 00:12:33.940 of so many stars colliding, I would say. It had 00:12:33.940 --> 00:12:36.960 to do with a... Great friend who was out in the 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:41.580 Pacific, Robert Oliver, who had been connecting 00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:44.779 me to the University of the South Pacific with 00:12:44.779 --> 00:12:48.480 certain projects there. And then the embassy, 00:12:48.860 --> 00:12:52.039 the U .S. Embassy in Fiji, they wanted to develop 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:55.659 a program around. food and plant -based eating 00:12:55.659 --> 00:12:59.179 and connecting it to the population, which is 00:12:59.179 --> 00:13:03.139 in many ways very much so similar to the Bronx 00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:07.179 population of what happens here in terms of disparities. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:11.379 And then here... Let's go a little bit deeper 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:13.279 into that. How was the situation there? What 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:16.899 did you find in Fiji? Well, Fiji, I mean, it's 00:13:16.899 --> 00:13:19.440 just really one of the most incredible places 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:22.759 on earth. I still don't have the words to describe 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:26.539 my experience there, but very much so like what 00:13:26.539 --> 00:13:28.960 we have been addressing through our initiatives 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:31.639 and programs here in the Bronx, what we found 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:34.139 in Fiji, essentially. When it comes to health 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:37.259 and health disparities, it's major there because 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:41.860 about 80 % of the population is dealing with 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:45.480 some type of diabetes. in Fiji. Now, this is, 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:48.580 you know, incredible tropics. Food is growing 00:13:48.580 --> 00:13:51.840 everywhere. But there are issues in terms of 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.000 what people are eating, what's growing there, 00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:57.980 and what people are opting out in terms of their 00:13:57.980 --> 00:14:01.279 own ancestral foods. I found that to be something 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:04.379 very interesting. You told me about this whole 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:08.440 colonization aftermath made the population not 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:11.549 feel... proud about their food anymore that that 00:14:11.549 --> 00:14:14.970 was like a phenomenon well you know through um 00:14:14.970 --> 00:14:18.610 our engagement locally some of the things that 00:14:18.610 --> 00:14:24.950 came up was this um lack of pride around their 00:14:24.950 --> 00:14:27.909 local foods their ancestral foods because of 00:14:27.909 --> 00:14:32.169 all of these social forces also but also marketing 00:14:32.169 --> 00:14:35.210 forces that were that are marketing to villages 00:14:35.210 --> 00:14:39.090 in ways that are letting them know that you know 00:14:39.549 --> 00:14:42.509 that they should opt out of certain things and 00:14:42.509 --> 00:14:45.690 opt into others. And it's this sort of like very 00:14:45.690 --> 00:14:50.330 insidious processes that happen in developing 00:14:50.330 --> 00:14:53.990 countries. Because I can speak of also being 00:14:53.990 --> 00:14:57.289 from the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, how 00:14:57.289 --> 00:15:00.049 these things can happen there in terms of connections 00:15:00.049 --> 00:15:03.789 to food and how you can disconnect, but also 00:15:03.789 --> 00:15:07.789 be marketed in a specific way that veers you 00:15:07.789 --> 00:15:12.669 away from, your lineage or ancestral knowledge 00:15:12.669 --> 00:15:17.250 of food and so in very many ways that's what's 00:15:17.250 --> 00:15:20.750 occurred in Fiji and so we were there to really 00:15:20.750 --> 00:15:26.429 speak and also reconnect folks in ways that it 00:15:26.429 --> 00:15:29.750 wasn't really about me an outsider coming in 00:15:29.750 --> 00:15:32.350 and telling people what to do but it was really 00:15:32.350 --> 00:15:38.399 offering examples of what we have done for example, 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:41.460 here in the Bronx and in other areas, and how 00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:45.940 the result of disconnecting from your ancestral 00:15:45.940 --> 00:15:49.879 food is diabetes. It is becoming unhealthy. It 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:54.840 is being reliant on outside sort of sources of 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:58.960 food. Your ancestral foods and those that will 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:01.539 keep you healthy are surrounding you, are literally 00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:04.419 in your backyard. And so it was speaking to that 00:16:04.419 --> 00:16:08.289 and that reconnection that was just so transformative 00:16:08.289 --> 00:16:13.490 there. You know, going to talks in villages, 00:16:13.590 --> 00:16:17.070 doing like masterclasses around them developing 00:16:17.070 --> 00:16:20.230 dishes, specifically plant -based dishes with 00:16:20.230 --> 00:16:25.049 everything that's growing around them and feeling 00:16:25.049 --> 00:16:28.009 pride around that. Also speaking when it comes 00:16:28.009 --> 00:16:31.750 to like the culinary sort of world there, also 00:16:31.750 --> 00:16:35.870 speaking to people that are in more ecological, 00:16:36.809 --> 00:16:40.669 pathways or like eco -friendly businesses for 00:16:40.669 --> 00:16:44.110 them to focus on these ancestral foods and to 00:16:44.110 --> 00:16:47.529 promote themselves as such that that is the added 00:16:47.529 --> 00:16:51.149 value that was also very powerful so you know 00:16:51.149 --> 00:16:55.210 we spent over 20 days every day engaging with 00:16:55.210 --> 00:16:59.769 all parts of the society Fijian society in different 00:16:59.769 --> 00:17:02.590 islands listening and also having discussions 00:17:02.590 --> 00:17:06.549 in general and trying to find solutions Whether 00:17:06.549 --> 00:17:09.789 it was women's cooperatives, also developing 00:17:09.789 --> 00:17:14.210 products for added value and for economic development 00:17:14.210 --> 00:17:16.869 and us connecting to them when it comes to that. 00:17:17.009 --> 00:17:22.269 So it was a variety of things. And as a result, 00:17:22.329 --> 00:17:24.869 I returned a very changed person and profoundly 00:17:24.869 --> 00:17:27.509 with everything I learned there, but also the 00:17:27.509 --> 00:17:30.670 connection with the people. It's just been incredible. 00:17:31.390 --> 00:17:33.690 You think the work you were doing there in that 00:17:33.690 --> 00:17:36.289 visit was already starting to create an impact 00:17:36.289 --> 00:17:40.589 on the community over there? I know so because 00:17:40.589 --> 00:17:47.549 we're receiving continuous feedback from different 00:17:47.549 --> 00:17:51.349 villages, from different groups, and the transformation 00:17:51.349 --> 00:17:55.109 that they, you know, part of that transformation 00:17:55.109 --> 00:17:57.569 was like right before our eyes because it was 00:17:57.569 --> 00:18:02.880 very... intensive in terms of like some of the 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.099 workshops we did were for example the very last 00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:08.940 one was like a two -day intensive workshop with 00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:14.240 mostly women that came from all over Fiji like 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:18.380 Fiji's 300 islands but they came many of them 00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:21.180 had not even traveled and so we summoned this 00:18:21.180 --> 00:18:25.980 group of women to come and to be able to now 00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:29.119 partake in this workshop that would allow them 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:33.880 to now connect to the businesses that they were 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:37.119 looking to develop, whether it was some type 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:42.039 of ecological lodging or trekking or in their 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:44.779 villages, all this in their villages, and to 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:47.880 now connect them to this greater idea of food 00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:52.000 and ancestry and lineage, ways of preparing and 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.589 offering. This to themselves, to their villages, 00:18:55.670 --> 00:18:59.130 but also to the visitors that they were now looking 00:18:59.130 --> 00:19:03.349 to have by way of their businesses. And that 00:19:03.349 --> 00:19:06.029 was very profound. And to this day, all of these 00:19:06.029 --> 00:19:09.769 women, dozens of women came from all over in 00:19:09.769 --> 00:19:14.769 boats and like in all types of means of transportation 00:19:14.769 --> 00:19:19.789 to get to where we were to partake in this. And 00:19:19.789 --> 00:19:25.089 the transformation, I mean. It's just so profound. 00:19:25.529 --> 00:19:28.950 When we were talking earlier, you said that part 00:19:28.950 --> 00:19:32.410 of the DNA of the Bronx or part of the reason 00:19:32.410 --> 00:19:34.890 why people come from all over the world to study 00:19:34.890 --> 00:19:37.490 what happened here, something really important 00:19:37.490 --> 00:19:40.690 happened here a few decades ago where the community 00:19:40.690 --> 00:19:44.609 took the initiative to self -organize themselves 00:19:44.609 --> 00:19:49.109 towards a system that wasn't solving the problems 00:19:49.109 --> 00:19:52.380 they had. I mean, it's documented or maybe not 00:19:52.380 --> 00:19:56.420 documented enough of, you know, when the Bronx, 00:19:56.579 --> 00:19:59.480 you know, there's a coining of the Bronx is burning. 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:03.680 And it's really in reference to the arson that 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:06.759 took place here for about 10, 12 years, having 00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:12.140 to do with greedy landlords and building owners 00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:15.299 torching their buildings to collect insurance. 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:19.849 So then cashing out and then leaving. which created 00:20:19.849 --> 00:20:25.730 essentially destruction and certain populations 00:20:25.730 --> 00:20:30.549 were not able to leave. And so essentially you 00:20:30.549 --> 00:20:33.349 would think of the Bronx as a place that imploded 00:20:33.349 --> 00:20:37.349 in many ways because of all this arson and then 00:20:37.349 --> 00:20:40.970 not many resources coming to it by way of the 00:20:40.970 --> 00:20:43.329 city, the state or the federal government. And 00:20:43.329 --> 00:20:46.730 essentially them pulling out and the Bronx being 00:20:46.730 --> 00:20:50.000 left on its own. And it was really community 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:53.680 organizations, some of which I've been, you know, 00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:56.160 I've had the pleasure of working with, that stepped 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:59.460 up and, you know, cleaned up the Bronx and started 00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:04.019 redeveloping the Bronx, essentially taking over 00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:06.500 where the, you know, where the federal government 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:09.900 or the city or the state pulled out. It was really 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:14.759 on the community level that this occurred. The 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:18.140 Bronx is... the model for community revitalization, 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:21.420 for the community doing that on its own. Here 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:28.500 on 138th, you have a lot of community, I would 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:32.240 say, businesses, local businesses, a lot of Mexican. 00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:36.319 There's a vast Mexican population, also Puerto 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:40.200 Rican and Dominican population here. So it's, 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:43.579 you know, it's a great place to like, to walk 00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:47.670 and to get your Your produce, there's great small 00:21:47.670 --> 00:21:50.910 mom and pop restaurants there. This area is now 00:21:50.910 --> 00:21:54.109 adjacent to another area, which is now, I would 00:21:54.109 --> 00:21:59.890 say, more gentrifying area, which is literally 00:21:59.890 --> 00:22:03.490 two blocks away, where you have more community 00:22:03.490 --> 00:22:06.910 -based and now also public housing, which is 00:22:06.910 --> 00:22:11.309 where we are. And within a block, you have a 00:22:11.309 --> 00:22:14.920 very hyper luxury. by the waterfront. And all 00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:17.920 this has happened in the last five years. There 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:21.400 is this sort of tale of two worlds converging 00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:27.099 here as a result of this sort of new development. 00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:30.440 Let's go back to what you just mentioned earlier. 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:33.640 You were talking about the communities that you 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:35.740 find around here, where you buy your produce. 00:22:36.900 --> 00:22:41.420 How do these communities play into the... The 00:22:41.420 --> 00:22:46.019 food identity of the borough. It's a very strong 00:22:46.019 --> 00:22:48.920 food identity. The Bronx is very, very, very 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:52.339 strong. We have representation when it comes 00:22:52.339 --> 00:22:54.980 to probably everybody from around the world. 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:59.519 Every nationality lives here in varying numbers. 00:22:59.819 --> 00:23:04.839 And so you will find an extension of their cuisine. 00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:09.039 Obviously, the larger numbers in terms of... 00:23:09.369 --> 00:23:13.049 populations and nationalities have a more sort 00:23:13.049 --> 00:23:17.509 of extensive footprint in the borough but you 00:23:17.509 --> 00:23:21.130 can find based on neighborhoods you can find 00:23:21.130 --> 00:23:24.230 everything here everything obviously very delicious 00:23:24.230 --> 00:23:28.289 and in many ways the beginnings of whatever that 00:23:28.289 --> 00:23:31.490 was a lot of it is in the Bronx whether it's 00:23:31.490 --> 00:23:36.289 like little Italy little Italy neighborhood here 00:23:36.289 --> 00:23:40.180 in the Bronx which is A very authentic, I would 00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:44.619 say very autonomous region here in existence 00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:47.599 for over 100 years with the Italian immigration. 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:51.119 I am. And so you have that there in a way that 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:55.180 doesn't exist anywhere else, really. Here in 00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:58.059 the South Bronx, you have incredible restaurants 00:23:58.059 --> 00:24:02.500 that are, you know, very much so from the Mexican 00:24:02.500 --> 00:24:05.660 community. You have Dominican restaurants, you 00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:08.319 have Puerto Rican restaurants. that are sort 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:12.099 of more abundant in the area there are other 00:24:12.099 --> 00:24:15.000 types of like innovative restaurants that are 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:20.259 now coming up in the more luxury area that you 00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:22.599 see there sort of like sprouting up and then 00:24:22.599 --> 00:24:25.359 you have when it comes to neighborhoods you have 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:29.839 incredible also you know Jamaican restaurants 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:33.500 here you have Ghanaian and Nigerian restaurants 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:37.319 that are really incredible. And with that, accompany 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:41.920 their marketplaces as well. So you'll have these 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.799 outlets, these marketplaces that people have 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:50.279 to source these ethnic ingredients as well. So 00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:52.660 you'll be able to find that throughout the borough. 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:56.220 And that's something that's very special that 00:24:56.220 --> 00:24:59.660 we have here in the Bronx. The first little farm, 00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:06.099 like 11 years ago, was on top of this. That was 00:25:06.099 --> 00:25:08.779 the first farm that I spoke to you about. That 00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:11.940 was 250 square feet, right here. The rooftop? 00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:16.220 At that rooftop, yeah. So what projects do you 00:25:16.220 --> 00:25:18.539 have in front of you in the short -term future? 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.420 What are you working on? I mean, a lot of things 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:26.960 are in the research stage, I would say. Are you 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:29.380 collaborating with a university on a research 00:25:29.380 --> 00:25:33.880 project? Oh, yeah. So, yeah. So, there's a big 00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:39.539 vision project of engaging food production, added 00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:44.220 value products. For that, we wanted to really 00:25:44.220 --> 00:25:47.539 study this on a community level, how it could 00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:52.099 affect community and also be able to impact the 00:25:52.099 --> 00:25:56.609 community from an economic point of view. And 00:25:56.609 --> 00:26:00.690 so we've partnered with Fordham University to 00:26:00.690 --> 00:26:03.329 start that research. And part of that research 00:26:03.329 --> 00:26:07.490 is us engaging with community gardens to see 00:26:07.490 --> 00:26:11.829 how certain production can happen there. And 00:26:11.829 --> 00:26:14.869 that certain production, we're looking at what 00:26:14.869 --> 00:26:17.490 could specifically be growing there that could 00:26:17.490 --> 00:26:21.190 transcend sort of like seasons and space and 00:26:21.190 --> 00:26:24.720 really thinking of them as... An aggregate and 00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:29.039 how this aggregate can now grow at scale, but 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:31.940 grow specific things that could have added value. 00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:34.440 We're in the research right now, the research 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:37.380 phase. And we have about another year and a half 00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:40.980 of the research before we launch a pilot for 00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:43.759 it. And I would say within a year, we'll launch 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:46.819 a pilot. And that pilot will allow us now to 00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:52.680 look at this very interesting model, I would 00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:56.150 say. that doesn't exist in the way that we see 00:26:56.150 --> 00:27:02.170 it, but that we hope will be a pioneer and would 00:27:02.170 --> 00:27:05.569 allow for others to be inspired to also develop 00:27:05.569 --> 00:27:09.890 similar initiatives. What about the botanical 00:27:09.890 --> 00:27:13.230 garden? What is it exactly? Well, we just ended 00:27:13.230 --> 00:27:16.369 the botanical gardens project, the African -American 00:27:16.369 --> 00:27:19.990 garden. It was just the most incredible experience 00:27:19.990 --> 00:27:25.079 for the last three years. in partnership as a 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:28.980 curator, Dr. Jessica Harris. The project essentially 00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:34.740 was us looking at also a very novel and way of 00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:38.420 thinking about lineage and food and connecting 00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:40.660 all the dots. And it was looking at the Bronx, 00:27:40.859 --> 00:27:42.900 obviously because the Botanical Gardens is here. 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:45.880 The first year we looked at the African -American 00:27:45.880 --> 00:27:49.119 experience and the migration patterns and the 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:52.440 plants that now are associated or were associated 00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:55.269 with the African -American community. And are 00:27:55.269 --> 00:27:57.970 these plants that were brought by the Africans 00:27:57.970 --> 00:28:01.390 that came to America? So these are, yes. So we 00:28:01.390 --> 00:28:04.950 featured plants there that were brought from 00:28:04.950 --> 00:28:08.730 enslaved people, but also plants that were already 00:28:08.730 --> 00:28:12.549 here. We're really telling the story of migration, 00:28:12.869 --> 00:28:17.130 but also enslavement and also of resilience. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:21.380 And adaptation as well, right? Like adapting 00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:25.200 to the available plants. Yeah, exactly, exactly. 00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:28.740 And how essentially that adaptation happened 00:28:28.740 --> 00:28:33.200 and how plants can tell that story. Is anything 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:36.539 published about that? There's stuff online, yes. 00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:41.059 And currently we are developing, I would say, 00:28:41.079 --> 00:28:44.319 a document with the botanical gardens where it 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:47.039 will have even more information. But there is 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:49.759 a lot published already. And then the second 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:52.279 year was us focusing on the Caribbean. Which 00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:55.299 is also an insane melting pot of... I mean, that 00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:58.339 is, when you're talking about the hemisphere, 00:28:58.839 --> 00:29:02.980 that is where everything essentially... The world 00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:05.980 as we know it, that is the start of that, whether 00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:09.960 it's colonization or enslavement, the connection 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:13.759 with indigenous and European indigenous and Africans. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:17.539 Yeah. That is the beginnings of all that. And 00:29:17.539 --> 00:29:21.759 so we told the story. That what is, if you say 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:24.480 Caribbean today, I can only think of exactly 00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:28.009 that. indigenous Africans and Europeans and an 00:29:28.009 --> 00:29:30.950 island, basically. Yeah, I mean, and the thing 00:29:30.950 --> 00:29:33.349 is that, well, there's this greater idea of the 00:29:33.349 --> 00:29:37.009 Caribbean being a continent of islands, right? 00:29:37.089 --> 00:29:40.269 Because they are so rich and so vast that one 00:29:40.269 --> 00:29:42.950 island in the history and the impact of just 00:29:42.950 --> 00:29:45.289 one island that could be considered very small, 00:29:45.470 --> 00:29:48.109 it's equivalent to a continent. I would also 00:29:48.109 --> 00:29:51.309 add to that the surrounding coasts of continental 00:29:51.309 --> 00:29:55.740 America. For example, in Venezuela, we see ourselves 00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:58.299 as caribbeans as well right because we we also 00:29:58.299 --> 00:30:02.079 connect with the sea that's right yeah and so 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:05.799 there is a shared there is a shared history and 00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:08.859 along those coasts for sure you know telling 00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:11.059 that story of the caribbean again we were telling 00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:14.859 it through plants over 170 plants also spices 00:30:14.859 --> 00:30:20.660 so many all of that we told the story with medicinal 00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:25.210 herbs with fruits with vegetables with plants 00:30:25.210 --> 00:30:29.589 that were for um not just for medicine but for 00:30:29.589 --> 00:30:34.750 for tool making for for music making like when 00:30:34.750 --> 00:30:37.250 you're thinking of plants and the use and what 00:30:37.250 --> 00:30:41.769 you know of the cultures now um there is you 00:30:41.769 --> 00:30:45.529 cannot deny how it was all shaped by people but 00:30:45.529 --> 00:30:48.750 also how people were shaped by plants and so 00:30:48.750 --> 00:30:51.250 we told that story there and in this very last 00:30:51.250 --> 00:30:54.089 year which ended in october We told the story 00:30:54.089 --> 00:30:57.529 of the diaspora, which was now the entire hemisphere. 00:30:57.750 --> 00:31:02.210 Yeah. And so we told the story to over 200 plants. 00:31:02.329 --> 00:31:06.410 And those 200 plants were really, you know, connecting 00:31:06.410 --> 00:31:09.309 South America, Central America, North America 00:31:09.309 --> 00:31:12.970 and the Caribbean and intertwining all of this 00:31:12.970 --> 00:31:17.829 knowledge and the plant knowledge and telling 00:31:17.829 --> 00:31:21.829 the story, this greater story of diaspora. and 00:31:21.829 --> 00:31:25.289 how we're all so connected with these plants 00:31:25.289 --> 00:31:27.329 and we may be using them without even knowing 00:31:27.329 --> 00:31:29.029 that we're using them. Absolutely. And having 00:31:29.029 --> 00:31:31.829 different names for them, but also the innovation 00:31:31.829 --> 00:31:35.230 that... It's an intrinsic part of any civilization, 00:31:35.650 --> 00:31:38.730 their use of plants, absolutely. Yeah. And so 00:31:38.730 --> 00:31:43.250 that was the botanical garden project. You also 00:31:43.250 --> 00:31:45.809 mentioned in one of your farming projects, you 00:31:45.809 --> 00:31:48.339 want to get deep into herbs. What can you share 00:31:48.339 --> 00:31:51.480 about that? Yeah, so that's part of like the 00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:55.000 research, some of the research that I was engaging 00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:58.980 you on that has to do with, there are populations 00:31:58.980 --> 00:32:03.980 that have not been well served in terms of their 00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:07.440 contributions of herbs or spices or whatever, 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:10.519 or just plants in general. And the idea is to 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:13.160 be able to shine a light. on that and so that's 00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:15.940 part of the research that it's ongoing for us 00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:18.079 to be able to do that and do that in a way that 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:21.779 really serves that population well but also allows 00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:25.240 them to reap rewards from whatever it is that 00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:28.519 we find and however it is that we look to employ 00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:33.119 this this knowledge and potential project and 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:35.880 so yeah we're being very careful in terms of 00:32:35.880 --> 00:32:38.619 the research aspect to be able to get it right 00:32:38.619 --> 00:32:43.910 because So much has not gone right when it comes 00:32:43.910 --> 00:32:47.190 to certain populations being well served. So 00:32:47.190 --> 00:32:49.670 this area is, I mean, all of this is like all 00:32:49.670 --> 00:32:51.849 the areas that I was going to show you. Okay. 00:32:52.309 --> 00:32:55.009 Oh, we're going to walk through. I have just 00:32:55.009 --> 00:32:58.650 like a floating question. Yeah, we can walk through 00:32:58.650 --> 00:33:00.930 here. We can wait till like, let's pass, hit 00:33:00.930 --> 00:33:04.990 this. So this was the first cannabis store in 00:33:04.990 --> 00:33:09.930 the Bronx. Since legalization. Since legalization, 00:33:10.150 --> 00:33:12.650 okay. So they throw, you know, parties and stuff. 00:33:13.509 --> 00:33:16.769 Yeah, so, you know, you can freely engage here. 00:33:16.910 --> 00:33:19.130 It's an interesting model that they have because 00:33:19.130 --> 00:33:21.690 they're connected also to formerly incarcerated 00:33:21.690 --> 00:33:25.630 people. Okay. And giving them opportunities in 00:33:25.630 --> 00:33:28.349 terms of like... Well, the Mexican place where 00:33:28.349 --> 00:33:32.130 you just had some tacos you mentioned, engage 00:33:32.130 --> 00:33:36.589 in social enterprise model. Is there a lot of 00:33:36.589 --> 00:33:40.990 that going on in the Bronx? There are a lot of 00:33:40.990 --> 00:33:43.789 very conscious, I would say, models and people 00:33:43.789 --> 00:33:47.829 wanting to develop that. But because they know, 00:33:47.990 --> 00:33:49.410 I mean, if you're on the ground, you know what 00:33:49.410 --> 00:33:52.109 the needs are. And so you want to be able to 00:33:52.109 --> 00:33:55.130 serve those needs. So you will find a lot of 00:33:55.130 --> 00:33:58.630 organizations and increasingly people wanting 00:33:58.630 --> 00:34:02.000 to be more social about their enterprising. And 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:04.279 just a last question on, well, you as a vegan, 00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:08.440 if you would recommend top three favorite places 00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:12.239 in New York to have a bite. I would say my house. 00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:16.079 Okay. Number one. Because I mostly eat home. 00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:20.239 I'll never forget when I tried to do a pinche 00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:23.219 tour with you in San Sebastian. And it was so 00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:30.039 impossible. Impossible, but not terribly, like... 00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:35.159 Terribly, I would say, impossible, but not terribly 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:37.940 bad. Like terribly, it ain't terribly wrong. 00:34:38.079 --> 00:34:42.199 We found some stuff that there was. I will never 00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:44.679 forget that there was like one of the waiters, 00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:49.840 but why? Why does he? Yeah, I was like, why would 00:34:49.840 --> 00:34:52.780 you ask for that? Why would you, why would we 00:34:52.780 --> 00:34:56.420 even serve that? And I was just like. Very apologetic. 00:34:56.420 --> 00:34:59.780 Like, I'm used to it. So, you know, I can bend 00:34:59.780 --> 00:35:02.460 in terms of like, oh, no, there are no options. 00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:06.019 Cool. I'll opt out on this one. But you guys 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:08.760 were being so inclusive that you really wanted 00:35:08.760 --> 00:35:11.219 me to try. But, you know, everything is so delicious 00:35:11.219 --> 00:35:14.940 there and so fresh that I, you know... I remember 00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:18.019 you dripping with the almond soup. Oh, yeah. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:20.340 That was really... Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was 00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:24.119 taken aback by that soup because it was just... 00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:27.300 It was just so delicious. Like, it was just so 00:35:27.300 --> 00:35:31.079 simple. But so, I'm like... Ajo Blanco, which 00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:34.239 is basically an almond gazpacho. Yeah. I've had 00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:37.619 gazpacho here, obviously, but it wasn't like 00:35:37.619 --> 00:35:40.739 that. No, that one is, like, very special. That 00:35:40.739 --> 00:35:43.559 was at another level. Yeah. And so, I was very 00:35:43.559 --> 00:35:46.739 much so, like, I wanted to try all of these things 00:35:46.739 --> 00:35:51.639 and whatever we could find. So, I'm very grateful 00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:54.840 that you, you know... You decided to bring me 00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:56.920 along on that, even though you knew it was probably 00:35:56.920 --> 00:36:01.800 not going to be. I talk about that a lot, you 00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:06.099 know. It was a very funny and learning experience. 00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:09.940 So top one, your house. So my house, I really 00:36:09.940 --> 00:36:14.239 love. Also, there's this place that opened up 00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:17.679 downtown, Ross Plant Base. It's more like an 00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:22.769 Ethiopian inspired place. I mean, I go to a lot 00:36:22.769 --> 00:36:26.230 of places that are like... Is this where you 00:36:26.230 --> 00:36:30.210 have this? Like these giant pancakes on the table? 00:36:30.570 --> 00:36:33.070 No, that's more like more traditional Ethiopian. 00:36:33.070 --> 00:36:35.590 This is more like bowls and like smaller plates. 00:36:36.250 --> 00:36:41.690 They've kind of like revamped. I would say Ethiopian 00:36:41.690 --> 00:36:44.369 inspired because you have some of that, but with 00:36:44.369 --> 00:36:50.510 other types of complex ingredients. for lack 00:36:50.510 --> 00:36:53.789 of a better word. And so I really like that because 00:36:53.789 --> 00:36:56.269 there's a level of like innovation, but also 00:36:56.269 --> 00:36:59.369 keeping it very culturally relevant, which is, 00:36:59.409 --> 00:37:01.309 you know, I also love Ethiopian food, but then 00:37:01.309 --> 00:37:03.510 there are other components to it that keep it 00:37:03.510 --> 00:37:05.829 very interesting. I think they have like two 00:37:05.829 --> 00:37:07.610 or three locations and they just open one downtown. 00:37:07.750 --> 00:37:11.429 So I really like them. I would say for my third, 00:37:11.530 --> 00:37:15.329 there's this Mexican spot that's, I mean, we 00:37:15.329 --> 00:37:19.300 just went to a Mexican place. And I have a plant 00:37:19.300 --> 00:37:21.300 based option there, which is I think they make 00:37:21.300 --> 00:37:23.320 the best tacos. So you were talking about the 00:37:23.320 --> 00:37:26.539 tortillas. Yeah. So, you know, instead of just 00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:30.659 saying of a vegan restaurant, I want to prop 00:37:30.659 --> 00:37:35.519 up a local restaurant that I love. And I've worked 00:37:35.519 --> 00:37:37.860 with them on many initiatives, restaurant initiatives, 00:37:38.039 --> 00:37:40.719 food initiatives, along with other restaurants 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:43.239 around. And, you know, I really think that these 00:37:43.239 --> 00:37:45.599 mom and pop restaurants are the true heroes in 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:48.590 our community. And the true stakeholders that 00:37:48.590 --> 00:37:51.610 should get the mention. So even though they're 00:37:51.610 --> 00:37:56.210 not a vegan place, they have vegan options. They've 00:37:56.210 --> 00:37:58.170 accommodated many of our initiatives that are 00:37:58.170 --> 00:38:01.750 plant -based also. And their restaurants to be 00:38:01.750 --> 00:38:04.170 able to promote health and plant -based eating. 00:38:04.369 --> 00:38:08.829 And I would say that those are, and Mexico Sina, 00:38:08.969 --> 00:38:13.010 they are the best tacos in New York City. I say 00:38:13.010 --> 00:38:17.110 that because... I believe it. And I have them 00:38:17.110 --> 00:38:20.449 often there. But also because the recipes are, 00:38:20.570 --> 00:38:24.090 you know, the owner's great grandmother and grandmother. 00:38:24.909 --> 00:38:27.809 And so he's brought them from Mexico here and 00:38:27.809 --> 00:38:31.190 keeps them still to tradition. And so I have 00:38:31.190 --> 00:38:35.289 the tacos Mexicosina, which are very specific 00:38:35.289 --> 00:38:38.969 to their sort of house tacos. They're not the 00:38:38.969 --> 00:38:41.409 regular tacos. They're very specific. And I usually 00:38:41.409 --> 00:38:43.940 have the mushroom ones with them. They're just 00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:46.099 the most delicious. So I would say that those 00:38:46.099 --> 00:38:48.960 are the three places that I would recommend. 00:38:49.139 --> 00:38:52.059 But if you wanted to come to my house, you have 00:38:52.059 --> 00:38:59.860 to, you know, get on the list. That's it for 00:38:59.860 --> 00:39:02.639 this week's episode of Potluck Food Talks. If 00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:04.659 you like what we're doing, make sure to subscribe 00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:06.920 to the podcast so you never miss an episode. 00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:09.360 You can also find us on Instagram and TikTok 00:39:09.360 --> 00:39:12.880 as Potluck Food Talks. The show airs every Monday.