I believe that Richmond Virginia is a city that wants to change the current
city that wants to change the current
city that wants to change the current conversations that show some communities
conversations that show some communities
conversations that show some communities as a deficit and suffering going
as a deficit and suffering going
as a deficit and suffering going unaddressed our forefathers refused to
unaddressed our forefathers refused to
unaddressed our forefathers refused to empower people and like themselves they
empower people and like themselves they
empower people and like themselves they created spaces where people who were
created spaces where people who were
created spaces where people who were different could not work together and
different could not work together and
different could not work together and collaboration was discouraged leaving a
collaboration was discouraged leaving a
collaboration was discouraged leaving a legacy of separate and equal ownership
legacy of separate and equal ownership
legacy of separate and equal ownership was lost due to discriminatory decisions
was lost due to discriminatory decisions
was lost due to discriminatory decisions policies and practices by various actors
policies and practices by various actors
policies and practices by various actors compounded over time layered and layered
compounded over time layered and layered
compounded over time layered and layered over geography creating communities of
over geography creating communities of
over geography creating communities of exclusion this exclusion shows up today
exclusion this exclusion shows up today
exclusion this exclusion shows up today in the language that we use to describe
in the language that we use to describe
in the language that we use to describe these communities like east in food
these communities like east in food
these communities like east in food deserts this language suggests that
deserts this language suggests that
deserts this language suggests that there is this hungry mass of people in
there is this hungry mass of people in
there is this hungry mass of people in this city who lack food or healthy food
this city who lack food or healthy food
this city who lack food or healthy food and because the problem continues we
and because the problem continues we
and because the problem continues we lack the will is a city to change it or
lack the will is a city to change it or
lack the will is a city to change it or the problem is just so massive that it
the problem is just so massive that it
the problem is just so massive that it will require decades to change and so
will require decades to change and so
will require decades to change and so inequality continues lack of continues
inequality continues lack of continues
inequality continues lack of continues and suffering continues and I don’t
and suffering continues and I don’t
and suffering continues and I don’t believe in that Richmond I don’t believe
believe in that Richmond I don’t believe
believe in that Richmond I don’t believe in that image of Richmond that view of
in that image of Richmond that view of
in that image of Richmond that view of Richmond and because I didn’t believe in
Richmond and because I didn’t believe in
Richmond and because I didn’t believe in it
it
it I brought together six organizations to
I brought together six organizations to
I brought together six organizations to change that image the national black
change that image the national black
change that image the national black farmers say let’s get growing Virginia
farmers say let’s get growing Virginia
farmers say let’s get growing Virginia State University says that education is
State University says that education is
State University says that education is important st. Pauls Baptist Church says
important st. Pauls Baptist Church says
important st. Pauls Baptist Church says we must have faith to grow another
we must have faith to grow another
we must have faith to grow another chance to excel says that everyone has
chance to excel says that everyone has
chance to excel says that everyone has value Renu Richmond says that a green
value Renu Richmond says that a green
value Renu Richmond says that a green and healthy world as possible and
and healthy world as possible and
and healthy world as possible and kinfolks community says that we must all
kinfolks community says that we must all
kinfolks community says that we must all stand to
stand to
stand to when I was a child I could turn a
when I was a child I could turn a
when I was a child I could turn a bicycle into a motorcycle with a
bicycle into a motorcycle with a
bicycle into a motorcycle with a clothespin and a piece of cardboard as
clothespin and a piece of cardboard as
clothespin and a piece of cardboard as long as there was the sight that as long
long as there was the sight that as long
long as there was the sight that as long as it was a car the sound of the
as it was a car the sound of the
as it was a car the sound of the cardboard popping against the spokes of
cardboard popping against the spokes of
cardboard popping against the spokes of the wheel and the wind was on my face I
the wheel and the wind was on my face I
the wheel and the wind was on my face I had a vehicle that created endless
had a vehicle that created endless
had a vehicle that created endless possibilities it broke down barriers and
possibilities it broke down barriers and
possibilities it broke down barriers and covered me in freedom that popping sound
covered me in freedom that popping sound
covered me in freedom that popping sound gave me the courage to step outside and
gave me the courage to step outside and
gave me the courage to step outside and what was familiar what was ordinary what
what was familiar what was ordinary what
what was familiar what was ordinary what was common and step into new world I
was common and step into new world I
was common and step into new world I believe that there is a new sound in
believe that there is a new sound in
believe that there is a new sound in this city of people unwilling to get
this city of people unwilling to get
this city of people unwilling to get caught up in their grandparents and
caught up in their grandparents and
caught up in their grandparents and parents past people who want to work
parents past people who want to work
parents past people who want to work together to bridge the gaps of
together to bridge the gaps of
together to bridge the gaps of inequality maybe we have an issue with
inequality maybe we have an issue with
inequality maybe we have an issue with people not knowing the importance of
people not knowing the importance of
people not knowing the importance of eating healthy maybe we have an issue
eating healthy maybe we have an issue
eating healthy maybe we have an issue with people not knowing how to access
with people not knowing how to access
with people not knowing how to access healthy foods but we don’t have a food
healthy foods but we don’t have a food
healthy foods but we don’t have a food desert we have a youthful and vibrant
desert we have a youthful and vibrant
desert we have a youthful and vibrant city and we need to create a new world a
city and we need to create a new world a
city and we need to create a new world a new way of being around that this city
new way of being around that this city
new way of being around that this city we can come together to solve one of
we can come together to solve one of
we can come together to solve one of Richmond’s greatest challenges we can
Richmond’s greatest challenges we can
Richmond’s greatest challenges we can join hearts and hands to create a new
join hearts and hands to create a new
join hearts and hands to create a new sound a sound that carries a new
sound a sound that carries a new
sound a sound that carries a new generation a sound called food justice
generation a sound called food justice
generation a sound called food justice won’t you come with us thank you
won’t you come with us thank you
won’t you come with us thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
you
you [Applause]
”
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