JANUARY 19, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: EDWARD HILL – 206.508.1260
ehill65@gmail.com

McArthur Genius Fellow and Urban Farmer Will Allen Speaks to

Seattle Neighborhoods

“Inside the Urban Farmer’s Studio” Caps off a Daylong Series Of Events to Help
Communities
Strengthen Access To Healthy Food Options

(Seattle, WA)- Seattle and King County residents and community organizations have
worked with municipal and public agencies for decades to protect, manage,
improve, and sustain its food shed. While most efforts have succeeded in
maintaining one of the best regions in the country for a self-sustaining food system,
the diversity of economic participation, equity in access to its bounty, as well as the
benefits of its wealth have left many groups marginalized or locked out of
opportunities.

On Wednesday, February 3 at the Yesler Terrace Community Center, Creatives 4

Community will host Mac Arthur Genius Fellow and Urban Farmer Will Allen will as
special guest for a "Peoples Roundtable" with invited local grassroots organizations,
urban farmers and community members. The Roundtable is part of a daylong series
of events featuring Allen designed to help participants brainstorm ways that Seattle
neighborhoods can improve their health, empower their residents and create access
to healthy food throughout our city with simple, accessible urban growing
techniques.

“Will Allen is to food what Van Jones is to energy” said Eddie Hill, urban planner and
C4C’s Executive Director. “We want more communities of color and low income
people to take the lead in the Green Movement and Allen’s work represents the best
in the United States in urban agriculture and food justice.”

Seattle has many successful emerging programs to reduce hunger and provide
access to healthy, locally grown food. Allen will sit in with youth involved with
Youngstown F.E.E.S.T program to address ways youth can strengthen their
participation in planning their own green future. F.E.E.S.T. which stands for Food
Empowerment and Sustainability Team, is a weekly youth-led roundtable where
youth prepare healthy meals and learn about food.

At 7pm at the Mercer Middle School Auditorium in Beacon Hill, Allen will cap off the
day with “Inside the Urban Farmer’s Studio” a free, community-wide discussion on
food, urban farming and food policy to share ideas in a question and answer session
with audience members.

Will Allen is the founder and president of the Rainbow Farmer’s Cooperative. One of
the only African American farmers in the State of Wisconsin, Allen has struggled
vigorously to alleviate the plight of the small family farmer. Allen is also the CEO of

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Growing Power, a national not for profit organization supporting the development of
urban community food systems. He has over fifty years experience in farming,
marketing and distributing food and has shared this knowledge with youth, adults,
community groups, immigrants, farmers, and consumers.

Will Allen is referred to by many as a modern day George Washington Carver, a

person that Allen greatly admirers. Will Allen is known as an innovator and creator
of food systems that are leading efforts in getting good food to all people
worldwide. He believes that food is the cornerstone in building healthy communities
and that we have a responsibility to pass on our knowledge to youth and adults
about food for future sustainable food systems.

Agenda
8:30am – 9:00am “Morning Meet & Greet” - Yesler Terrace Community Center
(Invite Only)
9:00am –Noon “Peoples Roundtable with Will” Yesler Terrace Community
Center (Invite Only)
• 9 – 9:30am Introduction to Process
• 9:30 – 10am Asset Mapping Exercise
• 10 – 11:00am Strategy Brainstorm
• 11 – Noon Will Allen + Q&A
4:30pm – 6:30pm “Young People’s Urban Ag Session with Will” Youngstown Center
(Youth Only)
7:00pm – 9:00pm Public Event: Inside the Urban Farmers Studio with Will Allen,
Growing Power

This event presented by Creatives4Community, Seattle Neighborhood Group,

Progressive Planners Network, Youth Planners Network, FEEST at Youngstown,

About C4C
Creatives4Community (C4C) is a Washington State Non-Profit Corporation that
works with community and institutional partners to provide culturally and
linguistically appropriate green training and community-capacity building. C4C has
more than 25 years experience in education, curriculum, training, consulting, and
program management.

This event is Funded and Sponsored by The City of Seattle Department of

Planning and Development, Vulcan Inc., Seattle Parks and Recreation.

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