Red Clay Fellowship- Official

Apply by May 5th, 2023
The Why
Every day there are tables of people sitting around in DC, state legislatures, and private dinners across the country having conversations that will determine the future of our food and farming systems. We need those tables to be full of young and BIPOC farmer leaders demanding the equitable transformation our food systems need. With the average U.S. farmer approaching 60 years old and nearly half of U.S. farmland on the brink of changing ownership over the next two decades, creating policy solutions to support this new generation of growers is essential if we are going to achieve food security, healthy communities, and protect natural resources into the future.

The Who

BIPOC farmers in the South have experienced dozens of generations of discrimination, violence, and exploitation in their pursuit of land ownership, stewardship, and agriculture. These leaders have developed resilient systems of farming at the intersection of climate crisis, land loss, and racial oppression -- all to continue ancestral traditions of feeding their communities and fighting for structural change. The Red Clay Fellowship seeks to identify and support 6 farmer leaders already working to unite and mobilize communities in the South around issues of sustainability and racial equity. We seek farmers who have a demonstrated desire to drive structural change, connect with a regional- and national network of like-minded farmer leaders, and are excited to grow via a supportive, educational and activist infrastructure.

The How

These 6 Southern farmer fellows working at the nexus of sustainability and racial equity will benefit from 20 hours of leadership and strategic educational programming to enhance the impact of their work in their local and regional community and amplify their voices beyond it. This includes but is not limited to: dynamic use of SWOT analysis as an organizing tool, storytelling and advocacy, and southern traditions of agrarian organizing. This program resources young BIPOC farmers to become experts on and advocates for local and regional policy change that serves their communities and their work. The fellowship is designed to not only mobilize, but heal; the restorative space will support fellows to cultivate energy and confidence to act as local, regional, and federal advocates.

Fellows will receive a $3000 stipend for participating in this fellowship.
Name*
Pronouns*
Land Acknowledgement, City/State*
Talk a little about your leadership experience in the following; community and grassroots organizing, political leadership and advocacy, farming and land stewardship*
Share a few sentences about what current project(s), for yourself or with others, you are involved in. *
A key function of this program is to strengthen leadership analysis of projects, self, and internal/external opportunities. What are some of your strengths and weaknesses as a farmer leader? Include how they, respectively, bolster and hold back your work (no more than 2 paragraphs)*
Working on structural change is a balance of short term intermediary actions and holding the long term north star vision we work toward. What is one example of a moment or space in your organizing work so far that you've had to hold the nuance of incremental and transformational actions? What was successful for you, what was challenging? (no more than 2 paragraphs)*
List and describe the political issues and opportunities present in your community.*
Who are you in co-leadership with that you admire and why? *
What growth goals or strategies are you using to drive your work forward over the next 2-3 years?*
The Red Clay Fellowship offers project and political analysis, access to resources and peer experts, and provides a space where farmer leaders are less alone, more resourced, and more confident in their ability to make change. What excites you most from this list?*
Email*
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