Edible Activist Podcast

Host Melissa L. Jones sits down with Dr. Celeste Davis—public health educator, design strategist, and director of the Public Health Scholars Program at American University—for a thoughtful conversation on how food justice, public health, and community power shape one another in today’s shifting landscape. Through her path as a bridge-builder, Dr. Celeste shares why food justice is rooted in dignity, culture, policy, labor, land, and the structures that determine who gets to thrive. She reflects on the possibilities and limits of policy, the importance of local action, and how design thinking and empathy can create systems that feel liberatory rather than transactional. Grounded in her work with emerging public health leaders, she offers a hopeful vision for collectively designing a more just and community-centered future.

Returning-generation farmer and community herbalist Bianca “Umi” Anthony shares how she’s reclaiming seven acres of her family’s 1950s land in rural Bertie County, NC—reviving legacy, building Seed of Life Farm, and raising her three kids “no screens” while they learn to grow. We talk medicinal herbs and cut flowers, creating a healing space for community retreats, the realities of solo stewardship and mentorship, and why a deer fence and basic infrastructure matter for the first growing season. Umi invites listeners into a vision of generational healing rooted in the soil.

Erin Cole, founder of Nurturing Our Seeds in Detroit, shares how a porch-side safety moment on Helen Street—mowing vacant lots for elders—grew from a first flower patch into mustard and turnip greens, and ultimately a neighborhood farm and seed-saving hub. We dig into living soil, herb-based compost teas, seed starting as food sovereignty as they supply transplants to 14 Black farms and save okra seed with the Ujamaa Seed Cooperative, and adapting to climate chaos with part-shade cucumbers. We also talk land access and how the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund strengthens community control—plus Erin’s quest to breed a hot pink okra.

From living-room swaps to a decade of citywide pop-ups, Zsameria Rayford’s SWAP DC → SWAP Universe shows how style and sustainability move together. This episode digs into the operational backbone, the ethos, and the outcomes—thousands of pounds of textiles kept out of landfills while neighbors trade clothing, plants, books, and ideas. We connect circular fashion to health and land stewardship and outline replicable models for your own community swap. A clear, on-the-ground example of the community-rooted change celebrated on Edible Activist.

Najwa Womack, founder of SiStained8 in Washington, D.C., traces her path from early nature moments to teaching compost as the art of growing soil. She defines composting in plain language, explains essentials like source-separated organics and feedstock, and tackles common myths about smell and time. Najwa connects kitchen scraps to city-scale solutions—cutting landfill methane, strengthening local soil and food, and reducing flood risk. She shares simple ways to begin at home, in schools, and with community drop-offs, outlines a vision for more three-bin and tumbler sites, and reflects on her work as a U.S. Composting Council Advocate of Compost, where national policy meets neighborhood impact.

Cotton has long been a cornerstone of American agriculture and culture. Julius Tillery, a fifth-generation cotton farmer and founder of Black Cotton, is reshaping how we see this iconic crop by turning it into a source of artistry, heritage, and opportunity. In this conversation with host Melissa L. Jones, Julius shares his journey of embracing his family’s legacy, raising awareness about the decline of Black cotton farmers, and inspiring future generations through culture, innovation, and a deep connection to the land.

Chef, storyteller, and advocate Antoinette Johnson takes us back to her Black Southern roots, where family traditions and community gatherings first sparked her love for food. She shares how those early influences—and moving across different states—shaped her culinary voice and storytelling lens, leading to her big win on America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation. This is a conversation about honoring heritage, amplifying Black foodways, and carrying legacy forward—tune in for a story that will leave you inspired and hungry for more.

After a traumatic brain injury in 2014, Chef Marly — a born and raised Washingtonian and classically trained chef — found her way back to life through farming. Now the Farmer’s Market Manager at East Capitol Street Urban Farm, she shares how her culinary background, love for the soil, and seasonal challenges shape her work and what’s growing at the farm.

In this episode of Edible Activist, Melissa sits down with Kenny and Kut, the co-founders of Melon Nation — two Black farmers and agricultural specialists bringing fresh seeded watermelon and tropical fruits to communities across the East Coast. Together, they share how Melon Nation is building a vibrant supply chain rooted in health, sustainability, and cultural expression, while creating spaces where art, agriculture, and community flourish. From their mantra “It takes a seed to build a nation” to their mission of connecting rural, suburban, and urban communities, this conversation is all about the power of food to unite and inspire.

Ora Kemp, creator of The Bodega Bites, is on a mission to make sure everyone’s eatin’. As a 2025 Castanea Fellow and Senior Policy Advisor with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, she offers a candid look at New York City’s food landscape, the stakes for SNAP, and the difference between food insufficiency and insecurity. We also explore how rising food and housing costs are reshaping communities—and the bold ideas needed to build a just, resilient food system.

What would our world look like if Black imagination led the way? In this episode, Artistic Director Aisha Shillingford of Intelligent Mischief joins me to explore the power of speculative world-building as a tool for liberation, healing, and community transformation. We talk about what reparations and land justice could mean for our food systems, how Afro-futurism can reimagine our relationship to land and growing, and why cultural programming can be a catalyst for deep collective care. Together, we envision new, thriving worlds where Black people are sovereign, joyful, and free.

Chef Demi Unique approaches food as art, memory, and ancestral tribute. Trained at both the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and the Institute of Culinary Education, she blends her deep creative roots into immersive culinary storytelling. As a traveling artist, chef, and consultant, Demi uses food to honor lineage, build community, and create space—especially for Black folks. In this conversation, we explore her path into food, the influence of the women who shaped her journey, and how style, culture, and flavor come together in her work.

In this episode, Melissa sit down with Kela, a farmer and founder of Konterra Life Farms in Maryland. Kela is deeply rooted in regenerative, soil-first farming practices and is also a registered dietitian who understands the powerful connection between the land and our health. We talk about what it means to grow food that heals both people and the planet, the importance of soil health, and how education plays a big role in helping communities reconnect with where their food comes from.

In this episode of The Edible Activist, Melissa sits down with JR, founder and CEO of EightFold Farms DC, a network of hyperlocal urban farms transforming rooftops, lawns, and underused spaces in Washington, DC’s Wards 7 and 8. Frustrated by limited access to healthy food and inspired by global urban agriculture models, JR set out to reengineer the local food chain—starting with mushrooms. Tune in as JR shares how EightFold Farms is tackling food apartheid, building climate-smart farming solutions, and proving that urban agriculture can be both socially impactful and economically viable. From custom-designed farm units for chefs to the art and science of growing mushrooms, this conversation dives deep into what a smarter, faster, and more just food system can look like.

In this episode, we sit down with Darrelynne Strother, founder of Châteaux Cocoa, where wellness takes root through gardening, beekeeping, and community care. From a childhood moment tossing cucumber seeds to leading hands-on beekeeping workshops, Darrelynne shares how personal healing blossomed into a mission grounded in joy, creativity, and connection. We talk about the magic of bees, lessons from the land, and what it means to grow wellness in an urban world.

In this episode, we're joined once again by LaMonika Jones, Director of State Initiatives at the Food Research & Action Center, for a timely conversation about the intersection of food access, policy, and advocacy. LaMonika breaks down key threats to SNAP at the federal level, offers insight into where we are in D.C.'s local budget process, and unpacks the broader impacts these decisions have on families, farmers, and school food programs. Together, we explore what’s at stake, how community members can take action, and what a resilient, equitable food system truly looks like. If you care about food justice, this is the episode to tune into. Disclaimer: This episode was recorded prior to the most recent federal updates to SNAP.

In this episode, we sit down with Chi Walker—creative force, culinary curator, and one-half of the duo behind Fried Chicken and Caviar, the pop-up redefining what luxury looks and tastes like through a soulful, intentional lens. Chi invites us into her world of flavor, storytelling, and cultural reclamation, where ancestral roots meet culinary innovation. We explore the inspiration behind the name Fried Chicken and Caviar, the duality it represents in Black culinary traditions, and what it means to create elevated dining experiences that honor soul, heritage, and community. From spring garden influences to family food memories, Chi shares how her dishes become vessels for joy, resistance, and reimagined narratives. This is more than a conversation about food—it’s about presence, power, and claiming space at the table.

Meet Kizzy Anderson James—a fierce spirit cultivating community, creativity, and flavor straight from the soil. In this episode of Edible Activist, host Melissa L. Jones welcomes the dynamic force behind Anderson James Farm. Kizzy is an urban farmer, disabled veteran, chicken mama, and storyteller whose journey from military service to farm life is as inspiring as it is impactful. Together, they explore the roots of her entrepreneurial path, the power of raising chickens in the city, and how she fuses creativity into everything from her crops to her kitchen. Kizzy also shares memories of the family cooks who shaped her and the farm-fresh meals that keep her connected to her purpose.

In this episode, we sit down with Tamara, the founder of Great Mother Garden Solutions, to explore the deep roots of land stewardship and herbal wisdom. From ancestral influences to the decision to grow her own herbs, she shares her journey of reconnecting with the earth. We unpack the overlooked healing power of dandelions, discover her favorite herbs for everyday use, and hear her heartfelt advice for aspiring growers looking to cultivate their own herbal gardens. Whether you're a seasoned grower or a curious beginner, this conversation is full of grounded insights and inspiration straight from the soil.

In this episode, we explore the rich tapestry of Black foodways with Josmine Evans, founder of Indigo Culinary Co. As a cultural preservationist, chef, and storyteller, Josmine is on a mission to honor the culinary traditions of the African diaspora—one spice blend, one dish, and one story at a time. She shares how her travels across the African Atlantic have deepened her understanding of ancestral foodways and how her work with The Joy Project is helping to reclaim and celebrate these legacies. From preserving Black culinary traditions to using food as a form of resistance, Josmine invites us into a powerful conversation about seasoning, storytelling, and the liberation found at the table.