Author and Advocate Dr. Eric Holt-Gimenez Speaking at Mendocino College June 28, 2008

An activist who chronicled the development of farmers voices for sustainable agriculture, Dr. Eric Holt-Gimenez will speak at Mendocino College Little Theater.

This is the second of a two-part speaker series on "The Food Crisis: Challenges and Solutions". This series is hosted by The Compassion Network, KMEC, Mendocino Environmental Center, Great Ukiah Localization Project, and other local organizations.

New York Times calls Food First Institute for Food and Development Policy, directed by Dr. Holt-Gimenez, one of the country's "most established food think tanks." The mission of Food First is to end the injustices that cause hunger, poverty and environmental degradation throughout the world, believing that a world free of hunger is possible if farmers and communities take back control of the food systems presently dominated by transnational agri-foods industries.

Dr. Holt-Gimenez is the author of Campesino: Voices from Latin America's Farmer to Farmer Movement for Sustainable Agriculture (2006) which chronicles the development of this movement in Mexico and Central America over two and a half decades. Eric conducted extensive research, worked with farmers, participated in their farmer-to-farmer trainings, and recorded their triumphs with camera and pen. Previously, he served as the Latin America Program Manager for the Bank Information Center in Washington D.C.

Erik earned a Ph.D in Environmental Studies from the University of California – Santa Cruz. He speaks about farmer-to-farmer trainings, sustainable agriculture, and food sovereignty: people's right to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems—at home and abroad, how this would help avoid a future food crisis like the one the world is currently experiencing. In his words, "successful social movements are formed by integrating activism with livelihoods. These integrated movements create the deep sustained social pressure that produces political will—the key to changing the financial, governmental and market structures that presently work against sustainability."

This speaker series is open to the public and everyone is welcome. A small vegetarian reception with the speaker follows his talk. Donation is appreciated.

For contact information, email: thecompassionnetwork(at)gmail(dot)com, or phone 707-736-6299.

Official Website: http://www.ecopalooza.net/dir/classified.php?catid=17&subcatid=46&adid=779