Food insecurity is a reality faced by many low-income urban families, however the food access movement goes beyond developing local gardens, farmers markets, grocery stores, etc. This workshop is for those who are seeking methods on how to engage community members in altering the food system. Come join this interactive hour long workshop and learn about resident- led projects, in food swamps like Oakland and Bayview Hunters Point, CA, which integrated community engagement for local and governmental level change.

Presented By: Jasmine Vassar

Ryan Rising of the Permaculture Action Network gives a how-to on getting involved with the organization’s movement of mobilizing concert-goers and festival-audiences to Permaculture Action Days – one day events where people build the viable alternatives of the just & regenerative paradigm in their own communities. In 2014, the group carried out the first “Permaculture Action Tour,” mobilizing hundreds of concert-goers at a time in 32 cities throughout the United States to come take action the next day – building urban farms, planting community food forests, installing rainwater catchment systems, natural buildings, and more. Hear a short report back on this past year of developing a network to continue partnering with artists and events like The Polish Ambassador, Rising Appalachia, and most recently, Burning Man, to drive attention towards permaculture and mobilize people to get in the ground. Get the download on how the organization is developing a network of bioregional crews who can connect local organizers and projects with high-visibility artists and cultural events throughout North America, and how you can get involved and start a bioregional crew in your community.

This workshop will include a short report back on what we have done so far starting with the Permaculture Action Tour in 2014 and developing the Permaculture Action Network over the last 2 years, during which time we’ve mobilized thousands of people to more than 50 Permaculture Action Days throughout the country. People can borrow from this inspiration to do their own thing and continue movement building in similar capacities. We’ll also be letting people know the organization structure we’ve developed and how people can join the Permaculture Action Network. As we’re creating a network of BioRegional Crews throughout North America who can utilize the organizing base of the Permaculture Action Network to parter with artists, bands, musicians, and festivals, this is especially relevant for the North American Permaculture Convergence. We’ll let people know how to directly join the network to continue driving concert-audiences and festival-goers to Permaculture Action Days, and to getting involved with the movement for the long haul. This workshop will be equal parts inspiration towards capacity building for the movement in general as it is directly a download on how we as an organization can grow and move forward together.

Presented By: Ryan Rising

Rye N Flint resides in a balck oak Savannah in Northern California. He surthrives in an off-grid tiny home, and runs a edible plant nursery and mycoremediation business. He has a B.S. degree in Soil Science, and a permaculture design certification. He gives talks and workshops on rewilding and food forestry, and leads walks through the natural areas in Northern California.

2015 Convergence Workshop: Rewilding: Trophic Cascades