There weren’t ‘out’ farmers in my community and there weren’t farming cooperatives.”ĭ was ready to start enacting their vision. “I wanted to be a part of something that was creating something different-an alternative to what I had experienced my whole life. When, during a stint working on the farm, they discovered the business was up for sale, Cheney could feel that there was a chance to answer those questions. “I kept asking, ‘How do we get different people in power? How we get queer people in power and try to create a farm that doesn’t harm the people who are employed there?’” Instead of backing down, Cheney studied at University of California, Santa Cruz, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, where they co-founded the first Queer Farmer Field Day. I was always attacked because of my gender identity and sexual orientation.” “My dad’s a farmer, I grew up just outside of Boston farming on and off my whole life.” That childhood experience constantly called them back to working the land, and yet, “It was a harmful journey to be a queer person in that world. I found my community.”Ĭheney’s journey was different. I had to know why Black and brown communities had less access to food and how to change it.” Once they started their journey, working in community gardening and educational projects like Farm School NYC, things changed. “I saw food disparities in the city I hadn’t ever seen living in NJ, and it was blatantly obvious. I worked jobs from construction and music production to restaurant work.” Nothing felt right until the move from the Jersey suburbs (where they were born and raised) to NYC generated a personal mission. “I barely graduated high school, I didn’t go to college. This year they received more than 316 applicants for the first year of their Pollinate queer farmer training program.įor co-founder D, finding where they truly felt a sense of belonging was not a simple path. It’s run on organic-farming tenets, with a sliding-scale CSA that serves both the local community and many parts of NYC it also works to generate safer spaces for queer and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) farmers to thrive. Rock Steady is queer* owned and operated cooperative vegetable farm rooted in social justice, food access, and farmer training. And that’s because Rock Steady Farm isn’t any old farm. The more than $100K loan they needed came from Seed Commons, a national community wealth cooperative. “Yeah, we started the business with $500 each and then we got the rest financed,” Cheney explains. The process that led up to that decision involved years of study, work, and determination by all the co-owners. “But we were, like, ‘Holy shit, this is an opportunity to take over an existing farm and turn it into something else, and the land is gorgeous.’” “It was a spur-of-the-moment opportunity, not planned-whatsoever!” says co-founder Maggie Cheney, leaning forward and explaining with their signature mix of energy and laser-like focus. Her recovery and her martial arts training inspire her dedication to multicultural body nurturance and community celebration.įor more information about Marcella's trainings, go to marcellaedtraining.The birth of Rock Steady Farm in Millerton was fast. She holds a second degree black belt and enjoys the exploratory path her training gives her. Marcella trains in Kajukenbo at Hand to Hand Kajukenbo Self Defense Center in Oakland. Marcella herself recovered from anorexia nervosa over 20 years ago. Marcella currently serves as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY # 27037) in Kaiser Permanente’s eating disorder clinic in Oakland and runs a private practice. She completed her post- doc internships at an eating disorder outpatient program and an eating disorder residential program for adolescents. Marcella’s desire to address eating disorders drove her to pursue her doctorate in clinical psychology, receiving her PhD in 2012. from UC Berkeley, and Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. and serves as Co-Chair of the Academy of Eating Disorders Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee. She is also on the Advisory Board for the Association of Size Health and Diversity (ASDAH), on the Advisory Board of Eating Disorder Recovery Support (EDRS) as Past President. Today she is on the About-Face Board of Founders and a consultant. In 1997, Marcella worked with About-Face, a nonprofit organization that addresses media impact on body image serving as the Director of Media Literacy until 2005. Marcella Raimondo, PhD, MPH is a passionate and spirited clinical trainer speaking from her heart on social justice and eating disorders since 1995.
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