Sowing Justice

About this episode

In this episode, Keionna Thomas interviews Cicely Garrett about the intersection of policy, racial justice, and economic opportunity in agriculture.

In this fourth and final episode of BRAIDEd Season 1, host Keionna Thomas sits down with Cicely Garrett, co-executive director of the National Black Food and Justice Alliance, to examine the intersection of policy, racial justice, and economic opportunity in agriculture. They discuss the shortcomings of the Inflation Reduction Act, the historical parallels between current farm bill debates and 1968 civil rights legislation, and the critical shift from "coming to get our check" to building sovereign food systems rooted in black self-determination. Garrett emphasizes the importance of coupling policy demands with institution building co-ops, land trusts, and legal defense infrastructure, while highlighting that 70% of the world's land stewards are women, making black women central to any vision of agricultural liberation and climate resilience.

People in this episode

Host: Keionna Thomas

Guest: Cicely Garrett

Topics covered

• policy
• racial justice
• economic opportunity
• agriculture
• food systems
• self-determination

Keywords

• Inflation Reduction Act
• farm bill
• civil rights
• co-ops
• land trusts
• legal defense
• women land stewards
• agricultural liberation
• climate resilience

More episodes of BRAIDEd

• Sustaining the Steward · April 22, 2026 · 31 min
• Inheriting the Harvest · September 22, 2025 · 36 min
• Seeds of Resilience · May 26, 2025 · 24 min
• Reclaiming Our Roots · April 22, 2025 · 18 min
• BRAIDEd Teaser #1 · March 24, 2025 · 1 min