On February 25, 2021 Come to the Table hosted the second session of our 2021 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling (SFJFS). Faith leaders from across North Carolina attended this session, which was held virtually and facilitated by Come to the Table staff members Michelle Osborne and Jarred White.
The first part of this session served as an orientation to RAFI-USA, Come to the Table, and the School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling. Participants also had the opportunity to split into breakout groups to debrief the January session with each other. Lastly, participants were guided through the Storytelling Project Curriculum, an activity that was originally developed by Lee Anne Bell, Rosemarie A. Roberts, Kayhan Irani, and Brett Murphy in association with Barnard College. This activity defines four types of stories: stock stories, concealed stories, resistance stories, and counter stories. Participants learned about each type of story and offered examples of how they see these stories being told about hunger in their communities. Through this activity, participants were able to deconstruct harmful narratives around hunger and lift up empowering examples of how communities are responding to hunger. One participant commented that the activity “broke a complex idea into a manageable size with real-world examples.”
The 2021 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling cohort will continue to meet virtually once a month through July of 2021. Future SFJFS sessions will focus on systemic issues within the food system, a theology of hunger, policy advocacy around hunger relief, and creative solutions that churches can undertake in regard to hunger.
Applications are closed for the 2021 SFJFS. Stay tuned for information about future cohorts and join the RAFI-USA email list to learn about upcoming application rounds. If you are interested in learning more about the SFJFS, contact Michelle Osborne at [email protected].
Learn more about the program.