It’s All About Food

It’s All About Food - Jimmy Prude, Jimmy’s Vegan Cookies

Jimmy Prude is the founder of Jimmy’s Vegan Cookies. His mission is to change how people enjoy sweets by making them healthier and to give back through community-focused initiatives.
Jimmy began his journey as a nutritionist, helping residents incorporate small amounts of plant-based foods into their daily meals. Through extensive online research, they also dove into food nutrition, labeling, and the often obscure, unpronounceable ingredients found in everyday products. Inspired by what he learned, Jimmy launched Jimmy’s Vegan Cookies at the 79th Street Renaissance Festival in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. He brought 95 units of his signature Loaded Vegan Cookies, and sold out in under five hours.
Jimmy’s business has since partnered with FOODWORKS, a proven on-site dining platform that connects communities through food. FOODWORKS highlights local, authentic, and ethnically diverse restaurants within client spaces, helping foster inclusion and cultural appreciation through every bite.

It’s All About Food - Jennie Liss Ohayon, PhD, Impacts of California’s Proposition 65

Jennie Liss Ohayon, PhD, Impacts of California’s Proposition 65Dr. Jennie Liss Ohayon is a Research Scientist at Silent Spring Institute, specializing in environmental policy, community-engaged research, and environmental justice. She is currently working on projects to report back to study participants and community partners in the U.S. and Chile their exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals. She also researches the emergence of scientific and activist concerns around industrial chemicals with Northeastern’s PFAS lab, and, in collaboration with co-investigators at the University of California, Berkeley, is evaluating the effectiveness of California-based legislation that aims to reduce or eliminate exposures to toxic substances. With the support of the Massachusetts Toxic Use Reduction Institute, she recently partnered with high schools across the state to translate environmental health research into hands-on curriculum that helps students reduce toxic exposures. She works with the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, a network formed to address threats to federal environmental policy and data, to track changes to EPA’s structure and science production.
Dr. Ohayon completed her PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz researching the remediation of toxic waste in military Superfund sites. With research support from the EPA’s Science to Achieve Results fellowship and the National Science Foundation, she did fieldwork to evaluate how policy around public participation and environmental justice is translated into cleanup programs. She also used data from all military Superfund sites for quantitative and spatial analyses of how factors such as the race and class demographics of surrounding neighborhoods contribute to how quickly sites are remediated. During this time, she created an interactive curriculum in environmental sciences for high school students that are disproportionately affected by environmental problems and who come from communities that are underrepresented in the field of environmental science.
Prior to beginning her PhD, Dr. Ohayon worked in two conservation biology laboratories and led education and recreation programs for children in low-income housing. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto, with majors in biology and political science. In her free time, she enjoys traveling (she’s explored six continents) and various food-related pursuits—gardening, canning, and of course eating delicious vegetarian food!
Links mentioned in the podcast:
Chemical Exposure Warnings (Proposition 65 Warnings)
California Told Companies to Label Toxic Chemicals. Instead They’re Quietly Dropping Them
How a Right-to-Know Law Shifts Industry away from Chemicals of Concern: The Case of California’s Proposition 65
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
Silent Spring’s tips (including tip sheets and our Detox Me app)

It’s All About Food - Taylor McKinnon and Adam Wilks, Mr.Charlie’s TMS

Taylor McKinnon and Adam Wilks, Mr.Charlie’s TMSTaylor McKinnon is cofounder of Mr. Charlie’s Told Me So (TMS)—a purpose-driven, plant-based QSR brand redefining what fast food can be—is making its biggest move yet with an 18-store development deal across Arizona.This multimillion-dollar franchise agreement marks the brand’s first major regional rollout, powered by a mission of second chances, sustainability, and crave-worthy food. To support this growth, Mr. Charlie’s has brought on franchising and licensing veteran Adam Wilks (former exec at Pinkberry, Cold Stone, and TYSON 2.0) as President to spearhead national expansion. With proven traction in LA, San Francisco, and Sydney, Australia, Mr. Charlie’s is now opening up franchise opportunities in select U.S. states.Plant-based QSR has been largely untapped at scale—Mr. Charlie’s is betting big on changing that.

It’s All About Food - John Sanbonmatsu, The Omnivore’s Deception

John Sanbonmatsu, The Omnivore’s DeceptionJohn Sanbonmatsu is a writer, philosopher, and magician. He is author of The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong about Meat, Animals and Ourselves (New York University Press) and of The Postmodern Prince: Critical Theory, Left Strategy, and the Making of a New Political Subject (Monthly Review Press). John received his BA from Hampshire College and his PhD in the History of Consciousness Department at the University of California at Santa Cruz. John is Professor of Philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, where he teaches ethics, politics, philosophy of film, and existentialism (among other courses). John lives in the Boston area, where he performs as a semi-professional magician and mentalist.Follow John on Twitter (@SanbonmatsuJ) and Blue Sky (@jsanbonmatsu.bsky.social)  Links mentioned in this program:Marti KheelKaren Davis

It’s All About Food - Matthew Shepherd, Bring Back the Pollinators

Matthew Shepherd, Director of Outreach and Education, Bring Back the PollinatorsMatthew has worked for the Xerces Society for more than two decades, initially at the vanguard of a new movement to protect pollinators, but then on endangered species and a range of other issues, as well as several years leading Xerces’ communications work. Throughout this time, he maintained a direct involvement in pollinator conservation in towns and cities, and in his current role has returned to outreach and community engagement. Much of this focuses on supporting neighborhood-level efforts such as pollinator gardens and small habitat projects in parks, as well as leading the Bring Back the Pollinators campaign and promoting the No Mow May and Leave the Leaves initiatives.
Matthew is author of numerous articles and other publications, including Attracting Native Pollinators (Storey Publishing, 2011) and Gardening for Butterflies (Timber Press, 2016). He also is the long-time editor of Wings, the Xerces Society’s magazine.
Matthew’s 35-year conservation career began in England and took him to Kenya before his arrival in the United States. After completing a master’s of science in land resource management, Matthew managed National Trust lands in Oxfordshire, established a successful community-based conservation program in Essex, and helped to create Samphire Hoe, an award-winning nature park at the foot of the White Cliffs of Dover. During a VSO placement in Kenya, he worked with local communities and government agencies to improve the management of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, on the coast north of Mombasa.
It was in Kenya that he met a Peace Corps volunteer⁠—who is the reason he moved to Oregon. They live on the west side of the Portland metro region. Their two children are now at college, but they still get together—although sometimes they roll their eyes when Matthew points out yet another super-cool insect that he found.

It’s All About Food - Will Potter, LITTLE RED BARNS Hiding the Truth, from Farm to Fable

Will Potter, LITTLE RED BARNS Hiding the Truth, from Farm to FableWill Potter (@willpotter) is a thought leader and award-winning investigative journalist and author whose work has focused on social justice movements and attacks on civil rights post-9/11. He has been invited to speak about human rights and political repression before governmental bodies including the U.S. Congress, the Australian Parliament, and the Council of Europe. He was the first investigative journalist to be named a TED Senior Fellow, and his TED talks on anti-protest laws and secret prisons have been viewed nearly 10 million times. His book, Green Is the New Red: An Insider’s Account of a Social Movement Under Siege, exposed the targeting of nonviolent protest groups by the FBI and was awarded a Kirkus Star for “remarkable merit.” Will was awarded the prestigious Knight-Wallace Fellowship in Law Reporting, and is the inaugural civil rights fellow and distinguished journalist-in-residence at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. His new book, Little Red Barns: Hiding the Truth, from Farm to Fable, is now available for pre-order from City Lights. 
BUY THE BOOK NOW!!
 Listen to the IT’S ALL ABOUT FOOD interview with Will Potter about Green Is the New Red: An Insider’s Account of a Social Movement Under Siege.

It’s All About Food - Hartglass & De Mattei, Earth Day/Birthday, and the Poop on Toilet Paper

Call Caryn’s personal archive number to hear the most recent five episodes of It’s All About Food: 1-701-719-0885
Hartglass & De Mattei, The Poop on Toilet PaperCaryn and Gary share stories about Caryn’s recent birthday which occurs on Earth Day. Things to look out for in toilet paper are covered along with artificial sweeteners like aspartame.  Links mentioned in the program:
How Toxic Is Your Toilet Paper? Investigation of Brands
Toilet paper is an unexpected source of PFAS in wastewater, study says
Now We Need to Worry About Harmful ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Our Toilet Paper Too
All the Ways We’ve Wiped: The History of Toilet Paper and What Came Before
All About Reusable Toilet Paper: What You Should Know
Do You Need To Cut Out Aspartame?
Jim May, The Stevia Story

It’s All About Food - Caryn Hartglass, The Global Food System

Caryn Hartglass, The Global Food SystemIn this episode Caryn discusses the global food system, how every bit of food that is brought to our plate has involved so many people around the world. She shares stories of eating vegan and SOS-free on the road while in Vermont and Massachusetts. Recipes for Irish Soda Bread, both made with wheat and gluten-free versions are shared and discussed. The GMO corn story between the U.S. and Mexico is reviewed along with recipes for organic corn bread, and tortillas.  Links mentioned in this podcast:
Tortillas
Corn Bread: Gluten-Free AND SOS-Free!
Irish Soda Bread
The US vs. Mexico dispute over GMO corn: an attempt to keep track of it
Yes, Your Chili Powder Is Moving: The Gross Truth Behind Bugs in Your Kitchen Spices

It’s All About Food - John Sanbonmatsu, Our Resistance to Rethinking the Meat Economy

John Sanbonmatsu, Our Resistance to Rethinking the Meat EconomyJohn Sanbonmatsu is a writer, philosopher, and magician. He is author of The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong about Meat, Animals and Ourselves (New York University Press) and of The Postmodern Prince: Critical Theory, Left Strategy, and the Making of a New Political Subject (Monthly Review Press). John received his BA from Hampshire College and his PhD in the History of Consciousness Department at the University of California at Santa Cruz. John is Professor of Philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, where he teaches ethics, politics, philosophy of film, and existentialism (among other courses). John lives in the Boston area, where he performs as a semi-professional magician and mentalist.Follow John on Twitter (@SanbonmatsuJ) and Blue Sky (@jsanbonmatsu.bsky.social)
Links mentioned in the podcast:
Cell-Based Meat Debate, Resolve: Cell-Based Meat is Good for Animals
America Is Done Pretending About Meat
Clean Meat Hoax
 

It’s All About Food - Zoe Weil, The Solutionary Way

Listen Live by phone over ZenoRadio:(641) 741-2308(585) 652-0611
Call Caryn’s personal archive number to hear the most recent five episodes of It’s All About Food: 1-701-719-0885
Zoe Weil, The Solutionary WayZoe Weil is the co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE). She is the author of seven other books, including Amazon #1 best seller in the Philosophy and Social Aspects of Education, The World Becomes What We Teach: Educating a Generation of Solutionaries; Nautilus Silver Medal winner, Most Good, Least Harm; and Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times. She has also written books for young people, including Moonbeam Gold Medal winner, Claude and Medea: The Hellburn Dogs, about 12-year-old activists inspired by their teacher to become solutionaries.
Her blog, Becoming a Solutionary, can be found at PsychologyToday.com.
In 2010, Zoe gave her first TEDx talk, “The World Becomes What You Teach,” which became among the 50 top-rated TEDx talks within a year. Since then she has given five other TEDx talks: “Solutionaries,” “Educating for Freedom,” “How to Be a Solutionary,” “Extending Our Circle of Compassion,” and “How Will You Answer This Question?”
Zoe is a recipient of the NCSS Spirit of America award that honors people who follow their conscience and act against current thinking in order to stand up for equity, freedom, and the American spirit of justice. She was named one of Maine Magazine’s 50 independent leaders transforming their communities and the state and was honored with the Women in Environmental Leadership award at Unity College. Her portrait was painted by Robert Shetterly for the Americans Who Tell The Truth portrait series.
Zoe received a master’s in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School; a master’s and bachelor’s in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania; and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Valparaiso University. Zoe is certified in psychosynthesis counseling, a form of psychotherapy which relies upon the intrinsic power of each person’s imagination to promote growth, creativity, health, and transformation.