MFSTSA is hosting four guest speakers to talk with students in a virtual "MFSTSA Talk Series: Reimagining Our Food Systems". This talk series will feature entrepreneurs and educators of color who are working to transform our current food system, particularly by examining race and food justice on a deeper level. Because the goal is to promote food systems education across all interests and areas of study, this team is asking for funding to provide an honorarium to one of our guest speakers who is coming from a well known non-profit organization, Urban Growers Collective, in Chicago. Additionally, this team would like funding to print posters as promotional materials to attract as many interested students on campus as possible. Because food justice has been relatively less explored as a concept within the food-environment nexus on the UIUC campus, this team is hoping this talk series will highlight food justice as a legitimate concern in the field of food sustainability. Finally, this team would like to be able to hire ASL interpreter so that the virtual talk-series is accessible to as many people as possible. Aligning with goals of social justice in food systems education, this team believes that having a sign language interpreter is essential to social sustainability.

Guest speakers at this talk series include: Erika Allen, Dr. Bobby Smith II, Dr. Lila Adib Sharif, and Dr. Janett Barragan Miranda. This project is affilated with the Food Recovery Network UIUC Chapter, which is composed of two RSOs: the Metropolitan Food and Environmental Systems Student Association (MFSTSA) and Project4Less. The UIUC Chapter of FRN is part of the larger FRN national network. With the MFSTSA talk series, students will learn about the food system and understand how it impacts communties of color. UIUC students will have the opportunity to hear about the educational and career paths of food systems experts and learn more about their personal experiences. The talk series will expose students to different careers within the food system and highlight how to pursue those goals.