Asian Pacific American Heritage Month presentations online

Lanterns by Surendra Dara

During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, UC ANR colleagues gathered via Zoom for virtual events to learn, share, support and celebrate. The presentations were recorded and will be posted under DEI on the Learning and Development recording archive page https://ucanr.edu/sites/Professional_Development/Monthly_WebANRs/Webinar_Archive under "Asian Pacific Islander Month."

"Stories in Seeds: Asian American Identity as rooted in heirloom crops"

Kristyn Leach, Namu Farms and Second Generation Seeds 
May 25, 2022

Kristyn Leach, a Korean American farmer in Yolo County, will share her personal story of activism for food and environmental justice, as well as her passion for nurturing connections between Asian American communities and the unique crops and foodways that are deeply rooted in their heritage. In addition to growing Korean and East Asian produce using traditional methods, Kristyn is active with Second Generation Seeds, a collective of Asian American growers dedicated to offering heirloom seeds and resources that help communities of the Asian diaspora reclaim and revitalize their diverse food cultures. Recording on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WKbyeiVPJL0. 

UCCE helps Asian American small farmers overcome language barriers

UC Cooperative Extension small farms advisors Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, Margaret Lloyd, Aparna Gazula and Hung Doan
May 31, 2022

Meet the UCCE team that serves Hmong, Mien, Chinese, Korean and other Asian American farmers in California. Farming is a complex business made even harder when English is not your native language. When the pandemic struck, UC Cooperative Extension helped Asian American farmers quickly comply with COVID-19 policies and adapt to new market conditions. The small farms team members are currently assisting Asian American farmers to adapt to climate change, access grants and other resources, and identify more ways to remain competitive and sustainable. The researchers also educate policymakers about issues affecting Asian American farmers to shape policy that is more practical.  

Small farms team serving Asian American farmers:

• Margaret Lloyd, Pang Kue and Fam Fin Lee, Capitol Corridor
• Vong Moua, Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties
• Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, Michael Yang and Lilian Thaoxaochay, Fresno County
• Aparna Gazula, Xuewen Feng and Qi Zhou, Santa Clara County
• Hung Doan, Riverside County 

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