Leaders and Role Models

Often, the most important role models are the ones who go without formal recognition, and the most important leaders are the local ones. There are surely many leaders and role models in your own community, and you probably already know some of them, so start asking around and looking for them. Are they teachers, relatives, farmers, shop owners, cooks, writers, artists, home gardeners? Older people often have a lot of wisdom and information to share. Young people can be leaders too: maybe one of your friends inspires you with his or her creativity or hard work. Tell these people they are doing a good job,  support them, and ask them about what they do - they will almost certainly be eager to talk about their passions!

To get an idea about what is possible, here are just a few nationally recognized leaders in sustainable food and farming:

• Will Allen, former professional basketball player, founder of Growing Power, and urban agriculture leader
• profile from MacArthur Foundation
• Growing Power farms and programs
• Cesar Chavez, farm labor and civil rights activist and leader and founder of United Farm Workers (UFW)
• biography from UFW site
• Cesar Chavez Foundation
• Alice Waters, restaurateur and founder of the Edible Schoolyard program
• short bio from Edible Schoolyard site
• profile from NPR
• Frances Moore Lappe, researcher and activist who questions society's assumptions about hunger and nutrition
• bio from an organization she founded, Small Planet Institute