All posts by dityat

Ideas, Partnership

It’s more than just a job training, it is a civic engagement project

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Robert Pierce at Meriter Hospital
Robert Pierce in the Meriter’s site of the South Madison Farmers’ Market

This post is about my partnership in South Madison.  Reading the most recent story at the Capital Times about our project could potentially be misleading as this may be perceived as just another job training trying to help Formerly Incarcerated Individuals (FIIs). FIIs are not the problem.  FIIs are part of our solution in developing a strong and just local food system in South Madison.

First, it is very possible that we have not been able to communicate clearly about what is it that we want to do with the project.  It is very convenient to think that our project is just another job training for FIIs who lack of skills and lack of trust when trying to reenter the society.  This project is thought to bring together a group of saviors who will give the skills and jobs to FIIs.  No, we are not a savior, and this project is not a job training.  We are using the job training as a means, but the ultimate goal is to build a strong connection between the commercial urban agriculture skills and the food desert community where these FIIs are a part of. Continue reading It’s more than just a job training, it is a civic engagement project →

Ideas

being unproductive for my 15-minute a day writing goal

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I am debating myself about this writing, not the whole idea, but the idea of each post I am about to write.

Should I focus on a writing that is good and informative?  OR should I focus on writing that the quality I should care less as long as I write continuously 15-minute a day?

Even when you are trying to be as casual as possible in writing, knowing that your goal is merely to be comfortable in writing, you still have this constant barrier in your mind: what should I write?   Mostly probably because you can’t really get away with the idea of writing something informative.

But even if it is informative, maybe frame it in a different way, informative for who?  Who is my audience in this 15-minute a day writing?  Should I think that the audience is anyone out there online — (as if the trend visit on my website is high)?  Or maybe I should just think that my audience is my own, and I should care less about whoever reads my 15-minute a day posts?

They are easy questions with easy answers.  But when you are doing the work and actually trying to practically answer the question, that is probably the hard part.

Ciao —

ps.  Maybe I should just stick with this kind of writing I did for this post?

Popular Article, Professional Development

Writing a reporting article

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One of the skills that I would like to promote for academics is the ability to write a popular article, reporting their activities while they are working with grassroots communities.  I do realize that most of my work will not be “sexy” enough for a reporter to write.  So instead of waiting for their report, I would just write my own and circulate through social media.

My most recent reporting article “South Madison farmer fights food injustice with Ex-Cons” has gotten attention.   Both Anthony Cooper and Robert Pierce were approached by the Capital Times after reading this article.  It certainly helped amplify the mission of the project, and reach out broader community about the food justice movement in South Madison.

Update Aug 10 – read the article at host.madison.com.

Partnership

First “serious” grant!

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I am truly honored and humbled that I had the opportunity to work with amazing students of Nelson Institute and community partners SMFM and Nehemiah who could deliver this kind of work.  This is the first “serious” grant I am part of!

The recent approval of the Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment would continue to facilitate the realization of a viable local food systems in South Madison.  The multiple partners associated in this project could be a model in how to deliver social change through an intensive collaborative work.

More information about this project, please read the project partnership page.

https://www.facebook.com/dghidayat/posts/10205964420684179

Ideas

Infographic on South Madison Food Justice Project

Abby Jackson is a friend who joined our team for the South Madison food justice project.  She would be a Teaching Assistant for the service learning capstone course for the 2014-2015 academic year.  She was one of our students in our previous community-university partnership with The Natural Step Monona, where I got to know her excellent community-oriented skills that essential for our project.

Among one of a few things that she did in starting off her journey with us was to put together this infographic about the project.  The poster was presented at the Wisconsin Prevention of Diabetes & Center for Integrated Agriculture Studies, and won a prize in the category of Community Access to Healthy Food.

Please view the poster in pdf that illustrates our plan for the project.

dh

Ideas

First two weeks of Public Humanities Fellowship

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Completing my first two weeks on my Public Humanities Fellowship, I am a happy camper.  What about it?  Let me be concise since I am in the middle dissertating but do not want to forget some good memories. Continue reading First two weeks of Public Humanities Fellowship →

Ideas

An alternative way viewing ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

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Just because of the amount of water used for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, I have been wondering about how people might think differently.  Then I did some simple search that led me to this article in the Huffington Post: “How Is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Hurting YOU?? (Hint: It’s Not, So Stop Complaining).” And then I found the author claims that she has an answer to her selected complains from the public.

“People are wasting water.” No, it’s not wasted when it’s used as a catalyst in something so positive. When you can bring hope and help, nothing is wasted.

I still think that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a good way for building our community and increasing people awareness for a good cause.  What I have been wondering is if these people taking the challenge are thoughtful enough about others who have been suffering due to limited clean or just enough water to support their life needs.

Continue reading An alternative way viewing ALS Ice Bucket Challenge →