Join Amelia Bandy and Jason B. Tartt Sr. as they lead an in-depth discussion on issues related to food justice, food access and community health in McDowell County and Southwest Virginia from 1-4 p.m. Friday (Oct. 28), 318 Hodges Hall.
The duo will also discuss community organizing, local economy and youth entrepreneurial projects in the region.
The discussion aims to initiate relations and collaborations between our faculty and communities in McDowell County to develop ideas and projects, and to find solutions for southern West Virginia’s most pressing problems such a poor community health, poverty, lack of economic opportunities, youth development, health injustice, food insecurity, and justice and equality for Black farmers.
To register or for assistance with accessibility, contact Mehmet Öztan at mehmet.oztan@mail.wvu.edu.
Amelia Bandy is a co-founder and the executive director of Economic Development Greater East which aims to be part of the solution for economic revitalization and health improvement in McDowell County and southwest Virginia.
She is also an opioid and addiction educator for eight counties in southwest Virginia through the Virginia Tech University Cooperative Extension. She is a community organizer and advocate who initiated a health and wellness coalition, helped start a farmer’s market and worked on entrepreneurial farm-to-table projects in Tazewell and Lebanon, Virginia.
Jason B. Tartt Sr. co-founded Economic Development Greater East and several other organizations to identify regional economic drivers, and to develop models around food and agriculture, clean energy, tourism and community health. He has also developed training and experiential learning programs for budding food producers and future business owners in McDowell County.
Tartt is an entrepreneur, farmer, business owner and an ambassador of change who is passionate about exploring these opportunities. He recently appeared on CNN in an episode of Kamau Bell's "United Shades of America."