In this episode, Mark chat's with Seneca Scott who is a really awesome human doing great work in his community in West Oakland. Seneca is bringing people together around food, culture and nurturing healthy environments. He's part of the Oakhella team that was born in the Lower Bottoms of West Oakland to preserve the cultural fabric of their community while welcoming newcomers. They officially launched as a micro-music festival in 2016, and have since grown into a community organization comprised of young professionals who recognize the need to create spaces that encompass the broader culture of Oakland, and its multi-generational appeal.
Seneca also helped build Oakhella’s sister organization, Bottoms Up Community Garden which is home to an experimental localized food system in West Oakland intended to re-shape the Lower Bottoms’ understanding of food security. They believe that through decolonizing the current industrial agricultural system, community health, nutritional awareness and biodiversity will improve… there are some awesome conversations on this in the episode.
We recorded this podcast on location at Bottoms Up Community Garden, so you’ll hear some of the city sounds in the background mixed in with some chickens and other activity.