Worcester to Boston: Seeds and Cycles

Time is flying and so are we! From place to place as we connect with companheiros and spread the seeds of the Ciclovida project and the struggle for justice and ecology.

We had a great weekend getting to connect with friends and companheiros in Providence, Worcester, and Boston.

English For Action Cup

On Saturday morning we wrapped up our time in Providence with  English For Action‘s annual Soccer Tournament. The Ciclovida team kept our wheels spinning on the field: showing off our bike system and charging our batteries for the Worcester May Day rally later, while also playing a bit of soccer ourselves! No big wins on the soccer end of things, but we had plenty of success with people hopping on the bikes and bringing energy for the Ciclovida tour!

Worcester May Day Rally

We headed off to Worcester for the May Day Rally on Saturday afternoon where we were welcomed by many familiar faces from the Worcester Immigrant Coalition, Stone Soup, Worcester Earn-a-Bike, Worcester Roots, Mosaic Culture Complex, and more! It was a beautiful event in preparation for International Workers Day on Sunday and brought out many people to enjoy the many talented Worcester musicians, and speakers from Carpenters Local 107, the African Council, and the Ciclovida team, as well as Reverend Sarai Rivera, Randy Feldman, and Kwasi Sarpong.

Evan Greer performing at Worcester May Day

So many friends in Worcester were excited to meet Ivania and Inacio after seeing the incredible movie premier last fall, and Ivania and Inacio were excited to see the rest of the Ciclovida team’s home city of Worcester.

On Sunday the Ciclovida team pedaled out of Worcester, headed for the May Day Rally in Chelsea that afternoon. We enjoyed a beautiful ride through the hills of Massachusetts, taking a stop in Framingham for some Brazilian fare, since Framingham and the Greater Boston area has the highest concentration of Brazilian people in the world, outside of Brazil.

Chelsea May Day Rally

We continued on our way to Chelsea where we connected with others at the rally at Chelsea City Hall. Then we headed off on our way to Cambridge for an event at the Harvard School of Design, organized by Matt’s sister, Rachel.

Jarabe performing at the Cambridge Event

We had a great event with over 25 people coming out to see the movie and engage in discussion afterwards about the challenge of changing consumer culture in the United States, seed-saving networks, and how to raise awareness about GMO foods and the health problems they pose. We also heard about local projects including a community garden in Arlington, the Cambridge Climate Week (May 13-21), and work being done by an audience member from India with Association for India’s Development.

Spirit Child performing at Roxbury event

On Sunday night we had an amazing, high-energy event with United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury – A Village at Work, South End Lower Roxbury Open Space Land Trust, and Boston Cyclist Union.There was a very welcoming and social atmosphere to the whole event as everyone gathered around for a barbecue and delicious food.

Outdoor Screening in Roxbury

The night was perfect as everyone took seats in the Frederick Douglass Peace Garden to enjoy the musical performances of Evan Greer, Spiritchild, Jarabe del Sol, and Inacio, but it was a little chilly for Ivania who sat huddled under the mounds of blankets.

Evan Greer and Spirit Child rocking together for their "Back to the Roots Tour"

After the screening there was a smaller, more intimate discussion as everyone huddled in closer, and we closed with a prayer to ground everyone in the moment and bringing us all together

The Ciclovida team wrapped up the night be having tea with some new friends, some Northeastern students who lived up the street and invited us in to warm up, talk some more, and sing some songs before we headed back on our bikes to Cambridge.

Closing Circle

Press Coverage of Ciclovida by Providence Journal

Check out the video coverage of Ciclovida by the Providence Journal: http://www.projo.com/video/?bctid=930114926001

People Power in Providence

We kicked off this past weekend with an amazing event at PrYSM, Providence Youth Student Movement, an incredible community space for youth whose vision is “to confront and end state, street, and interpersonal violence affecting the Southeast Asian community in Rhode Island”. It’s a beautiful, colorful, open space full of energy with powerful words about the mission, vision, and value posted all over the walls as well as art and signs of all the incredible organizing work being done here.

The night kicked off with the PrYSM break dancing group rocking the floor and blowing all of our minds with their incredible moves! Then we enjoyed the powerful music of Soldiers of Life (SoL), Butterfly and Big Sythe who moved the audience with their soulful singing, and resistance-inspiring lyrics.

SoL rocks PrYSM with beautiful powerful rhythms

We had a full house at PrYSM, full of people from many different groups and communities, young and old. We’re feeling the power of people tonight as we see all the incredible work of the youth here involved through PrYSM’s SOUL (Students Organizing for Unity and Liberation) and SeaQuel (Southeast Asian Queers United for Empowerment and Leadership) programs for young people. We also got to hear from other people involved in Fuerza Laboral out of Central Falls who are organizing to stop the exploitation of low-income and immigrant workers in Rhode Island and a couple people spoke about the experience of coming to the US from Colombia and the Dominican Republic.

 

We also heard from the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island and ECO Youth about their food justice program to make more healthy food options available to people living in Providence. The energy in the room was incredible as people shared information about all the work they are doing on the ground and connecting it to the continued struggle and resistance of Ivania and Inacio.

Full house at PrYSM!

The night closed out with Evan Greer and Jarabe del Sol sharing more of the revolutionary rhymes and rhythms as they did a collaborative free-style, and the room was resonating with energy and resistance. As everyone stayed around after the event to connect, trade contact info, and share ideas, Inacio’s words rang true: “there are seeds here that will grow the large tree that will bring social revolution.”

Braking Ground On the Green at Brown

Rocking the green at Brown University

Today we rocked Brown University, pumping music from our pedal-powered PA system on the green. Jarabe did some free-styling on the mic while biking at the same time! Incredible! We had a great film showing last night and today had the great opportunity to talk to more people about how our pedal-powered system works, during our workshop in the center of campus. We met many curious Brown students who took turns powering the system and charging up our batteries for the show tonight at Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM).

Screening at Brown University: Rachel moving the audience with her poetry

Last night we kicked off our tour in Providence with a great event at Brown University with the Brown’s Earth week and emPOWER, a coalition of the environmental groups at Brown. We had another charged event as Rachel, a Brown student, opened with some incredible eco-poetry.

Evan Greer bringing the energy with "Ya Basta!"

She was followed by Evan Greer, who played her first show with us tonight and rocked the audience, as we all sang out “Ya Basta!” together, calling for an end to hundreds of years of oppression, colonization, racism, domination, imperialisnm, homophobia, and sexism.

In the discussion that followed the film, we were excited to hear about local projects including the efforts of the  Providence Fair Food group that is working in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, fighting for worker’s rights and fair wages for farm workers.
Some people also shared announcements about May Day (International Worker’s Day) rallies coming up this weekend for International Worker’s Day: one in Providence and one in Boston on May 1st, which Ciclovida will be at. Also, Ciclovida will be joining the May Day rally in Worcester tomorrow, Saturday, April 30th.

Blossoming Creativity: Song and Slam for Seeds at Manhattanville

Jarabe del Sol of the Readnex Poetry Squad

We had a very special screening at Manhattanville College as we were joined by two incredible artists, Jarabe del Sol of the Rednex Poetry Squad, and Sam Leopold, musician from New York. The night started off with high energy as Jarabe slammed poetry about our relationship to the earth firing up the audience with his passion and energy.  

Sam Leopold singing "Cheap Seed" ("costs more in the long run...")

 Inacio and Sam did a bilingual rendition of Sam’s song “Cheap Seed,” which talks about the real cost of cheap seeds. Afterwards,  Inacio charged the audience with his beautiful song “Ciclovida,” that challenges us “What is the best way to do good?/Going to all parts bringing ecology/Biking night and day/And still have time for poetry.”

We were hosted by the Theater and Music Department at Manhattanville and had an incredible turnout that brought many new perspectives to our to our tour. People shared some great projects after the movie, including the Lots to Gardens project in Lewiston, Maine which gets young people biking , gardening, and eating and selling their fresh produce! Another student shared more informatio nabotu how to get involved in actions opposing fracking (a  new extraction technology for natural gas that is destroying communities and contaminating ground water), and mentioned the work of local NY organization, United for Action.

Ivania challenged everyone present to keep hope in the world of solidarity and the belief that a world outside really exists. This tour continues to bring us that hope as we meet more incredible people working on world-changing projects. The passion, hope, and action of the people we meet along the way continues to inspire creativity in me and all around us. And I am challenged (as we all are) to continue to express and create in order to make this issues visible as well as envision and imagine new ways of being, like the wonderful artists, poets, musicians, and creators we are meeting all along the way.

Saving Seeds in the Big Apple

 

Saving Natural Seeds Workshop

Last night we had our event in New York, held at the Commons in Brooklyn. We started the event with our first Saving Natural Seeds workshop in which Ivania and Inacio shared the importance of saving seeds as well as some practical tips on how to do it. Attendees had questions about Ivania and Inacio’s advice on how to follow the cycles of the moon to figure out the best time to save seeds and how to store them properly.

Event at the Commons in Brooklyn, NY

The crowd grew as we prepared for the movie screening, with a turnout of over 30 people coming out to see the film. People excitedly hopped on the bikes, snapping photos as they pedaled along with the film. After the movie we had a great discussion session with Ivania and Inacio sharing stories about people they met along their trip and Ivania sharing a really difficult story about an indigenous community in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil that was displaced and driven to hunger and malnutrition by the encroaching soy plantations.

Meeting great people at the Commons in Brooklyn

A couple people shared information about local projects, including one person working on the Palestine Farm Project to create cross-cultural unity and sustinability in the West Bank through farming, cooking, and community events. A couple other people are working together to start up their own farm just outside of the city and invited the Ciclovida tour to come when they are up and running. Also, the Commons, where we were for the event, houses organizations that run workshops on social justice, gardening and farming, seed saving, resistance, natural health, and more, and they even have a farmer’s market there every Sunday, year-round!

Making music at Jarabe's house

Now we are in Warwick, NY, joining up with Jarabe del Sol who will be joining us for the next few events, relaxing, preparing for the next event, and making some music in the meantime.

Back to the Roots

 

We are now in New York City, where this whole adventure started a week ago when Matt picked up Ivania and Inacio from the airport! Its been a rush moving quickly from city to city: Friday we were in Washington, DC, Saturday in Philadelphia, and last night (Sunday) we arrived here in New York! Now we have a little time to catch our breath.

The "Web of Solutions" at American University

Our last few stops have connected us with incredible people, old friends, new friends, and companheiros in the struggle. In Washington, DC we had a wonderful event with students at American University. I think the best part was the discussion and activity after the movie when we heard stories from several young people who had grown up either on farms or in farming areas. One student from Ecuador talked about how she grew up on a farm and hoped to someday return to farming once she is done with school. She was surprised to find that coming to the United States and going to school has made her realize how important it is to continue the farming tradition of her family. Another student from Nebraska shared his experience watching all the farmland around him turn into mono-crop farming. He posed a question to the rest of the group if the best way to struggle against globalized industrial agriculture is for us here in the United States to fight against big corporations who are responsible. It was really interesting to hear so many people tying their experience back to their homes and families, realizing that they wanted to “go back” to what they were raised with or what their parents had done, as far as connection We ended the event with an activity, the “Web of Solutions”, in which we all shared what we were taking away from this event and what we will do going forward.

Inacio, Ivania, and Ashley with the Wooden Shoe Bookstore folks

In Philadelphia, we had a great event at the Wooden Shoe book store with 25 people coming out to power the show with the Pedal Powered Mobile Movie Theater, as well as ask Ivania and Inacio many questions about biofuels, landless movements, and their experiences biking across South America. People shared struggles and projects locally including the struggle against hydraulic fracturing (“fracking,” a new extraction technology threatening many communities in NY and PA) and the local efforts to expand urban farming.

At the MOVE house in Philadelphia

Yesterday, we got to explore Piladelphia with a friend of Matt’s who showed us the community garden he works in, and there we enjoyed a great picnic with friends. Afterwards, he brought us to the MOVE house in Philadelphia to meet people working with MOVE and the Mumia struggle (for Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political prisoner and activist on death row). Ivania and Inacio have followed and supported the efforts for Mumia for years from Brazil, and Inacio had even written a song for Mumia 10 years ago. We found out that it was Mumia Abu-Jamal’s birthday and Ivania and Inacio sang the song for one of the MOVE folks who was home at the time. It was great to connect before we had to hit the road for New York.

Connecting the Struggles

 

Inacio engages the audience with revolutionary songs!

We just wrapped up a powerful and intimate event at the Flying Brick Library in Richmond, Virginia. About 25 people from the area came to the outdoor screening on a beautiful Virginia spring night. The night began with Inacio’s revolutionary songs about the Interamerican Development Bank, land occupations in Brazil, and riding your bike day and night, sending energy through the audience as the sun slowly ducked into the trees.

Discussion after watching Ciclovida

The event closed with a discussion among people present about the Ciclovida movie as well as local actions and projects people are working on that connect to the work and struggles of movements in Brazil. One person shared the story of a local struggle in Richmond around Monroe Park, to stop the city’s attempt to close down and remodel it as a way of forcing homeless people outand continuing to gentrify the neighborhood. This has similar injustices, as Matt shared, to a displacement struggle in Brazil around the World Cup and the city of Rio de Janeiro’s plans to remove/displace anyone who is homeless or poor living in areas that are proposed for World Cup-centered urban development projects. Through our closing dinamico we reaffirmed that connections like these that build solidarity across borders and space are important in necessary in organizing for justice and social change.

Today Matt, Ivania, Inacio, and I took our bikes out for a ride in Richmond to get outside, explore the city, and our bikes to use as mode of transportation, not just a source for generating energy (although they are not mutually exclusive uses…). We went to get food at the local supermarket and had an adventure thinking and talking about food as we perused through the produce section. It was interesting thinking about the food choices we have while on this tour, noticing that apples from Washington state were marked as “Fresh & Locally Grown,” organic tomatoes were $2 more per pound than non-organic, and the avocados were a product of Chiquita (one of the largest banana corporations with a bad labor history). Looking at food choices with a new frame for thinking about health, organics, labor, and agriculture opens up whole new realms of complexity for simple daily tasks like this, but our choices are political. And we must find ways to bring our food and agriculture into line with our values.

VCU Students powering a screening of CIclovida

We also had an event last night where the students of Green Unity at Virginia Commonwealth University welcomed us to their campus to show Ciclovida. Over 30 students came out to pedal-power the show, enjoy music, and discuss biofuels, landless movements, and environmental action.

A VCU student presents the "seed bombs" made by Green Unity

After the movie screening, the students presented the Ciclovida team and all audience members with “Seed Bombs” (seeds rolled into a ball of clay and organic material that are used for “guerrilla gardening”) to help us all spread seeds of native Virginia plants (while in Virginia of course!) and grow plants in unexpected and unused parts of the city. Ivania and Inacio also told stories of the importance of sharing and passing along seeds; that seeds have wonderful magic to them where the more you give and pass them on the more they create and grow and reproduce. In this same way we will be spreading the seeds of new ideas and voices from this struggle in order to continue to grow, create, and spread seeds of solidarity to all parts of the world.

Ciclovida shifts into gear!

College of William and Mary students with the Ciclovida team

After much preparation, hard work, missed connecting flights, and sleepless nights, the Ciclovida tour team is finally on the road together! We held our first event last night in Williamsburg, VA. Matt, Ivania, and Inacio, presented the film and engaged in discussion to an excited, energy-filled audience of over 30 students and faculty at the College of William and Mary. The Student Environmental Action Committee who have planned an incredible Earth Week of events, which we had the honor of helping to kick off! And they really harnessed all that great energy as people stepped up to power the show with their passion for pedaling!

The three bikes used for the event all hooked into the complete Pedal Powered Mobile Movie Theater, supplying the power for al l the audio and visual equipment! The event was a great success with over 10 pedalers throughout the show, great words from Ivania, Inacio, and Matt after the film and excited audience members ready to take action on industrial agriculture and biofuels.

Today we will be doing a workshop with SEAC to talk about biofuels and agrofuels and their impact on communities in South America and around the world! Then we are off to Richmond, Virginia to do a workshop on Pedal-power systems and alternative energy systems with the Flying Brick Library. Our Ciclovida engineer, Scott Guzman, will be skyping in to explain how he built this people-powered energy system in preparation for the Ciclovida tour. We’re excited to kick off this exciting tour and are looking forward to the dozens of stops ahead of us on the spring tour and all the companheiros we will meet along the way.

Scott working on the Pedal Powered Mobile Movie Theater