After class on Thursday Feb 12th I made my first trek through the City to Red Emma's. In class that day we had begun our discussion of Baltimore 68 and before our session ended Dr. King mentioned Dream Deferred ,
a poem by Langston Hughes. The words of the poem were on my mind while I sat at the bus stop with my chin tucked against the cold, as I waited for the downtown shuttle to arrive. It lingered in my thoughts as I made a quick stop for dinner and watched as the security guards began to usher the seemingly homeless individuals out in the cold. I was spared because I was charging my phone, had a book, and probably emitted a vibe that screamed student.
After watching the room for a bit my thoughts turned to my next destination. I was heading to Red Emma's for a screening of the documentary Food Chains a film about migrant farm workers in Imokalee Florida. The film was produced, in part, by Eva Longoria (Who knew home girl was producing films now?) I didn't know what to expect from the film but I'm always down to learn more about our food system and the screening would be followed by a panel discussion so I figured that I'd have a good time. When I finally got to Emma's I had just enough time to order some tea and find a seat in the collection of chairs that were arranged in front of the pull down screen. While waiting and anxiously hoping that my drink would be ready before the film began I turned and saw my professor from my food systems seminar. I think we were both surprised to see each other but also not surprised at all. She sat next to me and we caught up until the film began.
As the film played and the people in the film described how their lives, and the lives of others, were impacted large grocery and fast food chains the lines of another Langston Hughes poem drifted in and out of my thoughts.
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean-- Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years.
I'd recommend the film to everyone, so I wont summarize it here but I will share some of my immediate thoughts post viewing. We don't exist in a
closed system. Everything is connected, and in the
USA it seems like everything is connected to the fact that this country
was built on the systemic oppression of others. The system of oppression that this country was built on has morphed into a continuous
cycle of exploitation. And the churning of that cycle can be felt
everywhere. It's how I was able to find myself at coffee shop in the middle
Baltimore- a city that has taken direct and debilitating blows from the systems
spinning spokes- watching a film about migrant workers in Imokalee, Florida and have their stories resonate with my own. And It's how I found my
self in this course that urges to experience the city. We're all caught up in this system but it's always inspiring to hear about
collections of people that are digging their way out. Even though it's wild that decades later many of Hughes' words still ring true.
Other interesting highlights from the evening: In addition to running into my professor, I saw a handful of people that I see on campus, an old friend, and several new and old acquaintances. And just like with my professor it was both surprising and not surprising at all to see them there.
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