PROJECT: Good Food

Chris Burroughs has a fascinating life journey that led him to where he is now, someone who completely represents the phrase, "Farmer, Teacher, Healer." From serving 14 years in prison to founding Garden 31, a San Diego County-based nonprofit that provides training and mentorship in regenerative agriculture and life skills to at-risk youth and adults, Chris shares his powerful story of lived exper...

In this first episode of 2026, we want to highlight and celebrate Black farmers and food growers who are doing good work in the community and embody the phrase, "Farmer, Teacher, Healer" in their work. We're fortunate to have Luis De La Rosa and Monica McDade as our special guests who tick every box as the owners and operators of Living For Today Ranch, an innovative farm in Bonita that not only p...

Kwanzaa is an annual year-end celebration of African-American history, values, family, community and culture. As 2025 comes to a close, we thought it only fitting to focus our last podcast of the year on Kwanzaa in San Diego. In this episode we host an intergenerational group of community members who share a deep, personal connection to Kwanzaa. Through their lived experiences, we’ll explore their...

In this episode of Project: Good Food, we’re focusing on what it takes to not only establish a food business in the Good Food District, but the work and motivation needed to make it thrive. Both guests featured in this episode share the same passion for their work, mission to provide healthy food that fills a specific need, and commitment to relationship-building within the community. Hosts Brando...

Join us as we travel out to Boulevard, California to visit Big Rock Ranch, a 46-acre ranch owned by Southeastern San Diego native Avery Wynn, as part of Project New Village's monthly Wellness Journeys. These community wellness getaways treat volunteers of the organization to different outdoor locations throughout San Diego County to connect with nature, community, and meditative wellness practices...

As we kick off our second season of PROJECT: Good Food, this first episode takes a look back at the past season - the origins of the podcast, the challenges and evolution of the storytelling, and what we're looking forward to in the coming year. We also discuss some past and future Project New Village events that highlight food justice and community wellness work being done in greater Southeastern...

As we ramp up to our Health & Healing Summerfest community event on August 23rd, 2025 at ECC in San Diego, in this episode we're highlighting two wellness practitioners who will be joining us at Summerfest - Shophar, a Qi Gong instructor and Breath Poet at Fo Sho Energy Work, and Brian Westpoint, the co-founder of Movement Matters Collective, a collective of Movement Educators specializing in...

Favorite foods, sacred meals, emotional connections we might have with certain foods - we all eat, and our personal journeys and relationships with the food we eat is as diverse and unique as we are as people. With guest host Roxanne Kilbourne and co-host N. Diane Moss, in this episode we share a warm and lighthearted conversation all about food. We’re joined by our own Kelly Gray, Added Value Foo...

This special town hall inspired episode was recorded live on May 23, 2025 at the Project New Village office in Southeastern San Diego. Featuring guest speakers and comments from local residents and community leaders, this episode takes a deep dive into understanding the current political and economic realities impacting nonprofits working in the food justice realm. We share a lengthy conversation...

In this special Earth Day episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Jordyn Garfein and Christopher De Guzman of Treedom Cooperative , a San Diego based nonprofit promoting a permaculture style approach to regenerative urban agriculture. Their extensive world travels and knowledge of water harvesting inform their work of transforming spaces into productive ecosystems. Hosts Brandon S. Johnson...

In observance of Cesar Chavez Day, we're honored to have Todd Walters, President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 135, join us as we explore worker's rights within our food systems. The UFCW Local 135 has a rich history in San Diego, and currently represents over 13,000 workers throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties and consists of workers in various fields that include...

Inventor, painter, pianist, and one of the most prominent black scientists of the early 20th century, George Washington Carver was truly a brilliant man who was ahead of his time. In this episode, hosts Brandon Johnson and N. Diane Moss take a look at the remarkable life of this man and how his incredible ingenuity, work ethic, and dedication to sustainability and being self-sufficient led to over...

What does community participation look like within the Good Food District (GFD)? In utilizing an equitable food-oriented development (EFOD) model, resident-led community action in our local food system is a key component in creating food sovereignty - but what exactly does resident involvement in a food system mean? In this episode, we highlight community action in the GFD by interviewing resident...

This episode takes a deep dive into the definition of the Good Food District - what it represents, understanding the regional impacts, and the importance of placemaking within the context of building food sovereignty in food insecure neighborhoods. Hosted by Anthony Avalos , this episode features the illustrious N. Diane Moss and an in-depth interview with the ever impressive Sona Desai , the Co-E...

Recorded live at the San Diego Food System Alliance's Annual Gathering held on October 17th, 2024, this episode takes a deep dive into what the term food sovereignty means within a defined geographical space, and how this relates to cooperative practices in urban agriculture as a necessary tool to counteract the effects of food apartheid. Hosted by Anthony Avalos, the episode features special gues...

In this episode we discuss the legacy of community activism of the late R. Daniel Hernandez , who served on the Project New Village Board and worked with numerous other organizations throughout his illustrious career including the Chicano Federation, MANA de San Diego, San Ysidro Health, and many more. We explore and celebrate his extraordinary life of activism with those closest with him: Leticia...

Hosted by Anthony Avalos and co-host N. Diane Moss, in this episode we look at the history of Project New Village and the formation of the Good Food District. We also dive into the impact and legacy of Robert Tambuzi, not only on the building of Project New Village but his community activism throughout Southeastern San Diego and beyond. Featuring special guests Kamaal Martin and Eric Henson.