For Immediate Release


SLOW FOOD NATION ANNOUNCES SOAP BOX SCHEDULE
FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVENT

Highlights Include: Author and Poet David Mas Masumoto, The French Laundry’s
Peter Jacobsen, Author and Chef Deborah Madison, the FEED Project’s Lauren Bush
and the Coalition of Immokalee Farmworkers

San Francisco, CA (August 20, 2008) — Slow Food Nation today announced the line-up for the Soap Box, located in the Slow Food Victory Garden. The Soap Box is an occasion for farmers, food producers and other “intellectuals of the earth” to speak for ten or twenty minutes to a public audience at a small stage in the Victory Garden. The program also features music and dance performances rooted in agrarian traditions, urban gardeners, young activists, chefs and spontaneous presentations from Slow Food Nation participants who would like to share their own stories.
The Soap Box is free and open to the public Friday, August 29 – Sunday, August 31; 9am to 4pm

Friday, August 29
Literacy for Environmental Justice Non-profit organization based in San Francisco, CA with the mission to teach youth principles of environmental justice 9:30am
Heather Flores Community Organizer and author of Food Not Lawns 10:00am
Jeffrey Smith Author of Seeds of Deception 10:30am
Milijan Krecu Farmer, Tierra Miguel Farm, Pauma Valley, CA 11:00am
David Mas Masumoto and Nikiki Masumoto Farmers, Masumoto Family Farms, Fresno, CA 12:00pm
Urban Sprouts School Gardens, Pie Ranch and Nextcourse Three non-profit organizations based in the Bay Area with the mission to teach low-income youth to grow and prepare food 12:30pm
Coffee Growers Growers from Ethiopia, Brazil and Guatemala, coordinated by the Slow Food Nation coffee curators 1:00pm
Sarah Willis Niman Ranch farmer’s daughter and Farmer and Market Outreach Coordinator, Animal Welfare Approved 1:30pm
Daniel Bowman Simon The White House Organic Farm Project (TheWhoFarm) 2:30pm
Danza Xitlalli Performers of pre-Columbian dance, based in San Francisco, CA 3:00pm
Emile de Felice Farmer, Caw Caw Creek Farm, Columbia, SC 3:30pm
Saturday, August 30
Garden for the Environment Non-profit organization based in San Francisco, CA that maintains a one-acre urban demonstration garden 9:00am
SF Victory Gardens Non-profit organization based in San Francisco, CA with the mission to transform unused land into organic food production 9:30am
Peter Jacobsen Orchardist for The French Laundry, Yountville, CA 10:00am
Tom Willey Farmer, T&D Willey Farm, Madera, CA 10:30am
RSK Arts and Drums Performers of traditional Nigerian music 11:00am
Lucas Benitez, Meghan Cohorst and Damara Luce Coalition of Immokalee Farmworkers, Student/Farmworker Alliance and Just Harvest USA 11:30am
Uncle Buzzy’s Hometown Theater Independent comedy theater based in San Francisco, CA 12:00pm
Deborah Madison Chef and author, Santa Fe, NM 12:30pm
Tamale Time! Tamale-making demonstration by Los Haro Support Committee, a non-profit organization that helps Hispanic workers in Napa County support their home villages in Mexico 1:00pm
Slow Food Russian River and Sonoma County 4-H Partners in the Heritage Turkey Project based in Sonoma County, CA 1:45pm
Old Time Trio Performers of oldtime country music 2:00pm
Serge Labesque Beekeeper, Sonoma, CA 2:30pm
Andrew Gunther Former pasture-based poultry farmer and Program Director, Animal Welfare Approved 3:00pm
Hmong Music and Dance Hmong farmers, Fresno, CA 3:30pm
Sunday, August 31
Paula Terrel and Kenny Belov Alaska Marine Conservation Council and Fish, a restaurant in Sausalito, CA. 9:30am
David Lee Hoffman Tea importer and vermiculturist, Lagunitas, CA 10:00am
Rebecca Jepsen Master Gardener and manager of the Growing Connection, Google’s garden 10:30am
Kulintang Dance Theater Performers of traditional Filipino arts 11:00am
Project Sprout Students from Monument Mountain High School in Great Barrington, MA 11:30am
Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson Co-founders of FEED Projects, a non-profit organization based in New York, NY with the mission to feed children around the world 12:00pm
Tony Azevedo and Noelle Ferdon Dairy farmer, Azevedo Organics, Central San Joaquin Valley, CA; Organizer, Food & Water Watch, CA 12:30pm
Juan Perez Farmer, J&P Organics, Watsonville, CA 1:00pm
Emily Lancaster The Star Barn CSA and Farmer and Market Outreach Coordinator, Animal Welfare Approved 1:30pm
Cascada de Flores Performers of Mexican and Cuban music 2:00pm
Conscious Lifestyes and Slow Food on Campus Partners in a project to support sustainable food ventures on college campuses 2:30pm
The Melissae Ensemble Performers of ritual dances from Greece and Bulgaria 3:00pm
Tibetan Music and Dance Performers from the local Tibetan community 3:30pm

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About Slow Food Nation
Slow Food Nation is a subsidiary non-profit of Slow Food USA and part of the international Slow Food movement. It was created to organize the first-ever American collaborative gathering to unite the growing sustainable food movement and introduce thousands of people to food that is good, clean and fair through enjoyable, accessible and educational activities. Slow Food Nation is dedicated to creating a framework for deeper environmental connection to our food and aims to inspire and empower Americans to build a food system that is sustainable, healthy and delicious.

Press contacts:

Naomi Starkman
Communications & Policy Director
naomi@slowfoodnation.org
917.539.3924-cell
415.369.9950-office

Layla Azimi
Communications Coordinator
layla@slowfoodnation.org
925.785.0713-cell
415.369.9950-office