In this episode we’re diving deep into how healthy soil, and healthy relationships, are at the core of regional economic development.
Tune in to hear from Nikki Silvestri, founder of Soil and Shadow, a project development firm that designs human and environmental strategies. As the former Executive Director of People’s Grocery and Green for All, Nikki has built and strengthened social equity for underrepresented populations in food systems, social services, public health, climate solutions, and economic development. We start with some of the key points from Designing the Future, a report that Fibershed released in 2018 co-authored by Nikki Silvestri, Beth Rapps, Osayi Endolyn and Rebecca Burgess, that shares how a soil to soil fiber system creates opportunities to simultaneously enhance natural resource management, build regional economies, and bridge cultural divides.
Nikki talks us through how soil can be a connector between urban and rural communities, as well as a lens for our own personal growth. If that sounds like a lot to cover, I really encourage you to stay tuned, because Nikki weaves these elements together so beautifully and powerfully.
She illustrates how when we keep soil at the heart of what we do, whether that’s product development or community development, or agricultural cultivation or fiber production — we can solve for so many issues at once and really design a better future.
Show notes:
- Find Nikki Silvestri’s work at Nikkisilvestri.com as well as soilandshadow.com, on Instagram @nikki_silvestri
- Read & download Designing the Future: Pathways through Fibersheds to Natural Resource Management,
Regional Economic Development, and Bridging Cultural Divides - Listen to Wearing the Future: How Synthetic Biology Impacts Soil to Soil Systems to hear Nikki share more about the possibilities described in Designing the Future can help us evaluate novel biotechnologies
- Learn more and read “Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities: Opportunities to Bridge Environmental Justice and Soil Sequestration” by Annie Shattuck, Nikki Silvestri, Torri Estrada, and Eric Holt-Giménez
- Learn more about practices that build soil carbon on our carbon farming education page
- Read more about the work of Dr. Kris Nichols on soil health and soil biology
- Join us in the Northern California Fibershed on June 18th or 20th to more about the fundamentals of soil health in a one-day workshop with Dr. Christine Jones
- Ready to connect pathways in your fibershed? Explore our Northern California Fibershed Producer member directory, or get to know our global Fibershed Affiliate Network
Thanks for listening to the fourth episode of Soil to Soil, a podcast connecting the dots in the lifecycle of clothing and material culture, brought to you by Fibershed, which is a non-profit organization based in Northern California. Each episode offers a look at how, and why, our community is working to cultivate fiber and dye systems that build soil & protect the health of our biosphere.
This episode is hosted by Jess Daniels, with production support from Whetstone Media and music by Arann Harris. Photo credits: photography by Paige Green.