 Our Soul at Work cafe on March 5, 2008 featuring Amy Kalafa of the Two Angry Moms, was amazing as she merged her talent as filmmaker with her passion for real food, to create a compelling story that connects us to the movement of making our school lunch program a winner, and how being Angry at the right time for the right reasons, makes all the difference.
The movie inspired a lively conversation among the diverse women in the audience, which included mothers, teachers, nutritionist, kids health specialists, wellness committee members, and entrepreneurs all "self-starters", as Amy observed. The topics discussed resonated on so many important issues that mattered to us:
- How to make change within a resistant school system
- How branding yourself as "Angry" can really make a splash and gain attention
- Why food is thy medicine and how connecting to food's source heals what ails us
- What resources are available to parents and those within the school system to help facilitate change to a healthier menu
- When you combine your talents and your passion, you can find your life purpose.
A feature of the Soul at Work Café is to highlight women leading in their own way, as Amy did by making her film. A benefit is that the women who attend leave inspired, educated, and connected with a few more women who can help them along their unique paths.
What to do next:
We will have the audio up in a day or two so you can "hear" Amy's story right away, but in the meantime here is what you can do next.
Watch a segment of the film
If you missed the filming, you can see a clip of the film here: Take a peek
Join the conversation
We invite you to join the discussion on our New Commons blog - if you were in attendance or not - everyone has ideas and opinions. Many resources were shared during the conversation, and we encourage you to contribute books, websites, movies, and other resources that relate to this topic. Click here: http://newcommonsblog.com/?p=9
Visit Amy's website: www.angrmoms.org
If you are passionate about what your kids or students are eating during lunchtime, check out Amy's website for more screenings and join her newsletter to stay updated.
Sign up for the next Café event
Our next café is not to be missed -we'll keep you posted, please do sign up to our E-newsletter to be alerted.
HOW IT ALL STARTED: Amy was stewing for years, packing her kids lunches from home and trying to get her community to pay attention to what kids are eating in school. An award-winning documentary filmmaker, Amy decided to take the fight to film. She spent 18 months searching for another mom willing to take on this mission.
Susan has been trying for a decade to work with her district on improving school food, earning herself a reputation as a rabble-rouser with a "macrobiotic agenda” (NOT!). She’s even been banned from her children’s’ school cafeteria! In the meantime, legions of kids continue to make a daily lunch out of neon green slushies, greasy fries and supersize cookies, imperiling not only their long-term health but also their ability to learn.
Armed with a movie camera, Amy and Susan will visit school cafeterias to see what's on the menu and what the kids are eating. They'll speak to food service vendors, teachers, health experts, politicians and parents as well as officials from the USDA and the FDA. They'll analyze the contents of various school lunches, compare costs and nutrition with a whole foods meal, and offer examples and workable alternatives. They’ll focus on exactly what has gone wrong with our School Lunch Program and demonstrate strategies for overcoming roadblocks and getting real food into school cafeterias.
| 
