#FoodJustice #WenForum
PROGRAMME
6pm – Registration, stalls & drinks
7pm – Welcome and guest speakers
7.35pm – Meal
8.10pm -Guest speakers
8.30pm – Music performances and film
8.55pm – Final words
9pm – Event ends
ABOUT TONIGHT’S MEAL

MENU

GUEST SPEAKERS

THE LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MANCHESTER – COUNCILLOR YASMINE DAR
Councillor Yasmine Dar was born in South Yorkshire but was raised in Manchester. She is a proud Mancunian and has lived in Manchester for over fifty years, alongside her five brothers and one sister.
As a child, Yasmine attended Manley Park Primary School and Whalley Range High School. She then attended Abraham Moss College, where she studied Art and Design, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy. After working for several years, Yasmine took the decision to go back to education and completed a Diploma and Certificate in Welfare Studies. She began working for a Welfare Rights Organisation supporting and advising individuals regarding their rights and entitlements. Yasmine soon realised making a difference to the lives of others by providing the right support and advice was her vocation.
Yasmine has had her fair share of trials and tribulations but has not let any of those struggles or difficulties keep her down. Empowered by her life experiences, while being a mother to two daughters, Yasmine completed a BA Hons in Social Work from Salford University.
In 2009, Yasmine and her brother Majid set up a charity for young people called Community on Solid Ground. It is now an award-winning service, and more than 400 young people access its activities on a weekly basis. Yasmine’s working life has included helping some of the most vulnerable and stigmatised in our communities around mental ill health, domestic abuse, and the criminal justice system.
Yasmine has valued the support of her loving parents, especially her late father M. Akram Dar, who encouraged her to become involved in local politics. Yasmine knew she could make a difference and is committed to standing up for peace, justice and equality for all. She was elected to Manchester City Council in 2014 as Councillor for Moston ward. Yasmine is a proud socialist and community activist. Soon after becoming a councillor, she was elected onto the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee – its highest governing body. This is a great achievement for a working- class, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic woman.
Life taught Yasmine that she could empower herself to do better, and this is why her year as Lord Mayor will have the theme of self-empowerment. Yasmine says: “I am truly humbled and honoured to be the Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester. I will represent the great people of this city, and inspire and empower others on this journey.”
Yasmine will be supported by her daughter Amina as Lady Mayoress, and her brother Majid Dar as Consort during her year.
Twitter: @LordMayorOfMcr

AGATHA, SAWN

VICTORIA HOLDEN, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND FOUNDER OF NORTHERN LILY CIC
Victoria Holden is a passionate social entrepreneur and the founder of Northern Lily CIC, a social enterprise that aims to connect people to nature and teach sustainable gardening techniques working in harmony with nature to grow food and communities. She believes in empowering individuals and communities through engaging education that leaves people with skills and confidence to grow. The vision for Northern Lily CIC is to improve the lives of people in communities and create a more just and equitable society for all through green careers. With her strong leadership skills and dedication to social justice, Victoria is a role model for others who seek to make a positive impact in their communities.
Northern Lily CIC and charity SAWN in partnership, with support from Oldham Council and Lankelly Chase have developed Grass Roots Oldham Women’s Enterprise, an acre site in Oldham dedicated to growing food and communities through green social enterprise.

JO, MUD (MANCHESTER URBAN DIGGERS)

SHAHEDA AZIZ, community food hub COORDINATOR
Shaheda trained as an Early Years Teacher, then later as a community gardener at a local city urban farm. Happiest when working with nature, growing food, centered around well-being and positive living.

CHLOE COUSINS, SOCIAL JUSTICE MANAGER, MANCHESTER MUSEUM
Chloe (she/her) is the new Social Justice Manager at Manchester Museum, where her work focusses on ensuring the museum is embodying its principles of care, inclusion and imagination in all its work across social justice issues affecting staff and communities inside and outside of the museum walls.
Chloe is also a youth worker and community organiser based in Manchester. She is the Strategic Lead for Rainbow Noir, a volunteer led social, peer support and community action group for LGBTQI people of colour and Co-Director at Colours Youth Network; a national organisation supporting LGBTQI youth and youth workers of colour.

CHAIR: ZARINA AHMAD
One of the mighty women on Woman’s Hour’s 2020 Our Planet Power List, Zarina previously worked at the Council for Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations leading the charge for increasing participation in environmentalism in Scotland. Since being told that “ethnic minorities aren’t interested in climate change”, Zarina has dedicated herself to creating pathways for under-represented groups to work in environmental organisations – increasing not only a diversity of people, but a diversity of ideas by providing training and creating learning spaces. In response to the lack of specific data about ethnic minority groups and environmentalism, Zarina is now researching sustainable behaviours within BAME communities in the UK for a PhD at the University of Manchester and is also a researcher on a Food Justice project, Just FACT in London and an advisor for Wen (Women’s Environmental Network).
Zarina has created spaces for marginalised women’s voices to be heard about climate issues, Climate Sisters who exhibit their creative work at various venues such as the Glasgow Science Centre, the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Zarina’s accolades include recognition by Edinburgh Science Institute as an inspirational woman who has made a significant impact in STEM featuring her in 2021’s festival.
More recently Zarina received the coveted Emma Goldman Award for her feminist work on climate justice and inequalities.
Zarina has a number of board positions including the Scottish Women’s Budget Group and is on the directorate team of Climate X Change.
Twitter: @ZarinaAhmad13
LIVE MUSIC
SAWN choir
STALLS
The Kindling Trust
MUD Manchester
SAWN
Lady Pedal
Marbury Road Edible Garden
The Manc Forager
Gaskell Gardening Project
A Mind Full of Trees
WEN FOOD JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS
About the Just Food and Climate Transition (Just FACT) and Blueprint Publication

Just FACT is a 5 year partnership programme in Tower Hamlets supporting community-led solutions for a sustainable and socially just urban food system.
The Blueprint Architects, are a group of community members co-ordinated by Platform, who creating a ‘blueprint’ for a climate-friendly food system that addresses inequality and injustice.
The groups first publication will contain their vision for the local food system, powerful case studies and initial recommendations for change.
read the blueprint architects report
About the Feminist Green New Deal
The Feminist Green New Deal project champions an intersectional feminist approach to the climate crisis. This joint project with the Women’s Budget Group is unique in joining up grassroots engagement with policy work.
Food production, consumption and preparation is highly gendered, so taking an intersectional feminist approach is crucial for working towards a just food and climate transition.
The Food Policy Paper, published later this year, is part of a Feminist Green New Deal policy paper series and final report which outline key policy recommendations needed to create a green, caring and equal economy.
ABOUT WEN
Wen is the only UK charity working on issues that connect gender, health, equality and the environment. Our office is based in East London where we run projects alongside our national campaigns. These include running a community food growing network, a food pantry, a reusable nappy scheme, as weel as national campaigns such as Environmenstrual (addressing period stigma and championing plastic-free and reusable period products) and The Feminist Green New Deal.
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