Our Town

In conversations about how cities ideally ought to run, you often
hear the term "level playing field." That's meant to describe an
urban environment that's equally accessible to everybody -
physically, but also socio-economically.


The concept behind this fundamental urban planning is, given that
there are inevitably going to be wealth differences between
different parts of town, as much of the structure of the city as
can be controlled by ordinances and planning will ensure there
are equally-distributed services like adequate public
transportation, sanitation, green spaces and foliage. And
conversely, there are not unequally created vast acres of
concrete and food deserts.


As you know if you've ever lived in a city, these basic tenets
are not as easy to implement and provide as they might seem. And,
despite its relatively compact size and adequate financial
resources, Baton Rouge is no exception.


We're the seat of State government and so our legislators see
first hand every day, as they navigate the city, exactly where
our deficits lie. And still, the city and its politicians can
evidently only do so much to provide residents with the level
playing field we all want as our urban foundation.


In Baton Rouge, we're fortunate to have people and organizations
who have stepped up to independently improve our social system
and try and make the city a better place for all of us. Two of
these people and organizations are Stephanie's guests on this
edition of Out to Lunch.


Samantha Morgan is Projects Manager at an organization called The
Walls Project. The Walls Project's self-described mission is to
lead programs, events, and alliances that work to break through
and tear down the societal walls that discourage or prevent
people from living safe, healthy, and prosperous lives.


Even if you think you've never heard of the organization, if
you've spent any time at all in Baton Rouge you've seen the
murals they've sponsored and created all over town. They're too
numerous to enumerate but if you've ever noticed an eye-catching
mural on a wall in the city it's more than likely one of The
Wall's Project walls.


But painting on walls, if perhaps the most visible aspect of
their work, is only a very small part of the organization's
activities. Their programs range from a Tech Academy and a Coding
Boot Camp in which kids who might not normally have access to
such education learn tech skills that can lead to well-paid
employment, to Baton Roots, a community farm and garden network.


Darlene Adams Rowland is Executive Director of BREADA (Big River
Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance), the organization
that owns and runs the Red Stick Farmer's Market. 


BREADA was initially created to "increase economic opportunities
for small farmers," which in its quarter century of existence it
has certainly accomplished.


In bringing the products of small farmers to the city, BREADA has
also created a permanent downtown market and a mobile farmers
market serving those limited-access neighborhoods we have come to
call food deserts. They also provide incentives to assist low
income families to increase access to fresh food, and have
created a kids club that teaches healthy lifestyles to our
youngest market shoppers.


Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the
Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Erik
Otts at itsbatonrouge.la.


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