Celebrate National Food Day by watching “Urban Roots”

“Eat Local, Kalamazoo” will present a free screening of the new documentary film “Urban Roots” in honor of National Food Day. The screening, which is open to the public, takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Texas Township Campus of Kalamazoo Valley Community College in room 4240 in the Student Commons. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. “Urban Roots” tells the story of the urban agriculture movement in Detroit. The film will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Mark MacInnis, the film’s director and a Detroit native. Through the mid-20th century, Detroit was one of this nation’s most populous and affluent cities. But since 1950, the city has lost nearly half its population and more than 15,000 businesses; some 70,000 vacant lots now cover a third of Detroit’s 139 square miles, and it is viewed by many as an icon of post-industrial America. A number of grassroots groups, allied with environmental and academic groups, have started an urban agriculture movement with the potential to transform not just Detroit, but also this country. Today, seeds of change are taking root in the empty lots, in old factory yards, and between the sagging blocks of company housing This free screening is presented by The International Studies program of KVCC, the Michigan Land Trustees, and the Office of Sustainability at Western Michigan University, and Fair Food Matters. Eat Local, Kalamazoo is a free series of events designed to increase knowledge of and appreciation for the local food available in the community. More information about the film can be found at http://urbanrootsamerica.com/urbanrootsamerica.com/Home.html