In this episode of The Human Challenge, Elspeth Hay, author of ""Feed Us With Trees" and host of the Local Food Report on Cape Cod's NPR station, joins us. We explore the fascinating world of acorns and their potential as a superfood, delving into the historical and ecological significance of nut trees. Elspeth shares her journey of discovering the interconnectedness of humans and ecosystems, challenging the dominant narratives of food production and colonial legacies, including Elspeth's ancestral and healing work. Tune in for an enlightening conversation on rethinking our relationship with the natural world and embracing sustainable practices. #Sustainability #FoodRevolution #TheHumanChallenge

Be welcome to learn more about Elspeth at: https://elspethhay.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elspethhay/

Be invited to stay in touch with Vanessa on Instagram @vanessaferlaino or vanessaferlaino.com

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It's been 10 years since Emily O'Brien found herself in prison. "A lot of people think in prison that you have nothing," she says, "but if you reframe it as a place where you have everything, you can kind of create anything you want." Following that mindset, Emily created the idea for Comeback Snacks, Popcorn so good, it’s criminal, while incarcerated. In this episode of The Human Challenge, Emily shares her journey of incarceration, how she built Comeback Snacks to see 60% growth in 2024, and how she continues to find new opportunities for people with a history of incarceration. This includes the recent launch of Comeback Catalyst, an accelerator for incarcerated people to learn how to start their own business.

Be welcome to learn more about Emily and Comeback Snacks here: https://comebacksnacks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comebacksnacks/

Be welcome to learn more about Comeback Catalyst here: https://www.comebackcatalyst.ca/

Be invited to stay in touch with Vanessa on Instagram @vanessaferlaino or vanessaferlaino.com

Watch this full episode on Youtube at https://youtu.be/k6qB5wcHEzg

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Quan Huynh has been described as a mighty warrior, a magician, and a mountain of goodness. He spent 22 years of his life behind bars for murder. In the midst of a life sentence, he found his freedom from within and wishes to share that freedom with others. He is the bestselling author of Sparrow in the Razor Wire: Finding Freedom from Within While Serving a Life Sentence and is also the Executive Director, Southern California at Defy Ventures.

Quan wrote his book to share after being pushed by 4X NYT-bestselling author, Tucker Max. He shares how his childhood, his father, his mother, and other experiences shaped his lived perspectives of the world. He also talks about how he supported others during incarceration, by starting Grief & Loss Groups and helping others prepare for their own parole hearings. His book includes the live transcripts of many of these conversations, and how they helped him in his own journey to freedom.

"We all live in some type of prison," says Quan. By humanizing those who have an experience of incarceration, he hopes that all of us will be more kind to ourselves and each other.

Quan's book, "Sparrow in the Razor Wire", was published by Lioncrest Publishing here: https://quanxhuynh.com

Be welcome to learn more about Quan's work here: https://quanxhuynh.com

Be invited to stay in touch with Vanessa on Instagram @vanessaferlaino or vanessaferlaino.com

Watch this full episode on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@vanessaferlaino/featured

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.