Subscribe to Next Economy Now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you find podcasts.
Today we have two wonderful guests on the show to talk about the Multicultural Refugee Coalition (MRC) in Austin, Texas. Meg Erskine and Matt Simon join us to explain the current work being done by the organization, the different components of their jobs, and how the projects function. Listeners can expect to get a great insight into the progress being made by MRC, as well as some inspiring examples of the way different initiatives can work together towards the common cause of a more equitable world.
MRC aims to provide livelihood opportunities for refugees through skills-based education and social entrepreneurship. Their work is divided between two separate, yet connected enterprises: New Leaf Agriculture, and Open Arms Studio. Their work is built on the foundation of providing fair-wage jobs that offer opportunities to advance careers, while utilizing the array of skills and expertise of their workers.
Meg Erskine is the Co-Founder of MRC, which she began with a small team in 2009. She has a background in conservation biology, and she is driven by her passions for sustainability, ethical fashion, regenerative agriculture, and social enterprise. Matt Simon is the Farm Director at New Leaf Agriculture, a role he began in January 2020, bringing a decade's worth of experience in the organic agriculture space in his native Austin, and holding a number of different roles relating to permaculture design and sustainable agriculture.
---
Key Points From This Episode:
Some background on our guests and the Multicultural Refugee Coalition.
Expanding on the idea of food autonomy and the foundation it provides for the work at MRC.
The array of initiatives that are currently in the pipeline at MRC.
The important connection and exchange between the Open Arms project and the farm.
How the farm came to be and the work that went into finding the land.
The emphasis on flexibility that the farm offers its workers to accommodate other demands.
Benefits of fresh air and exercise for those working on the farm.
Healthful herbs and 'weeds' and using the varied knowledge of different cultures.
The certification program that MRC is offering and what the modules consist of.
How listeners can support and contribute to the amazing work being done by our guests!
---
Tweetables:
“For me, the foundation of food justice and food access is food autonomy.” — Matt Simon
“There are so many things that we are working on that I am so excited about!” — Meg Erskine
“It was interesting to me to realize when I started working with folks out here, that none of them had ever worked in a greenhouse before, but they had been farming their whole lives.” — Matt Simon
“Every week is a consideration of what is going to happen six weeks from now.” — Matt Simon
“We are still looking for philanthropic support and we are looking to expand our network, and meet up with folks in other areas besides our own.” — Meg Erskine
---
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Meg Erskine — https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-erskine-5657a95
Matt Simon — https://www.mrcaustin.org/latest-news/meet-matt-new-leafs-farm-director
Multicultural Refugee Coalition — https://www.mrcaustin.org/
Open Arms Studio — https://www.openarmsstudio.org/
New Leaf Agriculture — https://www.mrcaustin.org/new-leaf-agriculture
---
LIFT Economy Newsletter
Join 7000+ subscribers and get our free 60 point business design checklist—plus monthly tips, advice, and resources to help you build the Next Economy: https://lifteconomy.com/newsletter
---
Next Economy MBA
This episode is brought to you by the Next Economy MBA.
What would a business education look like if it was completely redesigned for the benefit of all life? This is why the team at LIFT Economy created the Next Economy MBA (https://lifteconomy.com/mba).
The Next Economy MBA is a nine month online course for folks who want to learn key business fundamentals (e.g., vision, culture, strategy, and operations) from an equitable, inclusive, and regenerative perspective.
Join the growing network of 300+ alumni who have been exposed to new solutions, learned essential business skills, and joined a lifelong peer group that is catalyzing a global shift towards an economy that works for all life.
Learn more at https://lifteconomy.com/mba.
---
Show Notes + Other Links
For detailed show notes and interviews with past guests, please visit https://lifteconomy.com/podcast
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts by visiting: https://bit.ly/nexteconomynow
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LIFTEconomy
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lifteconomy/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/LIFTEconomy/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/Lifteconomy
Music by Chris Zabriskie: https://chriszabriskie.com/