Schoolutions: Coaching & Teaching Strategies

S4 E11: Urban Agriculture Education: Building Equitable Food Systems Through Community Grants with Christa Núñez

• Olivia Wahl • Season 4 • Episode 11

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In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Christa Núñez, a transformative force in community agriculture and education. As founder of KHUBA International, Christa shares how she's revolutionizing access to land ownership and literacy through innovative programs like the Ubuntu Library and The Learning Farm. From securing a groundbreaking $700,000 grant for farm-stay housing to creating home libraries for underserved children, Christa reveals her strategic approach to building equitable food systems and empowering farmer-scholars.

You will gain practical insights into:

➡️Successful grant writing

➡️Community partnership building

➡️Nonprofit development 

Christa also discusses her upcoming Fulbright Fellowship to Ghana, where she'll research historical connections between African American civil rights and Ghanaian independence movements. 

This episode offers a masterclass in combining social justice, education, and agriculture to create lasting community change. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, educator, or community advocate, you'll find valuable strategies for turning visionary ideas into funded realities. 

Join us for this powerful discussion about cultivating literacy, land access, and cross-cultural understanding in the next generation of community leaders.

Some Episode Mentions: 

#KhubaInternational #FarmerScholar #UbuntuLibrary #TheLearningFarm #FoodJustice #LandAccess #CommunityEmpowerment #EquitableAgriculture #LiteracyMatters #BlackFarmersUnited #CommunityGrants

When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

[00:00:00] Olivia: Hi there. I'm so happy you're here. Here's what you'll gain by listening to the very last second of this conversation with Christa Núñez. This episode features my friend. Christa is a dynamic community leader who shares her practical strategies for securing major grants and building successful community programs through her work with Khuba International, The Ubuntu Library, and The Learning Farm in the city I love and live in, Ithaca, New York.

[00:00:34] Olivia: You'll learn strategies for successful grant writing, how to build strong local partnerships, and how meaningful community impact comes from addressing systemic barriers with intention. Stay with us. I am so excited to have you join our conversation. This is Schoolutions: Coaching and Teaching Strategies, the podcast that extends education beyond the classroom. A show that offers educators and caregivers strategies to try right away and ensure every student receives the inspiration and support they need to thrive.

[00:01:10] Olivia: I am Olivia Wahl, and I am so happy to welcome my friend and guest today, Christa Núñez. Let me tell you a little bit about Christa. Christa is an African American entrepreneur, researcher, agriculture educator, social justice practitioner, and storyteller. She focuses her work on creating cooperative land governance models, as well as equitable food systems within African diaspora communities.

[00:01:40] Olivia: Most importantly, Christa is a beacon of light in our local community. Christa, it is an honor to welcome you as a guest and to share your amazing strategies for taking your nonprofit organization as a community connector for the children that, um, live in Ithaca. So thank you so much. 

[00:02:00] Christa: Thank you so much for having me, Livi.

[00:02:05] Olivia: It's wonderful to be here with you. I start every episode asking guests who an inspiring educator is from their life. Would you share with us? 

[00:02:15] Christa: I would love to. I have so many, uh, and it was hard to choose one, but, um, there was one woman who, um, was instrumental in guiding my life's work. And I didn't know it at the time because I was in high school. And you know, in high school, you don't know really what you're doing and who you are even, but, um, she, um, it's a woman named Faye White-Shine. She had a hyphenated name way before, you know, a lot of people have. Her last name White-Shine. Um, uh, she just was, um, this amazing black woman in our community.

[00:02:54] Christa: I grew up in East Lansing, Michigan. She ran, um, a program within the state of Michigan, um, Department of Natural Resources, so Michigan DNR. Um, that focused on youth of color who love nature and the environment, who had an interest in, uh, learning more and serving, um, the community in ways that supported ecology and community-engaged, um, nature preservation.

[00:03:24] Christa: And so, um, my mother worked at, um, the Michigan Department of Civil Service. And then she worked in other, she worked for the state of Michigan for her, pretty much her whole career. And, um, she connected me with Faye, uh, when I was a sophomore in high school. And Faye, she was, um, just sharp and funny and smart and, but serious and, um, just had this level of gravitas and respectability that, um, really was so attractive, and she just had, you know, Um, this wonderful opportunity and shared about the opportunity and really what her goals were to help, um, more black and brown kids to be able to become civil servants, to become government, um, um, not just government workers, but people who were leading, um, it within departments within state government.

[00:04:24] Christa: In Michigan, and she gave me an opportunity to work for, um, the Department of Natural Resources as a young person. So every summer between my sophomore, junior, and the summer after my senior year, um, I did everything from, um, Write up legal documents having to do with, um, DNR's engagement with the federal, um, EPA and it was super fun, uh, documentation. So I would do filing and, um, sort of had a desk job. And then I had summer, two summers where I actually was in the field and I got to survey landfills and I would be on these big, what just looked like giant hills, but had, you know, potentially hazardous polluted, you know, pollution inside of these hills.

[00:05:11] Christa: And we would survey them, we would map them and we would do soil tests. We would do water tests, um, groundwater tests. We would do aquifer, like we did down in, um, see if, you know, leachate was getting into our, our, our, our drinking water in mid Michigan. And I had what I felt and still feel was a really, really, you know, important job as a young person, helping keep, um, the citizens of my state, um, the residents of my state, um, healthy, uh, and safe, um, from, from potential air quality, uh, pollutants and, and water and soil, uh, pollutants.

[00:05:54] Christa: And it was the, it was the foundation of, um, my understanding of how important it is to protect ecology and support communities. Um, and having agency of, of where they live, how they live, how they're being supported by, by, um, the governing bodies that, um, are supposed to protect them. 

[00:06:15] Olivia: Well, that, I guess this is incredible for me to hear this story because it's such a foundational, um, I guess, moment for me to know about you because that's what you do in our community.And it's so holy inspiration because that this is you in a nutshell and. You know, you also, you bring joy, incredible amounts of joy. And I shared with you, I have this core memory of having my younger son at an event at a school. And, um, I didn't know you then. And he runs over, you had a table set up for The Learning Farm, (which we're going to talk about) and, um, he grabs a juice, a little cup of juice and he runs back and he has a giant mustache of red, and I said, “What, what is that?” He goes, “I don't know. It's the most delicious juice I've ever had, mom.” I think he was three years old. And I said, “I've got to find like what this is.” So we walk over and it was beet juice from your juicery.

[00:07:17] Olivia: I thought, who is this human that got my son to drink beet juice and think it was absolutely delicious? So that, that was the stars were aligned and I thought, you know, this person's amazing and you are, you're simply incredible, Christa. So…

[00:07:33] Christa: Right back at you. I have my partner in crime here, Pete. We're recording a podcast if you want to say hello. But I developed that juice, so that I love your child, and other children could feel so happy about drinking beet juice and the juices of fruit and other vegetables. So that was, I remember that moment, um, many, many years ago. And I feel like. That was a moment where I was like, this is it, it's just like, you know, reinforcing what I was hoping to be able to achieve. So, um, that was the most encouraging thing ever. So thank you for allowing us to, to engage Henry and what, what he enjoyed that day and we were really gratified by it. 

[00:08:19] Olivia: Yeah. And, and the main thing is that every podcast I try to offer a listener strategies for, you know, things that we are seeing as challenges in the community and something you are masterful with is taking your nonprofit organization, uh, Khuba International and creating grant opportunities or connecting the community.

[00:08:42] Olivia: Through grant opportunities to just be a better place for all children to live and exist in. So I want to offer listeners for this episode strategies of how in the world you secure the grants you do. Um, again, with the umbrella company or, uh, umbrella organization Khuba International. And then I want to highlight your work with the Ubuntu Library as well as The Learning Farm. So let's jump in. Talk a little bit about Khuba International. What is your mission? 

[00:09:16] Christa: So Khuba's mission since its inception, 12 years ago now, um, has been to empower young people and their families and community members at large in their engagement with food systems. So helping just the people to be able to have a say in how they eat, uh, where they live, um, what they read and, um, just being able to, um, become what we call farmer scholars, people who are ahead of their food systems, who support and grow food for the community, who are, um, empowered, um, landholders and land stewards and who are deeply engaged in the critical nature of our literacy and understanding and how those systems were built, um, in order to be able to support their agency and, and making changes within those systems. So, um, we, um, yeah, it's a highly collaborative organization and we're really proud to, um, be able to be, um, making change in this realm. There's a lot of work to do, but yeah, I'm eager to share some of the, the grant writing successes and what I think are the reasons why we've had some success recently. 

[00:10:23] Olivia: So our lives intersected again when you reached out to me, uh, for the Ubuntu Library and just, we're talking titles, if that's a thing, like, let's, let's find some beautiful picture books, um, and, you know, get them into the hands of kids. And so now let's pivot. You have the Ubuntu Library that is a grant funded program. And you know, what does that do for our community? 

[00:10:50] Christa: Yeah. So Ubuntu Library, um, is one of those projects that, um, followed our hearts. Uh, I have three children. I made sure they had, uh, a healthy amount of books, a number of books in their home libraries in their bedrooms, making sure they had really good reading materials, make sure they had really juicy, interesting things to read from the get, whether they were board books early on and then chapter books later.

[00:11:18] Christa: Um, and my kids are avid readers and, um, not necessarily, we don't necessarily, um, adhere to sort of this systemic way of looking at children's abilities. Um, you know, in terms of all of the, the school measures, they are exceeding expectations in so many ways. And I think it's because they have read an array of, of different materials. And because I am a mom, I know, and I'm connected to other mothers, I know I'm not the only mother who is deeply concerned with, um, how well our students feel, um, how comfortable they feel in school settings, um, how able they are to follow what's happening and to be able to contribute to the conversations that are happening in classrooms and in the world.

[00:12:02] Christa: Um, and so Ubuntu Library was really about supporting families and loved ones in providing, um, really good reading materials for their kids to have at home and not just library materials because libraries are wonderful and absolutely necessary, but having your own reading materials that belong to you that you can read and reread, you know, one month and then come back to a year, you know, and something that you hold dear and that you might have dog eared and is your own copy of something that you, that you love, that's, those are important things to us. So having, um, really solid, beautiful, um, books, um, that belong to the children, um, is what that program is about. Um, and it kind of partners with our Quarter Acre for the People Project. So that whole Farm to Scholar Partnership. So the scholarship comes from Ubuntu Library, having a really beautiful library in the bedrooms, in homes of kids and families, and then quarter acre for the people, really helping people access land, co-steward land and own land together, um, in a cooperative sort of land trust fashion so that people can live in community and actually control where they live and how they eat.

[00:13:17] Olivia: So let's talk strategies because The resources you have to have at your fingertips in order to get those books into children's homes, into the hands of children, you know, what are your strategies, how do you connect with people, what do you do that we can take away? 

[00:13:33] Christa: Yeah, no, and I think you mentioned one key component was my conversation with you. I'm looking behind you and you have that amazing, library behind you and like me being able to connect to community members who get it, who really understand how important it is to have a wide array of reading materials at your fingertips. And what that, that, that is power and what that power can do, um, was foundational. So me having that conversation with you, you providing me some really, really important input in terms of, um, these are the things that I would share with these, um, these kids who you want to learn. Um, you want to have learned these, these, um, these components and, um, different, different, um, things. And so your recommendations were foundational, um, I feel like, um, our conversations with local funders like the Park Foundation and Friends of the Library, um, and Tompkins County, um, Community Foundation and others, um, you know, folks who really understood from the get go what this whole Farmer Scholar concept was, and there were some who really believed in one program over the other and, um, you know, wouldn't fund the, the, because it was aligned, you know, Friends of the Library obviously aligns well with Ubuntu Library and they were early funder and then Quarter Acre for the People.

[00:14:58] Christa: Um, Tompkins County, um, Community Foundation and Park Foundation really understood people's agency on land. And so they became early funders of that project. And so the combination of those early local foundational, um, resources, uh, was really important to kind of just provide the basic groundwork and underscoring of, of being able to pay staff and, and, and buy books and, Um, you know, create connections with it because, uh, city school district and, um, be able to have something real to offer to the students in that, um, in the, in the schools in that district. So, um, that was sort of phase one. 

[00:15:37] Olivia: Christa, how did families connect with you in order to say like, Hey, we, we'd love to get books through the Ubuntu library? 

[00:15:45] Christa: Yeah. So we had an initial push where, um, my kids go to a local elementary school, um, where a lot of the parents were really excited about what we're doing here at the learning farm. I told them about Ubuntu Library. They helped me get the word out. Um, we had people sign up online on our website and then we said, this is wonderful, and we need to reach students who might not have a parent that has heard about this. There might be a barrier too, they don't know the people that go to my kid's school, they don't have access potentially to a computer or time to sign their kid up on a website.

[00:16:25] Christa: Um, how can we get to the kids that really need it? And that connection, um, between Dr. Nia Nunn and what she's doing literacy-wise at Southside Community Center provided access, um, to some other community members, um, and children and, um, you know, sending books directly to their after school children was really important early on, um, working directly with, um, the reading teachers within Ithaca City School District.

[00:16:55] Christa: Um, you know, folks at, um, BJM, some of the reading teachers, um, really helped me to get into classrooms and give books to entire classrooms and children that we do. And then we would send out emails to, um, to, uh, grade level teachers and, um, you know, do whole classrooms within this, within, um, different elementary and middle school, um, as well. I will say also, one of those early conversations that has turned into an ongoing thought partnership was with Brigid Hubberman. 

[00:17:30] Olivia: You're walking in my mind. I was just going to say, Children's Reading Connection, shout out.  

[00:17:35] Christa: Children's Reading Connection. That is a person, if you talk about people who understand…This person understands where it is going and is always innovating. What it means to provide literacy education to children locally, always doing something fun, always just deeply thinking about the children at every level and as well as do something new, something untried, something crazy to make books available to children.

[00:18:05] Christa: So I cannot praise Brigid enough. Um, she's a, uh, has become one of my closest friends here and, um, inspires me daily with the work that she's doing. Um, and you know, by hand putting different language translations into books to make sure that the students who are coming here, That might not have English as their first language, have a book with their particular language translation. She goes child by child to make sure that they have when they get into it. Yeah, it's, it's just kind of crazy. But it's, these are the people, you and Brigid and a number of other people, the people that I go, yeah, you do, you do all the things that you, that come into mind because if the children, um, feel that they are cared for, that they're being thought of, and that, um, the resources that are being given them are, are catered specifically to what they want and what they need.

[00:18:59] Christa: Um, they're going to want to read those books, they're going to want to, um, read them often and they're going to want to, you know, Engage their best selves, um, in, in school and outside in the world as well. 

[00:19:12] Olivia: Something you said earlier, it keeps just coming back to my brain that, you know, you're, we want our children to feel like they can be contributors to the conversations. And before we move on from the Ubuntu Library, I want to also just say that you spend a great amount of care. And curating libraries and reaching out to authors that represent the children that are reading their books and so they feel seen, they feel heard. Um, so I just, I want to point that out as well.

[00:19:47] Olivia: Um, the, the amount of curation that goes into the beautiful books you are selecting to not only bring awareness to the world of agriculture and land of ownership, but also just, you know, let's help kids feel like they are heard, like they are seen and, um, not just with language, but with every nuance of their person.

[00:20:15] Olivia: So I, I'm grateful for that. Um, and you know, let's talk grants because they're no joke and I know there are never enough minutes in the day whenever we're in touch, you are getting calls on your phone. Like when we, I think we've tried to have coffee or tea at this desk before, and you're getting calls from farmers, like it, you're pulled in 500 different directions and you seem so together at every moment. It, I, I don't know how you acquire the grants you do. Let's give a huge shout-out to The Learning Farm right now. You just received a crazy grant. So let's talk about that grant and then how in the world you did it. So talk Learning Farm and the grant you just received, please. 

[00:21:04] Christa: Well, Olivia, those are all high, um, high compliments coming from you. And I really, um, I, I admire you right back. Um, and I think that's the power of womanhood. And I think this grant, um, that The Learning Farm received is another, another instance of the power of, of women in leadership. Um, this grant was initiated, um, uh, and brought about by Anna Kelles, our assembly person here, uh, in our region, our representative in the assembly.

[00:21:33] Christa: In New York state, um, came to my farm, visited my farm, her staffs, um, found this farm through a, another, um, event that was here, a quinceañera that was held here and, um, you know, um, Stacey Dimas, uh, was on staff, uh, with, with assembly, uh, person called us and they came out and, and saw what we're trying to do, explained everything that in our, our goals and sort of the vision.

[00:22:03] Christa: And I just thought I was having a wonderful time, you know, talking about what we do with somebody and lo and behold, um, we get a call from her saying, you know, there's this funding opportunity and we'd like to support your, the building of a community kitchen, because it sounds like a wonderful thing.

[00:22:19] Christa: And I'd also like to bring. Um, one of my co, um, you know, co-leaders within the assembly, Carl Heastie to your farm, um, who represents, um, New York City and, and, uh, several boroughs there. And, um, the, he came out, she, uh, Anna brought him out. They walked my farm. There were tears shed. He was remembering his time at the Boy Scout growing up in New York City and how he was able to camp and how that was transformative to him and how nature really speaks to him and, um, you know, this co-vision that we shared of bringing kids who have systemically been excluded from access to nature, who are growing up in urban areas, who don't have opportunities to, to breathe fresh air and, and enjoy, um, you know, peace and tranquility in, in natural environments, you know, we had this vision.

[00:23:10] Christa: You know, that grant from Anna expanded into this grant to develop, um, farm stay, uh, housing and places where people could camp and stay and, and do nature immersions and farm immersions. Um, and so it just blossomed into what it is now in this, um, 650,000 grant. Um, that will help, uh, build this kitchen, um, and, uh, and it will also build, um, you know, these tents and cabins where people will be able to stay and, and, and, you know, be here for an extended period, which is so exciting. It's like every time I want to, it's like, I can't believe it's happening. You know, I had a 20, you know, 10 to 15 year really, um, yeah, you know, mindset of like, I'm going to take me that long to fundraise, to do like this. And she just shortened it, not to say it's, um, not taking some years just to get even the approval to get it built, it takes time. Um, but it's happening in a much shorter period because of her. Her vision for, um, what we wanted to do and how she was willing to bring in other partners and, um, I can't praise her work enough. She's really fighting for our communities and, um, representing us so well in the state. 

[00:24:26] Olivia: It makes me get choked up because I know how hard you work for everything that goes on, uh, with The Learning Farm. But I mean, my children have benefited from spending time on the Farm and they, they remember it. And, and this opportunity to bring outside community members and, and experience that peace. And again, the joy that you share and the children live with the animals and just. I can't, I can't, you, you deserve this.You've worked so hard. So when I saw that news story, I was like, yes. I was like yelling to myself. Oh, yeah. Um, so it's just, it's a really, really big deal. Um, so yeah, with the grants, how do you do it? Because it's such an undertaking. What does it involve? 

[00:25:22] Christa: I think, you know, for us it's been, um, what a lot of large institutions understand, um, which it takes, um, it takes capacity building, um, to be able to, to be able to fully develop, um, that level of support, but it, we understand that grant writing is a, is a team effort, it is something that requires not just an ED, to go and chase down these grants and find time to cut out of their schedule with programming and staffing and all that, but to, you know, focus on the grant, it can't just be one person.

[00:25:53] Christa: Where that responsibility, um, lies, it has to be a team where you're co-developing a really strong application together and really envisioning what the grant could support together, um, and so for us, um, you know, um, our recent wins with the USDA and the U.S. Forest Service, we've had you know, in place of our early struggles with, um, the early struggles with the yeses and the no's of like, like, I understand what you're doing, but does that do people really want land? I don't know. I just do when having kids, having books at home, really make any difference, like people having question marks, well, it's like. Um, but like, no, not every wedding funder really has the time to, um, understand your work to the level that you have understood and haven't done the research because it's impossible for everybody to research everything, um, that needs funding.

[00:26:50] Christa: But, um, you know, from moving from that paradigm, we got a lot of no's initially, a lot of no's over the years. And then to a place where in the past year or two, three years, we started getting some really big yeses, 1.2 million, 2.4 million, um, you know, over a period of years, um, we're, we're now able to purchase land. We're now able to develop an intentional community on the land that we're purchasing, you know, getting funding to purchase two more pieces of land and really develop, um, our vision in real ways. Um, and that's only because, um, the grants that have received those yeses have been super successful. Um, strong and fully developed and fully, um, you know, compiled in ways that hit all the marks that funders are looking for.

[00:27:41] Olivia: What are some of those marks? 

[00:27:44] Christa: I think, um, for instance, our land access grant, which for me was mind-blowing. Just the idea that the federal government. would be cool with this really innovative, um, idea of purchasing land for new, um, community land trusts and people to live on. Um, you know, before COVID, before the, um, George Floyd, um, and before the BLM, you know, I think that would have been unheard of before the USDA had their, um, equity committee in place. I don't think that would ever happen, but yeah, change has happened, you know, very slowly and gradually to the point where they're like, yes - new people who have systemically been excluded from land ownership should have access to land to build farms, businesses on and need training and support to be able to, um, achieve success on those lands and they need, um, ongoing resources from government in order to make those things happen is like, you understand, like, finally, you understand.

[00:28:51] Christa: I get it. But because they  have people in place who really understand, have, have read the briefs, have done the research on why that makes sense. And so the works that they were looking for, um, are, are you, um, are you building in a plan where in after this grant you have systems in place where these farmers are going to get on ongoing supports and resources where they have a community that's being developed, where they have systems of support and engagement ongoing amongst themselves, they have relationships that are then built more on the ground in their, um, in their local region, um, with resource providers like NRCS and, um, you know, the forestry service, different, um, localized, um, uh, resource providers. 

[00:29:51] Christa: So making sure that even after the grant period's over, that there is a sustainability to the, to the program, um, making sure that you have adequate, understanding of some of the history and why you're the big question of why is this important? I know you think it's important, but like, what, what's the virtue? Why, um, do you understand what that is? And also what, who are your partners? Who are you working with? Um, do you have adequate staffing?

[00:30:11] Christa: Are you paying the people who are doing the work? Are you paying them adequately? Um, you know, who are your partners, how are you compensating your partners because for the work that they're doing to support the project, um, you know, are you hitting your marks in terms of, um, uh, outreach, um, how are your outreach, uh, you know, communications worded, are they in Spanish also, are they, um, how are they sort of going to bring in and recruit new people, um, and how does that system work?

[00:30:42] Christa: I think those are the questions that. Um, we really had good answers for and we have thoughtful about, um, you know, making sure that we communicated because we do beautiful work in so many, um, of our local nonprofits do beautiful work, but can you communicate all the little things that you're doing already? Because they're really meaningful. 

[00:31:07] Olivia: They are. And so when you did that, when you saw the pivot or the shift from no's to yes, what did you do as an organization to get the word out? Because if I'm, if I'm outside of Ithaca and I'm not understanding the impact, how did you get that word out? So it was crystal clear.

[00:31:28] Christa: Yeah, I think it was a combination of really, um, expanding our membership. So I became a member of really important organizations like the Northeast Farmers of Color and Black Farmers United. Um, and I started to do more work with Cornell and working with other partners like Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming.

[00:31:55] Christa: Um, and really leveraging the, the, the expansive networks of those entities and making sure that all the people that we're partnered with know what, what's happening and knowing that their membership would be supporting and be able to access what we're doing. Um, making sure that those partners had, um, a complete knowledge of what the, what, what the project was, um, if they haven't been included already.

[00:32:19] Christa: Um, and then I think it really, um, I think it really amounts to, um, ongoing communications, really ramping up our social media, it sounds so silly, but like, cause I avoided like the plague personally, but like, you know, making sure that wherever people are reading things and getting information that we had information out there and, um, you know, even in an age when, you know, rural broadband is still not happening to the extent that it should be people still have phones and can go into town and are checking their social media and can get information that way. Um, and. I think it was, you know, having a newsletter expanding, you know, every time people are like, I've heard, can you add me to your list? Or like we all every day, pretty much the newsletter.

[00:33:09] Olivia: I've got to say the newsletter, I look forward to getting it. And that, that is my way because social for me, you know, I try to not be on a ton, I'm on in the morning. I check at the end of the day, but it, the newsletter gets me because it gives me a perfect recap of what's going on in your life. It's on the farm with all of the initiatives. And also it helps me know how I can support different, um, projects that you have on the horizon or what you're doing now. So please keep doing the newsletter. I want you to know I value it. 

[00:33:46] Christa: That’s music to my ears, uh, Livi, because, um, I, I sometimes go, who is reading? Nobody's reading. I mean, we work with, um, uh, local. Um, I mean, just fantastic, um, communicator and, and community leader, um, Kimberly Wiman. She has worked in a number of different spaces, but, um, leads her own organization in terms of communicating about different important things. And she has allowed us to be on her roster of people that she is supporting and I'm so great. She does an amazing job of what we're doing very clearly and in a way that, um, is exciting to read, it's not super boring. Cause sometimes it's like, Just, just captivating, like, well, who cares about what a grant is, but like, she, it's like, she understands why it's important to, um, and what, what's interesting to highlight about it. So yeah. Um, and then, um, yeah, just letting people know, I think a lot of it's word of mouth, making sure that we have the right partners, making sure that we are doing the work that people have asked us to do, um, with people that are deeply in love with this community and can work with others, uh, in ways that are sustainable and supportive and loving and caring. Um, so we've done a great job of really refining, um, yeah, our partnerships and, and our staff. And we have some amazing people who are just deeply caring, hardworking, loving people who understand the task at hand and work well together. 

[00:35:26] Olivia: Well, the people want to surround themselves by you and your beautiful family because. Of that level of seriousness you have for the work that has to be done and the commitment, high attention, high commitment is the definition I'm leaning on when it comes to engagement. And so I'm fascinated to leave listeners thinking about where you will be a couple of years from now, even I can't wait to have a circle back conversation, uh, because you were just awarded the Fulbright Fellowship to travel to Ghana. And so like, please just leave us living vicariously where, when are you going? What is the, what is the plan? And then, you know, what are you hoping to bring to the farm? Bring to Khuba, um, from that visit, from that, that gift. 

[00:36:21] Christa: I mean, it is just overwhelming to, to have written something that I didn't have a team, you know, when I write grants, it's a team. This Fulbright with like me, what I want to do research-wise with me going as a researcher and bringing my family. So this idea of, um, you know, this cross-cultural exchange of liberation knowledge, um, that happened between MLK and Bayard Rustin um, and a bunch of other civil rights activists in the U.S. And folks who were gaining, um, independence for Kwame Nkrumah being their first president. He came to the U.S., um, as a student, went to Lincoln University, learned a lot about civil rights in the U.S., um, you know, creating relationships with W.E.B. Du Bois and Martin Luther King and others, um, and how early on that Ghanaian U.S. connection helped develop the American Civil Rights Movement, as well as the Ghanaian Independence Movement, um, in this really overlapping time period.

[00:37:34] Christa: And my questions around has that legacy of cross cultural liberation exchange. Um, how has that followed us into the present day? Are there, um, African Americans and Ghanaians working together in the present day? Are there land sharing, uh, and, and community visioning happening in Ghana and the U.S. between these groups? Um, how are we carrying forward that beautiful legacy? Um, that's, these are my questions because I feel like, you know, if we can answer how we, um, how we share knowledge across culture and the past. informs how we share knowledge across culture in the present. I work with Stephen Henhawk and, uh, Michelle Seneca from the Gayogo̱hó:nǫʼ Nation, um, and, um, I work with Latinx folks and, you know, Asian Americans and other African Americans like myself.

[00:38:30] Christa: Um, and we're creating these projects, um, where we have come together across, you know, language and across, culture. Um, but still have found ways to align ourselves according to our values and what we hold dear. Um, and are looking to create these intentional farming communities and, um, but we're always wondering who, on whose shoulders are we standing?

[00:38:53] Christa: Um, who are our predecessors? Who worked together, um, to create new, um, freedom-oriented landscapes for everybody? Um, and how can we sort of emulate those folks and how can we carry forward that legacy in our work today? 

[00:39:10] Olivia: Well, you just gave us talking points for our next conversation upon your return. Um, yeah, I want answers. We need answers to your questions and we'll start from there, friend.  

[00:39:26] Christa: I will be happy to report, hopefully, a successful journey and, um, you know, appreciate your support. Yeah. 

[00:39:34] Olivia: Well, so I will make sure to include links to, uh, Khuba website and get, so everyone can get in touch to support you and your vision and your mission. I just, I, I cannot let you know, Christa, how, you know, dear you are to me as a person and how grateful I am to be able to live in the community that you bring so much value to, um, and you always have children in mind, deep in your heart. And so it's just everything. So thank you for taking the time and your very busy schedule to have this conversation.

[00:40:08] Christa: Thank you. so much, Livi. It's been a pleasure talking to you as always, and I'm happy to come back anytime. And thank you for making time for me to talk to you today. 

[00:40:17] Olivia: Yeah. 

[00:40:17] Christa: All right. 

[00:40:18] Olivia: Take care, friend. Schoolutions: Coaching and Teaching Strategies is created, produced, and edited by me, Olivia Wahl. Thank you to my older son, Benjamin, who created the music that's playing in the background.

[00:40:31] Olivia: You can follow and listen to Schoolutions wherever you get your podcasts. Or subscribe to never miss an episode and watch on YouTube. to my guest,  Christa Núñez, for sharing her practical strategies for securing major grants and building successful community programs. Now, I'd love to hear from you. Send me an email at schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com. Let me know how you and your community have been successful with the grant writing process. How do you build strong local partnerships? And how do you address systemic barriers with intention? Tune in every Monday for the best research-backed coaching and teaching strategies you can apply right away to better the lives of the children in your care.

[00:41:18] Olivia: Stay tuned for my bonus episode every Friday, where I'll share how I applied what I learned from the guests in schools that week. See you then.

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Olivia Wahl

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