Interview with Ron Finley | Longer Tables Fund x MAD

{I think gardening is a cornerstone of civilization.} {Because if you can't feed yourself,} {you can't free yourself.} {Ron Finley,} {Gangsta Gardener,} {representing South Central Los Angeles.} {What I do, I give a .} {I'm a humanitarian,} {so I'm trying to get people to grow their own food.} {Because to me,} {growing your own food equals freedom.} {This planet don't need us,} {but we need this planet.} Actually, {it was part of my first hustle when I was a kid.} {I used to mow people's lawns when I was probably,} {I don't know,} {11. And I used to do,} {you know,} {plant flowers and different things in} {my garden and my house with my mom.} {I think COVID has shown us the value of being self-sustaining,} {the value of growing your own food.} {No one's telling them that they are the most valuable,} {the most precious resource on this planet.} {We should teach our kids to be better than we are.} {We should teach our kids to give a fuck} {about something other than themselves.} {Because you can't eat no damn diamonds.} {The whole longer table concept is beautiful to me.} {And we all should have a seat at the table.} {And if you don't have a seat,} {bring your own goddamn chair.} {The air in Czechoslovakia is the same air in Compton,} California, {is the same air in Africa.} {Air don't care where your mama was,} {air don't care.} {It's humans that makes these bridges.} {It's humans that make these lines and division.} {Yeah, we need longer tables.} {We need to have the conversations.} {We need to sit down and have a meal and break bread together.} {And we will understand,} like, wow, {how similar we all are.} {We're good.} {We're perfect.} {We're good.} {We're good.}