40 participants; $30

This dynamic workshop will pair a live food demonstration with storytelling and moderated discussion on the intersections of foodways, coastal communities, diversity, ecology, local knowledge, equity, and accessibility. The panel will include community partners, researchers, and science extension specialists representing the Gulf and coastal regions beyond sharing their experiences of how food connects us to place, supports culture and commerce, and reveals societal flaws. Case studies and discussion are likely to touch on such important questions as: how can research inform policies to protect subsistence practices and help preserve traditional and/or local knowledge; how is food an indicator of healthy coastal ecosystems; and can we ensure equity in access to food while promoting new food-based commercial endeavors such as tourism? Attendees will have the opportunity to leave behind their own stories of food and coastal culture as well as take home recipes and insights on food as an indicator of community well-being.