Site Work Details
Students in the Food Justice and Sustainability Cohort will work with organizations and ministries in their local communities that address hunger, expand access to nutritious food, build just and sustainable food systems, and care for creation.
This work may take a variety of forms, including initiatives that addresses immediate material needs, such as food pantries, food banks or other emergency food programs; programs that grow or distribute food, such as food co-ops, farms, or community-gardens; efforts that focus on environmental justice and care for creation; or projects that address systemic issues related to the food system, equitable food access, or environmental concerns through community organizing efforts, advocacy, or activism.
Students may pursue this work within a variety of organizations, including nonprofit or civic organizations, faith-based organizations or ministries, policy and advocacy groups, or social movements focused on food justice and economic justice, among others.
Faculty
Walter T. Wilson will serve as the academic advisor for students in the Food Justice and Sustainability Cohort.
Teaching and Site Supervisor
Derrick Weston is a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, speaker, and educator whose most recent work has focused on the intersection of food and faith. He is the co-host of the Food and Faith podcast and producer of Spoon, Spade, and Soul, a podcast highlighting food and land-based ministries in the Episcopal church. Additionally, he is the producer of the short film series “A Wilderness Like Eden” highlighting the work of churches engaged in food justice work. After two decades of being a pastor and community organizer, Derrick is a strong believer in the potential of local congregations to enact change in their communities. Derrick received his B.A. in film studies from the University of Pittsburgh and his Masters of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He also has a certification in health ministry from Wesleyan Theological Seminary and was a part of the Re:Generate fellowship on food, faith, and ecology through Wake Forest Divinity School. Derrick is the co-author of the book The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration and has written numerous articles for several publications. He and his wife Shannon have four children and live outside of Baltimore, Maryland.
Student Requirements
Cohort Meetings
Over the course of the year, students in this cohort will engage in contextual, theological, and personal reflection on their work with food justice and sustainability issues. They will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the contemporary food system, historical and theological foundations of work for equitable food access and environmental justice, local and global dynamics that impact movements for environmental justice and sustainability, major theological responses to hunger and environmental concerns, and the role faith communities play today in responding to the challenges of both hunger and environmental harm.
- Participation in this cohort also includes a fall semester reflection group and a spring semester integrative seminar.
Candler Firsthand: Con Ed
Hear what students and alumni have to say about their Con Ed experience.
“Through participation in the Con Ed program, I have been given the opportunity to discern my callings and develop skills and practices of ministry, all while under the nurturing guidance of community.”
Brittain Lawrence
MDiv '24
“I realized that serving at a social service agency like a food bank is not so much about the provision of food, but about nourishing the souls of those we encounter, whoever they might be, and that we must be willing to extend ourselves unselfishly for the benefit of others. To me, this is the purpose of community, and embodies the art of loving a neighbor.”
Barry Lee
MDiv '23
