Black Faces, White Spaces: African Americans’ Representation in the Great Outdoors

This is the kick-off event for the Seminary’s summer offering, First Thursdays at the Farm, a distinctive dinner series hosted at The Farminary, Princeton Theological Seminary’s 21-acre farm. The series brings together different scholars, activists, and artists to give a short talk or be interviewed over dinner. They are paired with a local chef who prepares the meal using produce from the Farminary. The events are designed to be intimate — capped at 25 people — and focused on meaningful conversation. No big presentations; just big ideas and delicious food in a one-of-a-kind venue.

COST: $125 per person; those who buy 3+ tickets get 15% off the total cost.

Black Faces, White Spaces: African Americans’ Representation in the Great Outdoors

Carolyn Finney, PhD is a storyteller, author and cultural geographer who is deeply interested in issues related to identity, difference, creativity, and resilience. The aim of her work is to develop greater cultural competency within environmental organizations and institutions, challenge media outlets on their representation of difference, and increase awareness of how privilege shapes who gets to speak to environmental issues and determine policy and action. Carolyn is grounded in both artistic and intellectual ways of knowing – she pursued an acting career for eleven years, but five years of backpacking trips through Africa and Asia, and living in Nepal changed the course of her life. Motivated by these experiences, Carolyn returned to school after a 15-year absence to complete a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. She has been a Fulbright Scholar, a Canon National Parks Science Scholar, and received a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Environmental Studies. Her first book, Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors was released in 2014 (UNC Press). She is an artist-in-residence and the Environmental Studies Professor of Practice in the Franklin Environmental Center at Middlebury College.

Carolyn’s conversation will focus on why African Americans are underrepresented when it comes to interest in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism. Bridging the fields of environmental history, cultural studies, critical race studies, and geography, we’ll discuss how the legacies of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial violence have shaped cultural understandings of the "great outdoors" and determined who should and can have access to natural spaces.

Chef: Joe Rocchi is the Culinary Director at Franklin Towne Charter High School in Philadelphia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in culinary arts and has honed his skills with over 2 decades of experience in the industry. He achieved success in various roles spanning the culinary landscape from opening multiple Philadelphia casinos as an executive, to fine dining restaurants, directing health care nutrition services, large-scale catering and as a consultant. He is a citizen of the Pamunkey Tribe of Virginia and is a passionate educator and rising star around questions of Indigenous food sovereignty, colonization, and pre and post-Colonial Indigenous foods. He holds a seat on the non-profit PAZA, TREE OF Life board of directors as well as being on the speakers bureau with the Philadelphia Native House Alliance. Chef Rocchi has recently been featured on PBS for his role in creating the inaugural Indigenous People’s feast at the College of William and Mary.

ABOUT THE FARMINARY

The Farminary is a place where theological education is integrated with small-scale regenerative agriculture to train faith leaders who are conversant in the areas of ecology, sustainability, and food justice. It is designed to train students to challenge society’s 24–7 culture of productivity by following a different rhythm, one that is governed by the seasons and Sabbath. “The project’s main goal is to form leaders by cultivating ecological and agricultural sensibilities within them like paying attention to the seasons, understanding the interconnectedness of life and death, and becoming comfortable with failure,” says Nate Stucky, director of the Farminary Project.