Food is more than nutrition. It has so many layers; we must explore them to shift narratives and understand the intersections of food, history, nutrition, and culture. The GRITS Book Club was created with that intent in mind. Every other month, we will read a new book to help us broaden our perspective of food, and after we are all good and full on what we just read, we will meet at the end of the month to engage in facilitated discussion regarding themes in the current book.

FEBRUARY BOOK: Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership

MEETING DATE: Virtual: March 8th, 2025 @ 10:00 CST | In Person: Tentative

Rooted uses narrative, family anecdotes alongside a historical timeline to demonstrate how land theft has been detrimental in creating and widening the racial wealth gap, privatizing natural resources, and creating a permanent barrier to land that should be a birthright for Black and Indigenous communities.

A testament to the Black farmers who dreamed of feeding, housing, and tending to their communities, Rooted bears witness to their commitment to freedom and reciprocal care for the land. By returning equity to a dispossessed people, we can heal both the land and our nation’s soul.