We are excited to announce that the second Salt of the Earth Encuentro will take place in fall 2025, on October 9, 10 and 11, in celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day.

The first Encuentro brought together organizers, activists, artists, academics, small farmers, and food entrepreneurs to share their work and knowledge on the event’s central themes. Building on the lessons learned from the first Encuentro, we will deepen our discussions this time on climate justice, economic justice, and the power of food to strengthen community bonds.

The Second Salt of the Earth will be a two-day gathering and the central event of a year-long multimedia campaign named Cultural Crossroads: Where Food Meets History
intended to continue challenging economic inequalities and environmental issues in the Central Valley while highlighting the vital contributions of immigrants, refugees, and communities of color to regional food systems.
The campaign will include launching a multimedia exhibit at the Salt of the Earth encuentro. The exhibit shares powerful stories about the migration of various crops, foods, and indigenous agricultural knowledge from diverse communities to the Central Valley. These include Native Americans who were forcibly displaced from their land, African Americans who moved from the Southeast, and immigrants from farms in Armenia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Central America.
We will bring back staples from the first Salt of the Earth, such as the Roundtable on Wheels Bus Tour and the Cultural Kitchen. We will continue to create spaces for intimate and meaningful dialogues or platiques. There will be an outdoor market where small farmers and food entrepreneurs can offer their produce and delicious foods. Art and creative expression activities will frame the Encuentro.

With these two events, we intend to:

• Transform the narrative that portrays farm work as unskilled labor and instead recognize the essential contributions of people of color to the region’s agricultural wealth, economic development, and rich food culture.
• Show how diverse communities have influenced the region’s food culture—not only through agricultural labor but also by introducing new produce, sharing indigenous knowledge of land stewardship, and enhancing the region’s culinary heritage.
• Share stories about culinary journeys and their cultural significance, highlighting small farmers, food entrepreneurs, and indigenous communities that have contributed traditional foods and cultivation practices.