Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—a man who believed deeply that equality wasn’t just a dream, but a responsibility.
Dr. King reminded us that progress doesn’t happen automatically, and it certainly doesn’t happen without courage. It happens when ordinary people make deliberate choices to stand up for justice, dignity, and fairness—even when the political climate is working against those ideals.
That feels especially relevant right now.
Across the country, power is being concentrated into fewer and fewer hands. Small farms are disappearing, small businesses are being squeezed out, and independence WITHIN our country is increasingly treated as a threat rather than a strength.
At the same time, independence FROM other countries seems to be such a huge priority.
Policies that favor consolidation over community make it harder for local producers to survive, even though they are often the ones doing the most good.
The reality is this:
Small farms have the greatest capacity to build food sovereignty—healthy land, resilient local food systems, and real accountability to the people they serve.
Small farms have the greatest capacity to build food sovereignty—healthy land, resilient local food systems, and real accountability to the people they serve.
The health and abundance of ecosystems are a result of their biodiversity. Monocultures are the best way to lose soil and produce less yield and less nutritious food every subsequent year at an ever-increasing cost.
It doesn’t matter how much oil and precious metals we have, if we run out of soil to grow food because of poor agricultural practices.
Small businesses, more broadly, are what shape communities into places people actually want to live. They create connection, not extraction. Stewardship, not shortcuts.
Dr. King spoke often about economic justice. Supporting local, independent businesses is one small but powerful way to put that belief into action. It’s a way of saying that people matter more than profit margins, and communities matter more than corporate convenience.
So today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we invite you to honor his legacy in a tangible way.
Support small businesses.
Support small farms.
Support independence and diversity that strengthen communities rather than threatening them.
Support small farms.
Support independence and diversity that strengthen communities rather than threatening them.
Be the change you wish to see in the world.