Erika Lesser, Food Studies Alumna, Works to Educate American Consumers at Slow Food USA

Erika Lesser is smart, thoughtful, and passionate. Sitting with her in her open office in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood, Erika, Executive Director of Slow Food USA, is describing her recent visit to Atlanta for a day of meetings at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lesser is careful to emphasize the word prevention in the CDC's title, commenting that the second part of the governmental agency's name is too often left off or forgotten. She explains that the meetings, which featured journalist Michael Pollan as keynote speaker, were two years in the making with Alice Waters' visit in 2007 as a catalyst. The meetings were a sustainable food systems approach to health and wellness.

What is Slow Food? According to the organization's website, "Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment." Through educational events and partnerships, the company defends biodiversity in our food supply, spreads taste education throughout the world, and connects producers of excellent foods with co-producers through projects and initiatives.

Much of our hour-long conversation focuses on the primary issues: time, money and access. It is clear that through her post at Slow Food, Lesser is committed to changing our country for the better. Her carefully chosen words throughout the meeting demonstrate her ability to see the bigger construct that impacts American's eating habits - policy, legislation, education - and that she wants to do something about it.  

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