What You Eat Matters with Jessica Due (37)

In this episode, we talk with Jess Due, who was most recently a member of the executive leadership team for one of the largest animal sanctuaries in the United States. This conversation with Jessica talks about care, food system transformation, environmental racism, and how these systems relate to social justice. 

• Introducing Jess Due [01:53]
• What is animal care? What is the animal protection movement? [11:27]
• How does animal care relate to food systems and social justice? [25:30]
• The story of June B and Susan [35:42]
• How can we start to reframe our relationship with the food system? [51:51]

Instagram: @jess_due  and @the_duem_ranch

Jessica Due brings over a decade of expertise and experience providing specialized care to rescued and rehabilitated farm animals at sanctuaries across the country, partnering with UCLA, UC Davis, and Cornell University.

Most recently, as a member of the executive leadership team for one of the largest sanctuaries in the United States, Jessica led national animal care, rescue and placement. For the past decade, Jessica has implemented sanctuary best practices, standard operating procedures, strategic planning, programmatic alignment, and integration while partnering with and supporting multiple other sanctuaries across the country. 

Jessica began her career in animal care and rescue at a national sanctuary before co-founding her own care farm and has served as a keynote speaker at conferences and has been featured on podcasts, at fundraising galas, and by media outlets including the LA Times, Animal Planet, and NPR. Her work includes contributions to legislative advocacy and policy reform.

Through her advocacy, Jessica believes in addressing interrelated issues of oppression and approaches her work through a social justice lens, centering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the animal protection movement and raising systemic issues of access to food and land. Jessica supports farm worker rights and centering BIPoC perspectives and voices.

Chapters

• 0:00 How does animal care relate to food systems and social justice?
• 11:27 What is animal care?