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Date: 9/27/2022
HOLYOKE – The Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice has announced local food activist and nationally recognized Neftalí Durán as the 2022 Social Justice Award Recipient.
The mission of the Carlos Vega Fund is to honor his commitment to a more vibrant and equitable community in the greater Holyoke area by supporting individuals and organizations in the creation of social justice related projects and programs.
A native of the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, Durán came to the U.S. in 1997 and started his restaurant career in Los Angeles before making his way to the commonwealth. Now 25 years later, Durán continues to work as a chef, but his passion is as a teacher with the No Kid Hungry Cooking Matters campaign.
The innovative program provides a long-term solution to hunger by teaching practical shopping and cooking skills that make the most of existing resources, even when time and money are tight. Holyoke Office of Planning and Economic Development director Aaron Vega is the son of Carlos and called Durán a worthy recipient.
“We’ve been aware of his work for a long time. Within our community we have a subgroup that works every year on the Social Justice Award winner after we give a few names into the hat and they do their research,” Vega said. “Neftalí with his work he’s done on food insecurity and food access just really resonates with the work that we do so it’s a really good connection.”
On Oct. 1 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Armour Yard at 164 Race St., the Carlos Vega Fund will be hosting an event to fundraise for future grants and highlight their work done thus far. There will be music, dancing and a program which will feature short presentations from previous grant recipients.
The event will also honor founding member and longtime friend of Vega, Mary Birks, who died last year. The event is free, and guests will be asked to make a personally meaningful gift to the fund to continue the work done in the greater Holyoke area.
“The Oct. 1 event really is an opportunity for us to make a little bit of money for the fund that we can get back out but really just to have a little more of a celebration of the work Neftalí and others,” Vega said. “It’s really a recognition and to try to let people know about the fund and know that sometimes a small grant can get a lot done.”
Durán was the owner of El Jardin Bakery at Nuestra Raices, Inc. for 13 years. His innovative teaching and advocacy of bringing food to those with little access have been covered both locally and nationally, according to the Carlos Vega Fund.
Durán also was a founding member of the I-Collective in 2017 which highlights indigenous contributions and wisdom to educate eaters and address food inequity. He was also inducted as a Salzburg Global Fellow. The Salzburg Global Fellowship was established 75 years ago and has such prestigious members as Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Kofi Annan.
Durán is also a regular of traveler of Monte’s March, a yearly event that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Food Bank of Western Mass. Radio personality and local activist in his own right Monte Belmote will be introducing Durán at the Carlos Vega Fund event on Oct. 1.
Since 2012, the Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice has awarded $66,570 to 52 organizations in the Greater Holyoke area who are fighting for justice and building community. For more information you can visit their website at www.CarlosVegaFund.org.