Making Agricultural Trade Sustainable (MATS) project’s goal is to identify key leverage points for changes in global agricultural trade policy that foster positive impacts of trade on sustainable development and human rights while reducing negative impacts. The project centers key United Nations sustainable development goals (SDG) including: 1) ending poverty, 2)ending hunger and malnutrition, 3) ensuring healthy lives at all ages, 6) access to safe and affordable water and sanitation, 13)combatting climate change, and 15) life on the land – protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable ecosystems. Professor Galina Hale’s involvement in the project came from her rather new interest in sustainability of global food systems. Her unique contribution to the discussion was related to the potential financial implications of proposed policy recommendations.

To read more, download the full Making Agricultural Trade Sustainable Campus + Community Spotlight.

Trevin Dace, a 2022 UCSC Sociology BA graduate, began his involvement with HGP by volunteering, which led to a summer internship. Inspired by his involvement, he wrote his senior thesis in collaboration with the Homeless Garden Project Farm from May 2021 to May 2022. His goal was to understand the physiological and social benefits of agriculture for the trainees (those affected by homelessness working through the program), volunteers, and staff who work on the farm.

To read more, download the full Homeless Garden Project Campus + Community Spotlight.

Associate Professor of Sociology Rebecca London has been working with Playworks since 2008. Their work involves helping schools to improve playtime through strategies to make recess safe, healthy, and engaging, and to provide students with tools to manage their own play, solve conflicts that arise, and strengthen their social and emotional skills.

To read more, download the full Playworks Campus + Community Spotlight.