DCentric

Good morning, DCentric readers! Here are the five links we’re reading, right now:

D.C. Public Schools expand salad bars “Over the summer, [nutrition chief Jeff Mills] tested more than 30 local greens in search of the best roughage for the salad bars. Ingredients in the traditional cafeteria meals have been freshened up, as well. Next month, students will be offered locally grown nectarines, mushrooms, watermelons, tomatoes, arugula, squash and spinach. Mills has high hopes that the salad bars will help students develop ‘natural palates’ without a taste for added salt, sugar and fats.” (The Washington Post)

CNN discovers go-go “While the package sticks to the expected go-go talking points — the sound is dependent on percussion and call-and-response, it’s unique to D.C., it never went ‘national’ — it’s still pretty cool that a CNN camera crew took a trip out to Takoma Station.” (tbd.com)

Too many markets or not enough farmers? “True farmers markets can and should proliferate — but the fact is that they are a very particular beast and don’t on their own represent the “answer” to food system reform. In a healthy food system, there need to be many outlets for fresh produce and humanely, sustainably raised meat…demand for fresh, local food is growing fast. That’s excellent news. It also means that we have to get serious about growing more farmers and more infrastructure along with growing more farmers markets.” (grist.org)

Killing of Black Man Prompts Reflection on Race in Mississippi “’I don’t think there are aggressive gangs out there beating up black people,” [District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith of Hinds County] said. “I do think because of the political and economic structure and the re-engineering of society, it appears that certain parts of the country and Mississippi feel their culture is under attack.’” (The New York Times)

‘Why I Don’t Want to Talk About Race’ “I am called on often to speak for my ‘race.’ I can never give an opinion without it being assumed to be that of a multitude. So when a white person asks me my opinion about an issue that can be related to race, I suspect that there is going to be a moment later when that white person is going to say, ‘Well, I have a black friend, Steve, who says…’ And that will be the black authority on the subject. Black people can’t talk to white people about race anymore. There’s really nothing left to say.” (goodmenproject.com)