Keeping in touch with the real world

Hi Everyone,
Today I attended a talk by author Susan Dworkin about her new book "A Viking in the Wheatfield" which is about the negative effects of monoculture, GMO seed production, and the positive work currently being done by seed savers and seed banks throughout the world. She primarily spoke about international efforts to create seed banks to promote regional seed practices, sustainable farming, and to protect the safety of the future of seeds (in the event of a catastrphic event). The question I had for Susan (which she readily answered) was: where is the connection/ is there a connection being made between these seed banks and local growing efforts. In effect, how do we connect people who may only know about and have access to genetically modified seeds, hybrid seeds (which you can't collect seeds from), etc. to these immense heirloom, locally procured seed banks? Are there efforts being made by the seed banks to create that connection? My question was provoked by Michelle Obama's recently announced campaign agsint childhood obesity and how childhood obesity happens primarily in communities who don't have access to healthy food and how healthy food can be grown in low-income/limited access communities -- why shouldn't they have access to good seeds. In any case, Susan told me that people like me (or anybody from F.E.A.S.T.) are the people who have to make these connections, community acitivists like UEP and community gardeners across the country have to create the education tool and the network to teach communities and gardners about these seeds.
All in all, I wanted everyone to realize their potential, that they (you) are the way that change (even small change) can happen. I know it sounds cheesy (totally cheesy), but growing and producing food is something that can happen at the most local level. Teaching your nieghbor about these seed collections, or a community garden can change the way that we grow our food and change the way that we eat.

On a side note, this is a pretty awesome series of maps.