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Compost arises

We are here for the uplift.

It's found in the many Juneteenth celebrations happening next week, and especially in the one being thrown by Arise for Social Justice in Springfield. Founded 30 years ago, Arise has been a part of several initiatives for bettering the city, including opposing the biomass plant. We speak with Rusty Polsgrove about the importance of celebrating as a part of resistance, and how collaboration helps further causes faster.

Plus that uplift is very much at the core of The Compost Cooperative as well. We continue our conversation with worker-owners Trenda Loftin and Revan Schendler about the progress the co-op has made with their housing project, and about the inherent flaws in our systems that their business model is actively attempting to combat.

Kaliis Smith is a radio host and producer for NEPM's The Fabulous 413.
Christopher “Monte'' Belmonte is host and executive producer of NEPM's The Fabulous 413. He was born and raised in Massachusetts and has been a radio host in western Massachusetts for the last 20 years — the last 17 of them as host of Mornings with Monte on The River 93.9/WRSI.