Vendredi

by Chase Lowenstein

Thursday, October 4th, Grow Dat Youth Farm will be hosting the 7th volume of PechaKucha Night New Orleans. PechaKucha has become a nationally-growing presentation style that involves giving speakers a limited amount of time to discuss pretty much anything of their choosing. In years past PechaKucha Night has catered towards artists and designers, allowing them to make connections and show their work to the public. This year, the focus will be on food in NOLA and pretty much any issue related to such.

The regulations of PechaKucha night are as such: Each speaker is allowed to present 20 images with each image shown for only 20 seconds. One mathematical calculation later and each speaker ends up with 6 minutes and 40 seconds of time to get whatever's on their chest out into the open. The benefit of the style is that the quick changes not only keeps the audience interested, but also keeps the presenter on task.

Being the Japanese word for "the sound of conversation", PechaKucha has taken hold in over 550 cities around the globe. The informal yet creative quasi-conference is a great way to get the common man's ideas into the real world in an inexpensive manner. It was originated by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003 for designers and has become a venue for all things creative or important.

NOLA Defender spoke with PechaKucha Night representative, Sergio Padilla, about the upcoming event. He said this was only the third time they've ever done this with a specific focus. The first theme was based around gulf restoration, the second about fundraising for Japan's tsunami, and now this one on issues dealing with food in our city.

"A former presenter I ran into asked me if one of these events was coming up and I told her I had some thoughts in mind and she was actually the on who mentioned food" Padilla says, "Ya know, it's just kinda run-of-the-mill New Orleans conversation"

Sergio told us that there will be a variety of speakers present ranging from food critics to organic-access advocates. With food being something that brings New Orleans together, it only makes sense to talk it out and get it right.

One of the biggest issues involving food around town right now is whether or not food trucks should be allowed in the city. Many restaurant owners are worried about loosing business to the mobile-caterers that don't have to pay the high cost of leasing. On the other hand, many people want to adhere to the idea of the free market and cheap street food. Either way you look at it, it makes for an interesting debate. Good news for those attending - Padilla told NOLA Defender one of the presenter's will be, "Rachel Billow from the New Orleans Food Truck Coalition, she'll talk about their efforts to legitimize food trucks in New Orleans".

Here's the final list of presenters:

Jenga Mwendo, Rachel Billow, Ian McNulty, The Rethinkers, Beth Jacob, Poppy Tooker, Johanna Gilligan, Gia Hamilton, Amie Marvel, Jabari Brown, and Marilyn Yank.

Grow Dat Youth Farm is located at 150 Zachary Dr, New Orleans. Doors open at 7 P.M. and the event starts at 7:30. There will be food provided by La Cocinita, drinks and more! Check out their blogsite here, and their Facebook event page here.