Food for Thought from Mighty Writers in Kennett Square

Kennett Square, PA, aka the Mushroom Capital of the World, is about an hour south of Philadelphia. Fully half of the U.S. gets its mushrooms from Kennett Square, and the majority of people who make that happen, often in substandard working and living conditions, are migrant farmworkers from Mexico, Central America and Venezuela.

Today we speak with friends Anita Davidson and Nelson Alberto Contreras Gelves, who both work at a food pantry in Kennett Square. Nelson, a Venezuelan migrant who fled political persecution, tells us his immigration story and explains why he feels so connected to the food pantry.

This is a story of friendship. But it’s also a reminder to those of us from immigrant backgrounds to never forget our own place in the so-called American Dream.

The Mighty Writers Podcast with Maureen Boland is produced by Mighty Writers in partnership with Rowhome Productions. The executive producer is Tim Whitaker. Lead producer is Sojourner Ahebee. Rowhome’s executive producers are Alex Lewis and John Myers.

Our theme song was composed by Jim Morgan.

This episode also includes music from Blue Dot Sessions.