Stories

5 Minutes with Alicia Kennedy

We are constantly inspired by the changemakers and solution providers in the environmental space, and we have SO many questions for them. In our “5 Minutes With…” series, we ask the important questions (plus some fun ones, too) to cool people who want to change the world. This week we’re chatting with Alicia Kennedy, a food and culture writer based in San Juan, Puerto Rico (check out her weekly newsletter here). Read on for the full Q&A, and check this space every other week for a new guest.

What have you had enough of?

The expectations of strangers.

Why do you do what you do?

Hopefully, to make people think about food in new ways.

What inspires you?

Literature, as pretentious as that sounds.

What makes you feel calm?

Swimming in the ocean.

What is a personal sustainability tip/trick or organization you want to share?

Eat little to no meat.

What makes you feel anxious/on edge/angry?

Capitalism!

How would you describe yourself in a few words?

I’m a writer who cooks.

What did you learn in the pandemic?

That survival mode is exhausting.

What do you think the world will look like in 20 years time?

I can’t answer that without knowing how urgently the world’s governments and people will respond to global warming in the next few years.

What’s the one thing we have to get rid of as a society?

Individualism.

What’s the one thing we need to incorporate as a society?

The collective.

What’s been your favorite trip to date?

Going to Mexico City with my fiancé, before he was my fiancé.

What do you like to read/listen to?

I love to read Kate Zambreno and listen to Gustavo Cerati, though separately.

What is your definition of happiness?

A lack of financial stress.

What does change look like to you?

A crashing wave — inevitable.

Alicia Kennedy is a food and culture writer based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is also the creator of the newsletter 'From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy,' where she sends out a weekly essay on issues in food, from politics and climate change to culture and labor. Read on for the full Q&A, and check this space every other week for a new guest.

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