Feminism and Veganism: The Story of Bloodroot

Filmmakers Annie Laurie Medonis and Tracy Nichole Cring discuss their documentary A Culinary Uprising, which chronicles Bloodroot, one of the last remaining feminist restaurants in America. Founded in the 1970s, this Connecticut establishment has spent nearly five decades creating a unique space where veganism, feminism, and community intersect through intentional food practices and inclusive principles. Sadly, the restaurant will be closing this December.

This episode explores:

• How Bloodroot evolved from vegetarian to vegan as part of the founders’ feminist philosophy
• The remarkable 48-year partnership between founders Selma and Noel that sustained the restaurant
• How immigrant women staff members influenced the restaurant’s diverse culinary offerings
• The intentional language and community-building practices that define the Bloodroot experience
• The filmmakers’ personal transformations while documenting this intergenerational feminist wisdom

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Annie Laurie Medonis is an award-winning filmmaker. Since beginning her documentary, A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot, about the iconic feminist restaurant Bloodroot, Annie Laurie’s understanding of feminism and connection has profoundly deepened. Inspired by Bloodroot’s legacy of empowerment, she founded Women Artists in Action, a monthly collective dedicated to fostering vibrant events for female artists to collaborate, inspire, and support one another.

Tracy Nichole Cring is an editor of more than forty films. She secured the grand prize at the 1995 LA Film Festival for a captivating short film ingeniously crafted using old TV studio equipment. Embarking on her career as a cinematographer and editor, Tracy joined forces with the Extraordinary Film Project. This ambitious initiative aimed to produce 12 feature films within a year; ultimately, it took 20 months, but she made films in Michigan, Arizona, and California during that time. Tracy’s work has gained widespread recognition, earning the national attention of NBC Nightly News, PBS, and hundreds of film festivals. Tracy now devotes herself to mentoring women in film and editing documentaries that amplify the voices of women and shed light on crucial social justice issues.

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