The Optimisticians

The Optimisticians - Raúl

Raúl who is born in la ciudad de Mexico and is very attached to Xochimilco, the last area with water channels in the capital. He created with his friend David Flores the Colectivo Ahuejote in 2016: agricultura and comunidad. Meeting Raul made me realize again how agriculture always comes under the social field. While exploring articles about this topic, I discovered the writings of François Léger, a french agroecology researcher who dedicated his PhD to the relationship of mexican farmers to their environment. Since then, he has been fighting to demonstrate that ecological quality, construction of social cohesion in territories, well-being of individuals and economic efficiency are not contradictory. And Raul is proving it with the Colectivo Ahuejote. You can find out more about the colectivo on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/huertoromaverde/ An amazing french project (Seedtour) met Raúl and David and made a video of their project in Xochimilco. Take a look at it on their website!! https://seedtour.org/2018/01/27/seed-tour-8-chinampas-de-xochimilco/ Beginning and end credits by the talented Lvov (https://soundcloud.com/l_v_o_v). Music during the episode: Title: Dub e Gotas na Gruta Composer: Da Iguana Source: https://tepememusica.bandcamp.com/ Buy: https://daiguana.bandcamp.com/album/land-s-capes-ep Title: Fata Morgana (Ome remix) Composer: Salguero Source: https://tepememusica.bandcamp.com/ Buy: https://salguerx.bandcamp.com/album/desierto-de-cristal-ep

The Optimisticians - Jeronimo

Efecto Colmena (which means 'efect beehive') is a mexican non profit organization working to preserve and rescue bees in the area of Mexico city. In the first part of the episode you will follow Jesus and Roberto during a the impressive rescuing operation of a beehive that has to be relocated in order to be preserved. The beekeeper Jesus was working with the help of Roberto to temporarily place the beehive in a box for transport. And in the second part you will listen to Jeronimo, the founder of the association. You can find out more about Efecto Colmena and maybe sign a petition in favour of the protection of the bees on their website: https://www.efectocolmena.com/ and have a look on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/efectocolmena/ Beginning and end credits by the talented Lvov: https://soundcloud.com/l_v_o_v Music during the episode: Title: Soul Blue Tango Composer: Mounika Source: https://soundcloud.com/mounika-beat Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.fr Download (6MB): https://www.auboutdufil.com/index.php?id=467 Title: Guazu Composer: Guazu Source: https://shikashika.bandcamp.com/album/guaz Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.fr Dowload (9MB): https://www.auboutdufil.com/index.php?id=493

The Optimisticians - Paco and Anuar

The Huerto Roma Verde is a green space in the Roma neighbourhood in the city of Mexico: the peaceful lungs of the area. I spent two hours in this magical place with its creator, Paco Ayala, who is passionate about the environment and culture and wants to show the positive effects of community spaces in cities. During the interview, Anuar del Castillo, a member of the Huerto Roma Verde, spontaneously accepted to explain some of the current projects. We will hear about ecology, immaterial heritage and community spaces. The music extracts punctuating the episode are taken from short animations films that were shown in the Huerto in the frame of the film festival "Ambulante".   You can find out more about the Huerto Roma Verde on the website https://huertoromaverde.org/ and have a look on the facebook page to see the upcoming projects https://www.facebook.com/huertoromaverde/ Thank you to Horacio, whose voice you will hear throughout the whole episode, for giving me some of his time and english skills! (You can check out his very cool Youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChuFTxAw1HLyF34z8wuD2UQ) Music: Lvov @ouch-lvov Logo: Anne F.

The Optimisticians - Kelly and Khamla

Let me introduce Kelly and Khamla. They are passionnate about education and the arts. Chatting in their colourful kindergarden in Vientiane, where I volunteered for a month, they shared their passion with me. As well as their work in Vientiane, they are enabling access to education in decent conditions in two villages in the native province of Khamla. I hope you enjoy the second episode of the optimisticians, which is filled with laughter. (Sorry about the quality of the audio: I did the recording in a room with a lot of echoes!) You can find out more about the kindergarden here https://www.tukatavientiane.org/ and learn more about Tukata foundation here https://www.tukatafoundation.org/ Music: Lvov @ouch-lvov Logo: Anne F

The Optimisticians - Om

This is Om, who lives in harmony with the wild nature of northern Laos. It’s hard to say who has more energy: Om, or his dog Kuma! Om’s strong ecological and social convictions radiate around Luand Prabang thanks to the sustainable projects he has set in place. I met him in his beautiful agroecological farm where I was lucky enough to volunteer for a month. He explains his projects in the first episode of The Optimisticians. You can find out more about his farm on his website mekongedenfarm.com/ , apply to volunteer there www.workaway.info/324617377499-en.html and have a look at the facebook page of his organic store Mekong Co-op www.facebook.com/MekongcoopLaos/ Music: Lvov (@ouch-lvov) Logo: Anne F.