A (Hippie and Food Justice) Dream Come True

I grew up in Oakland, California, and spent a lot of time in Berkeley.  With the vibe of the 1960s still hanging around the place, I often felt like I'd been born 15 years too late.  In time, I became a hippie-of-sorts in both my dress and attitude.  The only thing missing, however, was the cross-country trip in a "Magic Bus."

Years later, I'm proud to say that I'm now a licensed driver of Arcadia's Mobile Market.  Not only am I living out my hippie fantasy, but I'm doing so while giving something positive back to the community!  I get to pilot Arcadia's magical, green school bus around DC, Maryland and Virginia, hauling fresh produce, dairy products, meats, eggs, and bread to low-income "food deserts." 

Juju and Arcadia's Mobile Market in front of her home in Temple Hills, MD

All it took to pass my Commercial Driver's License Road Test was several weeks of diligent studying (ask me how deep the tread on the bus' front tires should be, and I promise I'll know the answer!) and several weekends behind the wheel with Benjamin, the Mobile Market Director.

Next time you see the big green vegetable bus coming down the street with a straw-hatted driver behind the wheel, that'll be me in my Berkley-Hippie glory!  And when you see me rolling out the awning as we set up the Mobile Market each morning, I'll be living out my other alter ego, Estella, the Italian grocer-woman (but that backstory is for a future blog post!).