Robert Egger's Piece of Mind

On March 16th, 1968, I was 9 years old and living in Southern California.

I was not only anticipating my upcoming 10th birthday in June, I was also slowly coming to see the world as it was. It was at that pivotal moment that Sen. Robert Kennedy arrived in California to meet with Caesar Chavez, who had been on a 25 day fast to draw attention to the reality of the squalor in which migrant farm workers and their families lived, so that others could enjoy the bounty of the Central Valley.

I was reminded of this moment today, when I went to Homeboy Industries in downtown L.A. to unveil the vision for the L.A. Kitchen.

I was invited by friends at the AARP Foundation (my dynamic partners) and  Latino Magazine, which has a proven record of drawing attention to issues that are germane to the Chicano/Latino/SW community (where hunger is a not-so-hidden foe) to introduce my new venture to the LA community.

I wanted to speak not so much about  “hunger”, but to the power of food….which is why I used this image of Robert Kennedy giving Caesar Chavez a small morsel of bread to break his fast, an image imprinted on my brain 44 years ago, to show the difference between using food to feed the poor, versus using it to liberate fellow citizens.

THAT is the power of food…and it is at the very heart of my work. Food can nourish, empower and strengthen to be sure, but it can also show commitment and solidarity…and it can reveal courage….the courage we in the nonprofit world must now embrace if we are to move beyond  merely meeting need, and push society to meet its obligations.

Robert Kennedy was planning to announce that he was running for the Presidency the next week…and EVERY adviser told him to stay away from Chavez. Not only did he go to be with Cesar, he fed him. At that moment of communion, Robert Kennedy showed me the power of food.

THIS is why I am launching The L.A. Kitchen….to keep faith the this tradition….to humbly seek to show this level of commitment to doing what is right, and to stand–side x side–with fellow citizens….young and old…saints and sinners…those with less and those with more….to work together to show how great our country can be if we embrace our common destiny.

I’ll see you there.

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I was in San Francisco to witness the annual running of the rock stars of love, known to many as The Purpose Prize–and extravaganza of excellence, impact and importance, which highlights the achievements of people over 60 who are terrorizing normal. It is put on by Encore Careers, a hardcore bunch–true mercenaries of meaning, who are led by one of my favorite people EVER, Marc Freedman—a dear man, whose heart contains immeasurable love, and whose brain is the Ft Knox of the Future (don’t let the soft guy routine fool you–dude’s the Hulk Hogan of Hope) .

While I wasn’t there to promote the L.A. Kitchen (I had the Jerry Lee Lewis role as closing speaker), me n’ my right arm / partner in crime Kristen Irving (who worked at the CAA Foundation and Participant Media before twisting my arm to come back west) did Fat Tuesday business with food friends from the NFDC, reps for Central Valley fruit and produce growers, 4th Estate luminaries, foundation hunga-mungas and just regular ol- fine folks.

Side Bar: A personal highlight. I was asked to introduce David Lindley, a musical gift from GOD, who has performed with Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Rod Stewart, Jackson Brown (it was his falsetto you heard on “Stay”)…and, greatest of all (in my book)…the “werewolf angel” Warren Zevon. He performed that night, and next to meeting Dave Edmunds years ago, THIS stood out in my litany of rock n’ roll brushes with fame.

But I also took time to roll cross the Gate, to hook up with my friend Greg Werkheiser, who (along with Sarah Locker) is out front of the Fort Scott Project. CHECK his gig OUT….and keep your eyes on this prize.

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OK….so to recap.

I’ve left DC after 40 years of living everyday fast, hard and fun.

I said good-bye to the DC Central Kitchen…and 1/2 the city at what had to have been the most kick-ass farewell party ever. I mean really…who has members of Fugazi and The Cramps play in their party band…or gets a million dollar check to launch their new business??!

And with a send off like that, I didn’t waste NO time hitting the road (after I traded in my old boots for new).

I blazed a hot trail across America, visited some dear friends along the way, and after about 5 days, I rolled into LA just as the night lights came on.

But I didn’t roll in demure…I rolled in on a serious mission.

And the first thing I did…I climbed up on my roof to let people know I was here and that I was going to push ever envelope I could get my hands on.

I’m here to launch a bold new salvo in the fight against hunger, unemployment and waste, The L.A. Kitchen. We are going to terrorize routine, challenge every norm, so NO to status quo and do everything in our power to reengage, uplift, empower, strengthen and include…by using food.

But I’ll let the video speak for itself.

BOOM, here it is.

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