Building Inclusive Prosperity One Neighborhood At A Time with Calvin Eaton of 540WMain

Calvin Eaton aka "The Gluten-Free Chef" is a freelance educator, digital content creator, and social entrepreneur with over six years of experience as a professional freelancer, whole foods chef, food blogger, K-12 and adult educator and published author. He launched (www.theglutenfreechefblog.com) in 2012; which has since grown into a holistic health and wellness community with international readership and a large social media platform.

In 2016 Eaton founded the grassroots non-profit “Communiversity” 540WMain Community Learning Academy (www.540westmain.org) with a commitment to enrich the Susan B. Anthony Preservation district as well as connect greater Rochester to the neighborhood through art & wellness courses, programs, and events. As a professional Mr. Eaton’s areas of expertise include social media and digital content creation, food blogging and recipe development, antiracism, diversity, inclusion, K-12 curriculum writing and teaching, and higher education.

[1:30] Starting the Gluten-Free Chef Blog based on personal health challenges

[4:00] Moving back to Rochester and shifting his perception of the city

[6:00] Starting 540WMain to "Be The Change"

[13:00] The EVOLution from a cooperative after-school model to "Communiversity"

"To build wealth in a community, especially one predominated by people of color...money is not the only thing we need from each other, we need effort, we need equity, we need energy."

[17:30] Getting a kickstart from a KIVA Rochester interest-free loan

Learn more at www.cityofrochester.gov/Kiva/

[22:00] Classes at 540 W Main: Arts, Gardening, Historic Preservation, Diversity/Inclusion, Sustainability

[24:30] New partnership with "540 At the Yards" in the Public Market District

[26:25] Growing the mission with a "communiversity template" to serve underserved communities

[27:45] Wellness is multifaceted - Recognizing the need to have classes on difficult conversations around diversity and inclusion

[32:00] How to broaden the audience to invite them in to difficult conversations

"We're not trying to belittle anyone, we're trying to uplift everyone."

[36:00] Encouraging Rochester businesses to participate in positive change by taking on interns

[36:50] Consulting for schools and organizations trying to become more inclusive

[40:00] Calvin's personal journey as a person, a teacher and a social entrepreneur:

The Empowerment Coach: www.jahmadkelly.ontrapages.com/booking

Leadership Rochester: www.leadershiprochester.org/

Byron Fellowship: www.byronfellowship.org/

[43:30] The future of 540WMain