Lianna Bishop | Trinity Fellow 2011-13 | by Lauren Brown
In a world in which food is so often made fast, Lianna Bishop takes time to cook her own.
While so many children are glued to computer screens and Netflix, Bishop hikes on the weekends. In a city nestled in the Midwest, vulnerable to blizzards and the gusty winds off Lake Michigan, the native of Brookfield, Wisconsin works to bring people outside.
When people think environmental efforts and food sustainability, thoughts usually drift to places like the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest. An urban area like Milwaukee does not usually come to mind. Bishop aims to change that. Food has always been an important part of her life. She grew up in an Italian family that emphasized having fresh, nourishing food.
“My mom would always make home-cooked meals,” Bishop said.
Bishop graduated from Marquette University in 2008 after double majoring in Spanish and justice and peace studies. She then worked for FoodCorps, a partner of AmeriCorps VISTA in Missoula, Montana. “Sustainable food launched me into this direction of my life,” Bishop said.
Marquette University’s Trinity Fellows program seemed like the right fit for her. Her mom started a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) drop-off in her area, a program where neighbors subscribe to a local farm and receive a fresh box of produce every week. Considering the unpredictability of farming and weather, Bishop described the program as an investment in the farm. It provides the farmers with a source of revenue and consumers with a promise of fresh, local food, she said.
While fast food reigns on nearly every corner and people stray farther from the great outdoors, Bishop works to connect others with nature at the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee. She believes in the importance of sustainable food and access to healthy food for everyone. A proponent of easy access to parks, she draws upon her experience with agriculture and believes that a healthy life is supported by fresh, local food and experiencing Mother Nature.
“Food is really at the core of what has motivated me,” Bishop said.
Early in her college career, she picked up “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan. “Everything he wrote, I was nodding my head while I was reading,” Bishop said with a laugh. “This is what I love.”
In his book, Pollan discusses the complicated relationship between society and food. Bishop said Pollan “documents eating everything and the implications of that.” The book inspired her to explore this passion for sustainable agriculture and seek ways to educate herself and connect with mentors.
Bishop became a board member for the local chapter of Slow Food, an international organization that garners support and advocates for food that is “good, clean and fair.” It embraces the idea of slowing down and being mindful about eating, as well as workers’ rights. Bishop said the organization started in Italy, where there was a McDonald’s fast food restaurant being built by the Spanish Steps in Rome. The Italians, who value their food culture, resisted the franchise and developed Slow Food as a result.
Trinity Fellows places graduate students who have served for a volunteer organization with a nonprofit agency in the Milwaukee area as they earn a graduate degree at Marquette. Bishop said the program “supports and cultivates leaders in the nonprofit sector with a focus on leadership training.” She studied communications and was paired with the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee. It was perfect for someone who enjoys hiking and being outside on the weekends.
The Riverside Park area in Milwaukee, where the original Urban Ecology Center operates, was not always an environmental haven for children and adults. In the early ‘90s, concerned residents were tired of the crime and litter that was beginning to take over the area. The center started as a way for neighbors to revitalize their neck of the woods and educate the neighborhood children about the environment. After a few years of hard work and with the help of Richard Burke, founder of Trek Bicycle Corp., the center evolved from a humble trailer to an impressive, thriving facility.
Trinity Fellows director Carole Ferrara described Bishop as “consistent in character and temperament” and said she has a “quiet strength and depth of character” that helped her thrive in the program. Ferrara said as the fellows come from a variety of backgrounds that help offer different angles when dealing with social justice issues, she valued Bishop’s grace and maturity.
Martha Davis Kipcak first met Bishop at a Slow Food meeting for the Wisconsin Southeast chapter. Kipcak, who owns Mighty Fine Food LLC and founded Milwaukee Food Council, was leading the group while Bishop was an undergraduate. Almost instantly, she was impressed with Bishop’s disposition. “She introduced herself with the poise and humble, yet confident sense of self that she has continued to display in the years since,” Kipcak said.
Now as the ecology center’s corporate relations manager, Bishop said that her passion for environmental sustainability and connecting people with nature makes her job a good fit. Her work at the center allows her to build relationships and work with smart, hardworking colleagues in a kind, compassionate environment. It does, however, provide challenges. The fast pace can be stressful, especially with fundraising. But her job allows opportunities that are energizing and rewarding.
No longer in school, Bishop has more time to spend with family and friends. She does not go out to eat often, but when she does, she supports a friend, the head chef at Slow Food at Braise. The restaurant supports Wisconsin farms and serves locally sourced food. It’s another way that Bishop draws upon her love of food and desire for human connection and relationships. To her, supporting sustainable agriculture and connecting people to nature is more than just work. It is a lifestyle.
While so many children are glued to computer screens and Netflix, Bishop hikes on the weekends. In a city nestled in the Midwest, vulnerable to blizzards and the gusty winds off Lake Michigan, the native of Brookfield, Wisconsin works to bring people outside.
When people think environmental efforts and food sustainability, thoughts usually drift to places like the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest. An urban area like Milwaukee does not usually come to mind. Bishop aims to change that. Food has always been an important part of her life. She grew up in an Italian family that emphasized having fresh, nourishing food.
“My mom would always make home-cooked meals,” Bishop said.
Bishop graduated from Marquette University in 2008 after double majoring in Spanish and justice and peace studies. She then worked for FoodCorps, a partner of AmeriCorps VISTA in Missoula, Montana. “Sustainable food launched me into this direction of my life,” Bishop said.
Marquette University’s Trinity Fellows program seemed like the right fit for her. Her mom started a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) drop-off in her area, a program where neighbors subscribe to a local farm and receive a fresh box of produce every week. Considering the unpredictability of farming and weather, Bishop described the program as an investment in the farm. It provides the farmers with a source of revenue and consumers with a promise of fresh, local food, she said.
While fast food reigns on nearly every corner and people stray farther from the great outdoors, Bishop works to connect others with nature at the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee. She believes in the importance of sustainable food and access to healthy food for everyone. A proponent of easy access to parks, she draws upon her experience with agriculture and believes that a healthy life is supported by fresh, local food and experiencing Mother Nature.
“Food is really at the core of what has motivated me,” Bishop said.
Early in her college career, she picked up “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan. “Everything he wrote, I was nodding my head while I was reading,” Bishop said with a laugh. “This is what I love.”
In his book, Pollan discusses the complicated relationship between society and food. Bishop said Pollan “documents eating everything and the implications of that.” The book inspired her to explore this passion for sustainable agriculture and seek ways to educate herself and connect with mentors.
Bishop became a board member for the local chapter of Slow Food, an international organization that garners support and advocates for food that is “good, clean and fair.” It embraces the idea of slowing down and being mindful about eating, as well as workers’ rights. Bishop said the organization started in Italy, where there was a McDonald’s fast food restaurant being built by the Spanish Steps in Rome. The Italians, who value their food culture, resisted the franchise and developed Slow Food as a result.
Trinity Fellows places graduate students who have served for a volunteer organization with a nonprofit agency in the Milwaukee area as they earn a graduate degree at Marquette. Bishop said the program “supports and cultivates leaders in the nonprofit sector with a focus on leadership training.” She studied communications and was paired with the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee. It was perfect for someone who enjoys hiking and being outside on the weekends.
The Riverside Park area in Milwaukee, where the original Urban Ecology Center operates, was not always an environmental haven for children and adults. In the early ‘90s, concerned residents were tired of the crime and litter that was beginning to take over the area. The center started as a way for neighbors to revitalize their neck of the woods and educate the neighborhood children about the environment. After a few years of hard work and with the help of Richard Burke, founder of Trek Bicycle Corp., the center evolved from a humble trailer to an impressive, thriving facility.
Trinity Fellows director Carole Ferrara described Bishop as “consistent in character and temperament” and said she has a “quiet strength and depth of character” that helped her thrive in the program. Ferrara said as the fellows come from a variety of backgrounds that help offer different angles when dealing with social justice issues, she valued Bishop’s grace and maturity.
Martha Davis Kipcak first met Bishop at a Slow Food meeting for the Wisconsin Southeast chapter. Kipcak, who owns Mighty Fine Food LLC and founded Milwaukee Food Council, was leading the group while Bishop was an undergraduate. Almost instantly, she was impressed with Bishop’s disposition. “She introduced herself with the poise and humble, yet confident sense of self that she has continued to display in the years since,” Kipcak said.
Now as the ecology center’s corporate relations manager, Bishop said that her passion for environmental sustainability and connecting people with nature makes her job a good fit. Her work at the center allows her to build relationships and work with smart, hardworking colleagues in a kind, compassionate environment. It does, however, provide challenges. The fast pace can be stressful, especially with fundraising. But her job allows opportunities that are energizing and rewarding.
No longer in school, Bishop has more time to spend with family and friends. She does not go out to eat often, but when she does, she supports a friend, the head chef at Slow Food at Braise. The restaurant supports Wisconsin farms and serves locally sourced food. It’s another way that Bishop draws upon her love of food and desire for human connection and relationships. To her, supporting sustainable agriculture and connecting people to nature is more than just work. It is a lifestyle.