Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Andrews.
Hi Jeremy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and I couldn’t get out fast enough. I headed north to Central Michigan University. I studied French and enrolled in their study abroad program in the Loire Valley in Angers, France.
After finishing my study abroad program, I dropped out of college for a few years to wander around the country getting to know myself getting various odd jobs wherever the wind blew me. First, I went to Dayton Tennessee and got a job at a La-Z-Boy chair factory where I worked long enough to buy a 1970 Volkswagen Bus. I drove that across country to live with a friend in Reno Nevada, where I worked at a car wash and a Holiday Inn, further expanding my job prospects and career opportunities.. I studied Spanish in the university there, but I learned far more Spanish on the job.
I’m moved back to Michigan and finish my degree in French at Western Michigan University, and made my way back to the east side of France on the border of Germany in the Alsace region where I taught English for a year in a small town called Barr.
Upon my return, I bullshitted my way into a cheesemonger job at the East Lansing Food Co-op, where I learned all about cheese on the job. That was my introduction into cooperative, living and working as I quickly moved into a cooperative house across town with other like-minded thinkers.
From there, I made my way back to the Battle Creek area, first as a caretaker for two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Galesburg, Michigan. While there I began renovating old homes in Battle Creek and reestablishing a connection in Battle Creek. I move one more time to Portland Oregon a place that I thought was the Mecca of all things cool. I got depressed there and decided to move back home where I bought a house in an iconic neighborhood in the historic north side, and I told myself that I was no longer going to complain about Battle Creek and instead, I was going to do something about it.
Since 2007 I have established the Battle Creek Metropolitan area mustache society, a group of unlikely young philanthropists looking to make change in their community. I established Sprout Urban Farms a local food systems changemaker that has incubated small food businesses, including a black owned farm and multiple packaged and food service business businesses using local food from local farmers. This year we established the first Food cooperative in Battle Creek since 1982, called uproot market and eatery, which is now a wholly autonomous, cooperative organization owned by its community members.
During that time, I also established other nonprofits around the community supporting young people who wanted to make change. My family started Penetrator Events an event company, and Linger Tour Company, a slow travel tour operator focused on French speaking countries and Michigan. I am a father, a husband, a writer, and a tinkerer..
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing is ever a smooth road. People who say so have either had their hands held for them their entire life, are trust fund babies, or are lying.
Whenever we build something, things break along the way, it’s just a part of building things and it’ll suit you well if you remember that, and you’re now get to back out of shape about the breaking of things, it’s normal.
In working in nonprofits and community development work, there are always gatekeepers, just like in the for-profit capitalist world. People are threatened by cucumbers and new ideas.. Traditionalist are threatened by change. Elders who think they are helping you will attempt to support your positive momentum with negativity. And young people will take a shit on your work.. Nothing worth doing is easy.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a community organizer at heart. I am an executive director of a nonprofit, an owner of an event company, an owner of a core operator company, a rehabilitator of old real estate, and a community economic development consultant who primarily supports startups and launch activities and strategy, with an eye towards events-focused, and experience focused outcomes.
I am most proud of seeing problems in my community, finding others who are equally passionate, connecting them with people in power who can make change, and pushing those people in power to make changes that residence want.
I am proud of the Battle Creek metropolitan area mustache Society, Sprout Urban Farms, and Penetrator Events. My greatest achievement thus far has been the opening of Uproot Market and Eatery in downtown Battle Creek the first community owned food cooperative in 45 years..
What sets me a part is that I don’t take now for an answer and I am a dreamer who believes that anything that you want in this world you can make happen as long as you’re willing to rely on others to help you out.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Tenacity and a lack of fear in challenging those in power.
Contact Info:
- Website: Penetratorevents.com, sproutbc.org, and uprootbc.com
