2009 John Egerton Prize Winners: Hayley Downs and Julie Kahn
The Southern Foodways Alliance awarded the inaugural John Egerton Prize to Hayley Downs and Julie Kahn. Both women are second generation Floridians and artists.
Intrigued by Florida Crackers* and interested in Slow Food, they decided to document Hayley’s father’s wild game feast in DeLand. As they worked, they discovered a community connected with the disappearing primordial Florida landscape. The original project evolved into a film, titled Swamp Cabbage, that amplifies the voice of an under-explored and often-stereotyped region, and also addresses broader contemporary issues of conservation and community.
*In Florida, Cracker is a term of pride referring to the descendents of Florida pioneers known for their ability to survive in the treacherous Florida wilderness. It is unrelated to the slur meaning ignorant white bigot.
