Six Black-Led Food Sovereignty Initiatives You Can Support Right Now
By Jo Caraballo, Planet Women Speak for the Future Fellow
Having access to healthy and culturally appropriate food is, unfortunately, a privilege in many communities across the globe. There is more than enough food produced each year to feed everyone in the world. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, the world produces 1.5 times enough food to feed the planet, so why are so many people starving or unable to get enough nutritious food?
The short answer is systemic oppression. Colonialism, capitalism and an over-dependence on corporate-backed industrialized farming all get in the way of people’s access to healthy food and farmland.
A phenomenon called “food apartheid” exists in many communities, disproportionately impacting Black and Indigenous folks. Food apartheid is a system of segregation that divides those with access to an abundance of nutritious food and those who have been denied that access due to systemic injustice. Karen Washington is credited for coining this term in place of “food deserts,” a term that ultimately fails to encompass the actions that lead to these conditions.
There may be high rates of industrial food production across the globe but these crops are mainly grains and mass produced crops like soybean, corn, and wheat. These foods are not always culturally appropriate to various communities, and often they’re still inaccessible if living in poverty. Food sovereignty is the movement that aims to make access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food a right, bridging the gap between folks and their food.
What is the Connection Between Food Sovereignty and the Environmental Movement?
Let’s illuminate this briefly before proceeding.
Looking Back at How “Food Apartheid” Developed in U.S.
Particularly in the United States, violence against African American farmers has led to their erasure and marginalization within the profession. From 1619 to the late 1800s, White Americans often survived off the forced, enslaved agricultural labor of Black folks. Despite African agricultural practices still broadly influencing American farming today, Black farmers have largely been pushed out of agricultural food production. Over the last 100 years, Black farmers went from representing 14% of American farmers to less than 2% today — a decrease that impacts not just individuals but whole communities.
Following the abolition of slavery, Black communities continued to face violence through the legal system, as laws were put in place to punish them for everyday behaviors that enabled them to thrive as free citizens. One example is laws enacted to prevent foraging. Along with their farming skills, Black families often had extensive knowledge of foraging, the act of collecting wild food for free.
White legislators across the country put anti-foraging laws in place, making it illegal to farm or uproot plants on public land. This was a clear attempt to oppress Black families and force them to return to laboring for their ex-slavers. Because recently freed families did not own private land, these laws to cut them off from almost all possible food sources. These laws have caused immeasurable damage and many are still in place today.
Food sovereignty is a growing issue, as already affected communities are being hit hard by climate change. The World Bank has projected that in the midst of environmental catastrophe, over 143 million people will be forced to migrate by 2050. With areas all over the globe becoming more densely populated, accessibility to fresh food and water will be at higher risk. Combating food apartheid is going to take collective effort from our educational system, legislative bodies and grassroots organizations.
To end food apartheid, we must take an antiracist approach that focuses on our collective well-being. Planet Women is highlighting six Black-led food sovereignty organizations that are empowering their communities with agricultural knowledge and access to food. We hope you’ll considering supporting these organizations.
1. Soil Generation — Philadelphia, PA
Based in Philadelphia, Soil Generation is a Black- and Brown-led coalition of gardeners, farmers, individuals, and community-based organizations. Their work focuses on helping people of color regain community control of land and food, tackling community health concerns and improving the environment. Their Threatened Gardens Campaign is an ongoing project to address food and land security in Philly, a city that struggles with food apartheid and has few community gardens. Soil Generation is advocating for real and transparent pathways towards community control of land. If you’d like to support their work, you can donate to help grow their movement here.
2. Soul Fire Farm — Petersburg, NY
This Afro-Indigenous centered community farm leads food sovereignty initiatives that reach over 160,000 people a year. Soul Fire Farm’s mission is to uproot racism within the food system. Their mission is to raise and distribute life-giving food to end food apartheid. Their work connects Black and Brown folks through sustainable agriculture, spiritual activism, health and environmental justice. Soul Fire Farm has no shortage of initiatives, from farmer training for BIPOC growers to doorstep harvest delivery for households that are food insecure. Attend one of their programs, donate to their cause or volunteer here!
3. Chicagoland Food Sovereignty Coalition — Chicago, IL
Chicagoland Food Sovereignty Coalition is a coalition of autonomous mutual aid groups working to build equitable, sustainable food systems throughout their neighborhoods. Their focus is providing healthy food throughout the city, as food insecurity and inequity plagues Chicago like many other cities in the US. Through identifying the collective needs of the community, they’ve been vital in providing daily relief to many Chicago folks and families. Head over to their website to donate to their efforts.
4. Alice’s Garden Urban Farm — Milwaukee, WI
This urban farm works to provide models of regenerative farming, community cultural development and economic agricultural enterprises. Alice’s Garden believes that cultivating, preparing and preserving food traditions are cultural arts. In 1948, a failed freeway project led to residents being pushed out and areas of Milwaukee were torn down. In 1972, a garden was established on one of Milwaukee’s deconstructed spaces. Through community collaboration, Alice’s Garden Urban Farm hopes to reclaim spaces that have been hijacked and fully celebrate the beauty of urban agriculture. Give them a visit if you’d like to volunteer or purchase some of their farm products.
5. National Black Food and Justice Alliance
The National Black Food and Justice Alliance (NBFJA) represents hundreds of urban and rural farmers across the country. Through community building, they’re working towards an intergenerational, urban and rural movement to create opportunities and provide support to Black farmers. NBFJA advocates for protecting Black land while simultaneously prioritizing food sovereignty. Their memberships allow Black led organizations, Black-centered farms and individual cultivators to attend community and leadership driven programming. You can make a donation here.
6. Acta Non-Verba Youth Farm Project — Oakland, CA
This project empowers the youth of Oakland through the joys of urban farming. Acta Non-Verba’s work challenges oppressive dynamics that exist within the urban agricultural space. The organization was founded by Black women and women of color to create safe outdoor spaces for children and families. They strive to strengthen young folks’ understanding of nutrition and food production. Some of their programs include summer camp sessions for low-income children and community-supported agricultural delivery. To support the kids, send a donation their way!
Food sovereignty is as important as any other environmental concern we face. For Black and Brown communities, its impact can be deadly. Building a future in which everyone is fed requires a collective dedication to anti-racism, retroactive reparations and decolonization.
Jo Caraballo is Planet Women’s inaugural Speak for the Future Fellow. Her focus is on environmental issues with an emphasis on how gender, race, class and other marginalizations play a role in conservation. A true lover of this planet and its inhabitants, she recognizes the urgency and passion that’s necessary in cultivating impactful change. Read Jo’s full bio here.
