MLK and Food Justice

This Monday, January 16th is a national holiday celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The mainstream media will be filled with solemn quotes from pundits and reflections by activists, many of whom were involved in the civil rights struggle that continues today. This being an election year, there will also be speeches and even emails from politicians asking for continued dedication to the equality struggle.


I have recently started to appreciate the deep sense that Dr. King had for the idea that justice was as much as anything about "freedom from violence." I was reminded of this by Naomi Tutu (daughter of Bishop Desmond Tutu) when she spoke at the Race2Equity Summit sponsored by the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion. She talked about the process of healing after apartheid ended in South Africa and quoted Dr. King in her remarks.

A major theme of Dr. King’s life was justice. And, I wonder what Dr. King would think about the food justice movement?

Perhaps this quote from Dr. King’s acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize gives us a clue.

“I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”

Reading his words shows the deep sense Dr. King had for the idea that justice was as much as anything about "freedom from violence." In this quote, King is clearly targeting hunger as an act of violence and the result of institutional racism.

Another of his quotes really drives the point home. "True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a...beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring."

His acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize also demonstrates a commitment to a non-violent transformation of the structures that breed poverty and hunger.

Some think that food system reform, which encompasses access, sovereignty and justice is the next big movement for our country. In Detroit, we have been focusing on these issues for some time now. Paramount to this work is to ensure that Detroiters are leading this reform and that food system changes address the structural and institutional barriers mentioned above. There are many people engaged in this work on many levels. Due to limited space, I will mention just three of them.

The Detroit Food Justice Task Force is a consortium of People of Color led organizations and allies that share a commitment to creating a food security plan for Detroit that is: sustainable; that provides healthy, affordable foods for all of the city’s people; that is based on best-practices and programs that work; and that is just and equitable in the distribution of food and jobs. For more information about their activities and how to get involved, go to www.detroitfoodjustice.org

Undoing Racism in the Detroit Food System At the 2009 Great Lakes Bioneers Conference, Earthworks Urban Farm Outreach Coordinator, Lisa Richter and Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Board Member Monica White, Ph. D., hosted a workshop entitled “Race, Food and Resistance.” They shared discussions that had been taking place about the role of race in growing movement to create a new local, sustainable food system. Participants were encouraged to continue the conversations beyond the conference and since that time, a dedicated group of food activists have met monthly to explore how race and white privilege play out within the individuals and organizations in Detroit’s movement to create food security and justice. The group meets on the first Saturday of the month from 1-3 p.m. For more information, check out their Facebook page.

The Detroit Food Policy Council’s vision statement reads: “We envision a City of Detroit with a healthy, vibrant, hunger-free populace that has easy access to fresh produce and other healthy food choices; a city in which the residents are educated about healthy food choices, and understand their relationship to the food system; a city in which urban agriculture and other sustainable practices contribute to its economic vitality; and a city in which all of its residents, workers, guests and visitors are treated with respect, justice and dignity by those from whom they obtain food. “ The Council meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at Eastern Market Corporation. For more information and upcoming events, see www.detroitfoodpolicycouncil.net.



So, as we pause to reflect on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let’s celebrate the progress that has been made, but also rededicate ourselves to personal reflection and action to create a community that reflects the love, compassion and equality that Dr. King aspired to for all of us.

Food Security, Food Access, Food Justice

What Can I Do?

Submitted and Published in the Michigan Citizen, February 6, 2011

According to the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, the definition of food security is: When all of the members of a community have easy access to adequate amounts of affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food.

Those few words describe a complex issue. Far too many people in Detroit do not have food security. Many cannot physically get to fresh food because of health and/or lack of transportation. Others cannot afford the cost of healthy food. Still others are understandably confused as to what “healthy” food means. It seems like an overwhelming topic that as an individual, any effort you make, will have little or no significant impact on your fellow Detroiters’ ability to access food. Or, maybe you think that this problem doesn’t affect you if you don’t live within the city of Detroit.

However, this issue goes beyond accessibility to the very heart of how food is produced, distributed, sold and eaten. Our industrial food system negatively impacts every individual in every community in the U.S. It is not working for any of us and the biggest negative impact is on those with the fewest resources. Many advocates describe it as a broken system: unhealthy, unsustainable, and unjust.

The good news: Food has become a hot topic from local grassroots activism to national political debate. From a vegetable garden at the White House and the First Lady’s initiative to address childhood obesity to urban agriculture and the rise in popularity of local and organic produce. There is a growing awareness and interest in changing the food system, from farm to table to landfill, that affects our health, our economy, our communities, and our environment.
Detroit has the opportunity to create a community where all of its citizens have access to fresh, sustainably grown food but we must work at all levels to accomplish our goal. There are successful efforts underway in Detroit right now. From expanding the regional food hub at Eastern Market to the Garden Resource Program that teaches residents how to grow food to the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation’s initiative to help local grocers improve their stores and fresh food offerings and the Detroit Public Schools’ success ensuring that as many children as possible participate in the school breakfast and lunch program, there are many people focused on improving our local food system.
You may be asking: “what can I do?” There are many ways to get involved in local, state and federal initiatives on food security. Among them are:

Participate in the First Annual Powering Up the Food System Summit organized by the Detroit Food Policy Council on May 19 and 20 at Eastern Market. The Summit will feature opportunities to learn and become involved in community-led efforts to increase food access and build a stronger local food system that benefits all Detroiters. Attend one of the pre-summit forums. Following the Summit, join one of the task forces that will develop solutions that build on current efforts and speed up progress toward a healthy, sustainable, just food system.
Learn more about the city's efforts to develop an urban agriculture policy and share your thoughts with leaders about how other proposals that are being developed—such as, for example, under the Detroit Works strategy—might affect food security (positively or negatively).

If you have school age children, encourage your child’s school to develop a Healthy Food Policy. School policies that promote healthy breakfast and lunch programs also create an opportunity for small businesses.

Contact your representatives in the State legislature, which is considering an end to the Earned Income Tax Credit. If passed, this will have impact on impoverished households' income and further challenge their efforts to meet basic needs, likely increasing their reliance on area food assistance programs.

Improve your own household’s food habits. Visit one of the many Farmer’s Markets that operate from June through October or come to Eastern Market all year round. And, invite a neighbor who may not have transportation to shop with you. Support your church or community soup kitchen or food pantry. Shop your local grocery store. Talk to the manager about offering Michigan fruits, vegetables and other products. Buying locally produced products helps keep money right here in our own community.

Cheryl A Simon is the Coordinator of the Detroit Food Policy Council. She can be reached at (313) 833-0396 or detroitfoodpolicycouncil@gmail.com