By Rebecca Kanter
DC’s Field to Fork Network and the DC Food for All are hosting a free panel discussion on Friday, April 16th at THEARC in Southeast DC from 10 AM to 2 PM. The topic will be community food security, with two panels: one that has a national focus and one that will look at what’s going on here locally. Afterward, a reception begins at approximately 1:15. Appetizers will be served!
Registration available here.
Yesterday, we met Maurice Small. Malik Yakini is another one of the speakers on the national panel. Now, let’s meet him!
Why did you decide to participate on Friday’s Panel?
I am interested in the food access and food justice work in DC and see many linkages between DC and Detroit. Common problems call for common solutions.
We are doing work in Detroit to organize the black community and inform the government that impacts the black community. We are particularly interested in forums that are directed at reaching the black community and giving the black community a voice.
The trend nationally is that young well-meaning white people, mostly young women are at the forefront of this work.
Of which, I must say, I am one…
Yes, I figured that. There is an imbalance because food access and food justice issues predominate in black or Latino communities. Yet, the key players in the food security and food justice movements in those communities are mostly white. We are interested in empowering those communities to speak and act for themselves.
To whom does the “we’ refer?
The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, of which I am one of the founders. It was established in 2006 and began with three main goals: 1) to influence public policy in Detroit; 2) to build a two acre organic farm (“D-Town Farm”) and; 3) to build a food-co-op (a monthly buying club). These goals have been accomplished and we set (new) goals annually. One of the goals we are now working on is to establish our farm as an agro-tourism site (e.g. as a school field trip destination); and ways to break our dependence on grant funding. We currently sell produce from the farm in five farmers markets and we expect to begin operating a mobile produce truck this summer; one of the mobile markets (an initiative started by Michigan’s governor Jennifer Granholm).
We recently provided leadership to and helped to organize a series of “Race, Food, and Resistance” discussions in the community in which most of the participants were white people involved with food security issues; and talking about how they can help in a respectful way that prevents the construction of an over-class. The discussions resulted in a training last month called “Undoing Racism in the Detroit Food System” in which participants were 50% black and 50% white. The New Orleans based The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond conducted the training that included a power analysis teaching about how race is the primary place where power is rested.
What does food access mean to you?
It means having an easy way to get high quality food, specifically produce, that’s culturally appropriate. Not just having any [produce], but [produce] you are accustomed to. We also have to think about the environmental impact, we can have access to food, but at what cost? I am slanted towards food access in terms of produce because I am vegan, but I am not trying to force veganism.
When you say “high quality” what does that mean?
It means [produce] that is fresh, grown without chemicals and pesticides, and that is grown locally. Locally grown food that is picked today will have a much greater life-force than if it was grown thousands of miles away and shipped to us.
What do you think of Detroit millionaire John Hantz’s for-profit agricultural enterprise?
Please note this is my personal opinion only. I find the Hantz project troubling on several levels. One, there is little to no community engagement. [Potential] farms in people’s neighborhoods impact people’s lives. These people have a right to be informed and have a voice. Two, the Hantz people do not plan to use organic methods and this is troubling because chemicals are harmful to people and the environment. And three, Detroit is 83% African-American (according to the 2000 Census). And it’s probably closer to 85-90% African-American now, and the top three players in this enterprise are white men.
We are interested in food justice, not just food access and increasing food availability. Food justice is about upholding dignity and helps to empower the community. Profit from food grown and sold in the community should re-circulate in the community, which in turn helps to empower the community.
What was central to establishing the Detroit Food Policy Council and how does it work to bring about solutions to food access issues?
The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network was one of the prime drivers. We went before the city council (in 2006) and latter created a Detroit Food Security Policy that passed in March 2008 and called for the formation of the Detroit Food Policy Council. But we also did it with input from other community members, who were mostly involved with food justice and food security issues.
We work to bring about solutions to food access and food justice issues, mainly through working with city government, universities, and the county, to create sound food justice policies; through the growing of the food itself, through doing an annual food system report, and other means.
Has the Detroit Food Policy Council been successful?
Well we are still very new. We had our first meeting in November, so we’re still getting our legs. Our public profile increased when last week our weekly column called Food is Life began in The Michigan Citizen newspaper.
How did the “Food is life” column come about?
We called the paper and proposed it and they accepted. So it is as simple as that…No, it is not as simple as that. It was “simple” for myself because I have been a longtime community activist and had built up trust and relationships (outside the food world—with the newspaper) and I leveraged that. But for young white people it is about building up these [trustworthy] relationships [prior to initiating actions such as these].
Lastly, so how did you get involved with food access issues?
About ten years ago, at the charter school (Nsoroma Institute) that I direct we started incorporating organic gardening and food security concepts and awareness into the curriculum. I have always been an activist working to empower black communities. And within this activism, is the notion that to empower black communities they need to be self-reliant, grow their own food, and profit from growing food.
It is with integrity, humility and gratitude that i am aforded this space to say thank you to Brother Director Malik Yakini, of the NSOROMA Academy, in Detroit, for modeling our motto; ” There is no Culture without AgriCulture”, TAO :
The legacy, inheritance of an independant society of people; are six fold, at a minimum; maximize food, shelter, clothing,commnicaton,transportation, security; and all other areas of power, especially the devining of your Spiritual/Economy, into a total system of cultural integrity . All that a governing people have to do for themselves; to prevail among friends, wolves, enemies and truducers, inward and out . Thank you !!! Minister-Prof. T.A. Oduno,MRE