How growing food can be a “tool for dismantling systemic oppression.”‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Dear Supporter,

Organic Consumers Association has always been committed to the premise that food
is the great connector. And that we can’t talk about food—who produces it, how
it’s produced, who has it and who is food-insecure—without also talking about
racial, social and environmental justice.

Today, on Juneteenth, during this time of civil unrest unlike any I’ve witnessed
since the 1960s, I want to share this important and poignant article
[[link removed]] about how some communities have historically turned growing their own food into
acts of resistance.

The author, Ashley Gripper, cautions against perpetuating a narrative of urban
agriculture as being “something new, trendy and without sociopolitical and
historical ties or influences.”

Gripper, a PhD Candidate in the Environmental Health Department at the Harvard
T.H. Chan School of Public Health, writes:

“While some dominant modern narratives talk about urban agriculture as an
innovative way to build community and fight food insecurity, Black folks in this
country have been growing food in cities for as long as they have lived in
cities. Before that, our ancestors lived in deep relationship with the land. For
the first time in my 22 years, I understood that growing food is a tool for
dismantling systemic oppression.”

Gripper walks us through the facts, writing:

“Today there are about 45,000 Black farmers in the U.S., making up only 1
percent of the farming population, and owning far fewer acres of land compared
to 1920. This happened through a series of USDA discriminatory policies and
procedures such as Heirs Property, unjustified loan and crop insurance denials,
and blatant prejudice like forcing Black farmers off their land.”

She ends with a bit of advice, so relevant today as we reflect on the sacrifices
so many have made in the search for racial equality:

“The entire field of public health needs to rethink how it engages communities,
especially considering that marginalized folks have the greatest understanding
of the nuanced ways that environmental factors impact their communities. We must
uplift and value their expertise and knowledge systems as much, if not more,
than we do those with PhDs.”

I hope you’ll take the time to read this entire article.
[[link removed]]

It’s an important reminder of how taking back our food, and taking
responsibility for our health, our environment and our communities, is a
powerful statement about what kind of society we want to build.

In solidarity,

P.S. To help support this, and other campaigns, please consider making a donation to OCA
[[link removed]] . Nearly 80 percent of our support comes in the form of small donations from
individual donors. Thank you!



Organic Consumers Association is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, under
the section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All charitable donations are
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