On the 28th of April we had a reading group on Oppression in the Food System & the Struggle for Food Justice and the resources where:
- Video: Food + Justice = Democracy: LaDonna Redmond at TEDxManhattan 2013 (Introduction to Food Justice)
- COVID-19 foodwork, race, gender, class and food justice: an intersectional feminist analysis by Elaine Swan
- Unbroken Connection to the Land (FoodFirst! Interview with farmworker activist Rosalinda Guillen)
Rather than doing a report of the reading group, like we have done previously, we decided to share some “Voices of the Reading Group” instead, with points that people brought up and questions they have raised. We hope that it can inspire you to think about the topic of food justice and maybe you can bring this discussion to your own circles and talk about it. Please note that these are not direct quotes but statements and questions compiled based on our notes of the reading group and what we heard people say. These statements reflect the variety of opinions and questions raised during the reading group but they are not supposed to be normative but hopefully can inspire some discussion and reflection.
Are you interested in the readings but did not attend the reading group? You can send an email to alina[at]aseed[dot]net and we will send you the pdf files with the readings. Guiding questions and more can be found in this continuous pad for our reading group: https://pad.riseup.net/p/Re4dingGr0up4seed-keep
Some Questions to Reflect Upon this Topic:
- Who really “owns” the land, people who work on it or people who have the papers for it?
- How can we reclaim land? Go via the bureaucratic way or through squatting?
- “We’re not seen anywhere. We are invisible, except for the value we bring to some landowner….Our contributions are invisible.” (p. 3. Unbroken Connection to the Land) How are farmworkers being invisibilized in our food system? What is our role in making them visible?
- What are your reflections/feelings about these passages from the academic article?
- “Making food choices and eating or resisting certain foods reproduce gendered, racialised and classed identities, subjectivities and hierarchies around “ethical eating”(p. 698) Have your ever thought about how your food choices (and the food that is marketed to you) reflect your position/place/privileges in this society?
- “Food charity and emergency aid is a “safety valve” that is not transformative of the inequalities, stigma, shame and unsustainability of the food system” (p.699)
Are you interested in the readings but did not attend the reading group? You can send an email to alina[at]aseed[dot]net and we will send you the pdf files with the readings. Guiding questions and more can be found in this continuous pad for our reading group: https://pad.riseup.net/p/Re4dingGr0up4seed-keep
ASEED is a small grassroots collective run mostly by volunteers. We are proud to have the ability to put time and energy into researching topics around agriculture, climate and social justice! However, in order to keep up structures that support this work, along with organizing events and direct actions we need structural funding. During this COVID crisis it is especially hard to find the kind of funding that pays for our financial administration, small budget for coordination and fundraising, and rent for our office.
A great way to help us stay structurally funded is to become a monthly donor! You can do that by visiting the SUPPORT US page on our website, and if you want to get involved in another way please contact us at info@aseed.net.
