Oakland is a hotbed of activity for food justice organizations. It is truly inspiring. I am so glad that the Community Food Conference is here and I took the opportunity to take a closer peek at a few of them.
The Food Sovereignty Tours “Oakland Food Justice: Building Community, Growing Our Movement” took 40-some attendees on the road to:
“…explore the dynamic food justice movement that has emerged in Oakland’s “food desert” communities: neighborhoods where healthy food is scarce, unemployment is high and poverty is criminalized. Meet with both new and established players in Oakland’s growing food movement—from the now-famous People’s Grocery to the young Phat Beets Produce—and learn how a community is coming together to take back its food system.”
Organizations that we visited included:
- Phat Beets Produce
- People’s Grocery at the California Hotel
- City Slicker Farms
- Planting Justice
- Mandala Cooperative
Like yesterday, I have a lot of pictures to share, so meander through them, but I would love it if you would pop over and see what innovative and unique ways the organizations I visited are doing to dismantle food injustice!
In West Oakland, there are 53 liquor stores and, until Mandela Marketplace opened, no grocery stores. 14 fast food restaurants. No grocery stores. Many of the areas residents don’t have adequate transportation so must depend on corner stores for their food needs. 
beginnings of an aquaponic system
back wall
Power to the People- Occupy!
WOW. This is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing these with us! Thanks, also, for all you do to advance food justice.
This is so interesting. I like all the quotes from food activists. I’m so glad you got to go to this conference!
I am so jealous of your trip. This looks amazing.
Awesome! I love my city, but sometimes it gets me down. Like lately. GAH. I’ve been feeling a bit discouraged about Oakland lately (you know, massive murder spree this year and all), so it’s really nice to see something positive happening!
One thing I love about my predominantly Asian neighborhood is seeing so many people growing veggies in their front yards. It’s really common here, and that’s just awesome. No matter how rough things get, I see gardening as a sign of hope and optimism, and the sight of a gorgeous garden or front yard potager never fails to buoy me up a bit.
Totally Inder- gardening is hope! It brings hope, it signals hope, it provides hope. Love it!
Shoot, I should have contacted you earlier and maybe we could have met up! I head home tomorrow. Next time!
haven’t checked in on your blog in a long time, but i’m following it now so i’ll be able to enjoy it more often. keep up the good work. as a general rule i don’t post links to my own blog on other folks blogs, cause i think its in poor taste, but i swear this one is sharing and not shameless self promotion. you be the judge. anyway, i too was in oakland at the cfsc conference and wrote a post about it, which you may very well enjoy cause we went to many of the same spaces. you can view it here. http://bit.ly/tHaLvR
peace.
Thanks for sharing! I can’t wait to read!