When I eat, we all eat: The work of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network

• In Event: She Who Waters Also Needs to Be Watered

Abstract

Access to healthy food is a right that should be afforded to all, however, in the United States in the 21st century that is not always the case. Food deserts—neighborhoods where there is a dearth of locations to purchase healthy food—exist primarily in Black neighborhoods in cities throughout the country. One such city is Detroit, where fast food restaurants, “party stores” (corner stores) outnumber grocery stores and farmers markets. To combat this problem, grassroots activists have started neighborhood gardens, co-ops, and networks, and these initiatives have provided residents of their communities with the ability to grow, maintain, and purchase fresh fruits and vegetables right in their neighborhood. One such organization is the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN). DBCFSN serves all residents of Detroit, but their work is particularly impactful to those of African descent, as the population of the city of Detroit is overwhelmingly African American (approximately 75 percent). The work of organizations such as the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network is one that is agency affirming and serves as a lifeline for the most vulnerable and forgotten during a time where there is still much work to be done in the continuing struggle for equity and freedom.

Author

• Eva Bohler, California State University, Long Beach