Good food brings people together. From recipes to gardening practices passed down through generations, our food tells a story. Unfortunately, not all stories are good ones. The foundation of our food system is rooted in the exploitation of enslaved people forced to work on stolen Indigenous land. Despite emancipation, discriminatory land policies drastically impacted land access for Black farmers. Today, fewer than 2% of all farms in the United States are Black-owned.
In Michigan, there is a long list of organizations working to address disparities and advance justice and equity in the food system:
- The Detroit Food Policy Council
- D.B.C.F.S.N
- Fair Food Network
- FoodLab Detroit
- Keep Growing Detroit
- Michigan Good Food Fund
- Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS)
- Taste the Diaspora
- South East Market
Supporting these businesses and organizations with our dollars, time, and energy is one way to take direct action to champion Black food sovereignty and a more equitable and just food system. Another step on the journey to becoming a strong ally and co-conspirator in the Black food movement, is to educate yourself about our food system’s troubled history, the resilience and brilliance of Black food and farming communities, and the rich culinary traditions of the diverse African diaspora.
There are countless opportunities to learn about these topics through books, movies, podcasts, community events and more.
Web Resources:
- Museum of Food and Drink : The Legacy Quilt Project
- The Humble History of Soul Food
- Black Culinary History
Books & Movies:
- Farming While Black, Leah Penniman
- “High on the Hog: How African American Food Transformed America” – Netflix
- “The Gullah Way,” Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, Season 1, Episode 4, – Hulu
Additional Reading on TLD Blog:
- Black Owned/ Operated Farms in Michigan
- Farming While Black: Groundswell Community Farm
- Perspectives: What It’s Like to be a Black Michigan Business Owner
- Reclaiming Food Sovereignty
Find more great stories at www.localdifference.org/blog/
P.S. Did you know that you can search by ownership type in our Find Food and Farms directory? Explore Black Owned businesses to support this Black History Month and all year long! See them here