OVERVIEW The Growing Justice Institute supports Oakland residents with designing and implementing community-driven solutions to food insecurity. The Institute provides a venue to strengthen self-determination its role in approaches to community health. Over 2 years, with technical assistance and training from People’s Grocery, a resident cohort launches projects that combat the effects of West Oakland’s broken food and health systems.
2011 COHORT The current cohort launched in March 2011, and has completed an intensive food systems workshop series while participating in various events and projects in the community. Over the next 4 months, the cohort will take their experiences in the workshop series and community events into the final steps of project development, which will lead to an April 2012 launch of their projects.
MEET THE COHORT Jacqueline Thomas is a force for change in the health, wealth, and mindset of the African American community. She is a long time farmer, chef and community organizer who is piloting a farm-to-table urban agriculture and cooking program in West Oakland. She has secured land and kitchen space to launch her program and has already built sustainable community partnerships to guarantee the long-term success of her program. She is using her skills as an organizer, cook and wellness educator to move West Oaklander’s to healthy, delicious food from their soil to their table. Email her at jacqueline@peoplesgrocery.org.
Billy Page of Divine Raw Foods is on a mission to heal the community through accessible, delicious, nutritious, raw vegan food. As a Raw Vegan chef for 7 years, Billy has shared the healing powers of a raw vegan diet with countless people, reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers in the community. He has developed Divine Raw Foods into a business of his own and is working on expanding and centering his business in his native community of West Oakland. Email him at billy@peoplesgrocery.org.
Shalina Allen of Love ‘n Soul Catering is taking food justice from her kitchen to the streets. She is organizing to break cycles of “fast food”, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure through foods that she cooks with love for the community. She moderates and organizes Get Cooking!, a cooking club focused on creating healthy, affordable alternatives to “fast food.” She has completed two successful pilot sessions of Get Cooking! in West Oakland and is now preparing to launch the program full time. As the cooking club gets settled, Shalina will be developing and expanding her own catering company aptly titled Love ‘n Soul catering. Email her at shalina@peoplesgrocery.org.
Deborah Carney is mobilizing a number of community-based organizations to expand food access and nutrition education in her neighborhood. She is launching a bus system to expand food access across the housing developments of Oakland. Her ride share system will take people from their housing developments to various food distribution sites in Oakland. Coupled with this program, she will be distributing seasonal recipes and health information to the community. Email her at deborah@peoplesgrocery.org.
Raheemah Nitoto of Urban Holistic Solutions is a brilliant holistic health & nutrition educator in the community. She teaches workshops, classes and performs consultations that empower individuals to live healthy, high quality lives. She is organizing a healing space in West Oakland to expand her work. She has developed a solid business plan through partnering with a number of community based organizations, and is now looking to expand Urban Holistic Solutions to become more deeply rooted in West Oakland. Email her at raheemah@peoplesgrocery.org.
Virginia Hall is a mental health advocate, housing justice organizer and lead organizer in the West Oakland Grocery Store Project. She is sending a message to the food industry that quality of food services are important to West Oakland and need to be accountable to the voices and leadership of West Oakland residents. She is developing a plan for a respite house in West Oakland that provides accessible housing to people with mental and physical disabilities and supports their well being through health meals and wellness curriculum centered on a thriving urban farm attached to the house. As she develops her business plan, she is building partnerships with numerous local advocacy groups and residents interested in her vision. Email her at virginia@peoplesgrocery.org.
Paula Beal is a long time Oakland organizer. She is mobilizing her years of experience with food justice and community empowerment to open a sliding scale, community-based restaurant and food justice center in West Oakland. She will use this space to perform political education, teach cooking and urban farming classes, and support other West Oakland community work. She is the process of developing a business plan and has already recruited two angel investors. She will be spending the next few months organizing a series of community meals and events focused on building community support for her project. Email her at paula@peoplesgrocery.org.
Click here to read an Annual Report of the Growing Justice Institute: Growing Justice Institute Annual Report 2011
