West Oakland is an inner-city, low-income community of Oakland, CA. The 2006 US Census placed the population of West Oakland at 23,545, and the number of households at 8,534. The community is predominantly populated by people of color: 40% African American, 31% Asian and Pacific Islander, 20% White, 16% Hispanic, 4% two or more races, and less than 1% American Indians (US Census 2006). Once an industrial center of the San Francisco Bay Area, West Oakland has become burdened by a variety of interconnected stresses, including food insecurity, malnutrition and chronic disease, poverty and underdevelopment and limited opportunities for youth.

Community Food Insecurity: Low-income residents of West Oakland face severe food insecurity due to a lack of access to healthful, affordable, fresh, and culturally appropriate foods. There is only one supermarket to serve over 25,000 people. In contrast, the nearby neighborhood of Rockridge has one grocery store for every 4,333 people (Troutt, David. The Thin Redline. 1993). With a short supply of full-service grocery stores, many residents depend on over 40 convenience stores for their food shopping. These convenience stores carry mostly canned, processed, and poor quality foodstuffs and promote the consumption of candy, chips, liquor, and cigarettes. A 1998 community food assessment of West Oakland showed that only three of these convenience stores offered a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables (Farfarn-Ramirez, 1998). Prices at convenience stores were found to range between 30%-100% higher than prices in supermarkets. Such high prices force many West Oakland residents to rely on 69 emergency food sites in the area. The presence of such a high number of food emergency sites is an indicator of chronic food insecurity in this community.

Malnutrition and Chronic Disease: Limited access to healthful foods, especially fruits and vegetables, in West Oakland is a primary contributor to the increasing rates of malnutrition, chronic disease and obesity among residents. According to the FAO, “malnutrition appears in poor urban dwellers as a result of inadequate diets combined with sedentary lifestyles, poor living conditions and access to services”. (http://www.fao.org/fcit/insec.asp). Additionally, food insecurity in West Oakland has increased the risks of diet-associated chronic disease and obesity. The number one leading cause of death in West Oakland from 1996-1998 was heart disease, accounting for 27% of all deaths (Alameda County Public Health Department of Vital Statistics.1998). West Oakland is in the highest 1/3 rate for diabetes for Alameda County and diabetes hospitalization rates exceed the county diabetes hospitalization rate by three times. Children and youth in West Oakland are especially at risk of developing diet-related chronic diseases as a result of poor diets and inadequate physical activity. For example, one-third of the students in Oakland Unified School District are at risk of developing diabetes. The unprecedented risks that young people face in developing chronic diseases illustrates the need for programs that positively influence their attitudes and behaviors towards healthy eating.

Poverty and Underdevelopment: Food insecurity in West Oakland stems partly from the economic problems faced by the community. West Oakland is the poorest neighborhood in the Bay Area. In West Oakland 20.2 percent of families and 29.6 percent of individuals lived below the poverty level in 1999. The mean income was $27,628 a year, with 57 percent of families earning below $35,000 a year, compared to Oakland’s overall mean household income of $54,000 in 2000 (Oakland CEDA-Demographics, 2000). Half of the households in the poorest census tract in West Oakland earned less than $11,339 (Claritas, 1999). Participation in the CALWORKs and Medi-Cal Programs is also high: in December of 1999 about 23.5% of residents were participating in either CalWORKs or Medi-Cal only, compared to about 9.4% county-wide. About 29% of children under 18 in West Oakland were participating in CalWORKs at that time. Solving food insecurity in West Oakland requires approaches that can increase local economic activity, create jobs and provide training opportunities to assist low-income residents in gaining an economic foothold.

Limited Opportunities for Youth: Many youth in West Oakland must navigate a host of social, economic and developmental problems common to low-income communities. Although 34% of the West Oakland population is under the age of 19, few programs exist in West Oakland that provide youth with opportunities for life enrichment, leadership development and academic success. Statistics indicate that academic performance among West Oakand youth is failing dramaticaly. Prescott and Lafayette elementary schools have negative Academic Performance Index (API) growth rates. Only 30% of freshmen at McClymonds High School make it to graduation, compared with a 68% nationwide average. The population has a 30% lower college education rate than the city of Oakland and the Bay Area. Additionally, few programs provide young people in West Oakland opportunities to gain employment and sustained income, putting many young people at risk of getting caught up in activities that put them at risk of violence or incarceration. In Oakland homicide is the leading cause of death for 15- to 34-year-olds. After-school is the most dangerous time for children. Most juvenile crimes are committed between the hours of 3 and 6 pm, and children are most likely to be the victims of crime during those hours. In West Oakland, where many families cannot afford quality after-school care, the availability of safe, positive, affordable (or free) after-school and summer programs are vital to the mental and physical health of the children.

Agricultural and Food System Crisis: Community food insecurity in West Oakland is connected with a broader crisis in regional and global food systems. Industrial agriculture has expanded to meet the growing demand in urban areas through mass production of food using environmentally harmful inputs, inappropriate technologies, and monocrop farming. These methods have caused extensive damage to ecosystems and natural habitats, as well as to farm workers and small farmers. Additionally, the food transportation system accounts for 20% of the nation’s fuel consumption, making the food system less sustainable and a greater source of pollution (Center for Food and Justice, 2002). Long distance food miles also reduce the freshness, flavor and nutrients of plant foods as many vegetables loose most of their essential phyto-chemicals within 24 hours after harvest. Social inequities are present in the food system as market-driven approaches to leave out low-income consumers who do not have the financial or political power to advocate for inclusion in the food system. Finally, the growth of cities across the United States is rapidly consuming large quantities of natural habitats and arable lands, diminishing the land stock for local farming. With 80% of the world’s population living in cities and 90% of global consumption derived within cities, urban areas must be included in the reshaping of food systems to become sustainable, equitable and beneficial to small farmers, low-income consumers and the environment alike.