Food has always been a part of culture and identity for communities of color; it also reflects a history of resistance and revolution. In the early 1970s, the Black Panther party fed tens of thousands of hungry kids through its free breakfast program before school.
Good, nutritious food is essential for healthy living. But food insecurity disproportionately affects people of color. In March, the U.S. Census reported that 33% of Black families and 1-in-4 Latino families were food insecure in the country, compared to 15.3% of white households.
Last February, Mayor Michelle Wu announced a new initiative to expand food production citywide. Its goal, working with local food justice groups, is to make healthy, culturally relevant foods affordable to everyone.
This week on Basic Black, host Callie Crossley will be joined by Patricia Spence, president and CEO of the Urban Farming Institute; Vivien Morris, founder of the Mattapan Food & Fitness Coalition; Hae In Kim, deputy director of planning and development for the Mayor’s Office of Food Justice; and Cassandria Campbell, co-founder of Fresh Food Generation.
Watch the latest episode of Basic Black tonight at 7:30 p.m. on GBH 2 or live at the stream below. You can also watch on the GBH News YouTube channel. Subscribe to get notifications for future premiere episodes.
