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What do Black women think about leading in the food system? At WANDA's Sisterhood Supper: Juneteenth Celebration, we asked Black women in Washington, DC, where food apartheid is present like many cities across America. This listening session was part of Sisterhood Supper series held in Oklahoma City, Dallas, Boston, and Los Angeles to prepare the policy report for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.
"It's very important that Black women lead in the food industry because we are leaders of our families. If you look at Fannie Lou Hamer and her courageous work to get the Voting Rights Act. If you look at Harriet Tubman, we've been in the forefront of making things happen. So I think we're continuously doing that today. So I think when it comes to food, we have to be on the front line, then we want to see our community move forward. We know we're very influential in our communities. Without Black women, I don't know if this work can even happen or even be sustained." - WANDA Listening Session participant
"I think a Food Bill of Rights is just like the Human Bill of Rights. It's a necessity! I think that if we could recite our Food Bill of Rights, then we can stand up for what we're supposed to have," WANDA Listening Session participant during the Juneteenth Celebration.
"I think having a food bill of rights is essential. Nutrition impacts us on so many levels. And even if we think about on the maternal health level, a lot of it's impacting not only the fetus, but if that mother is carrying a girl it is impacting the ovaries of that fetus. So that's three generations right there that need adequate access," staffer from Mamatoto Village who participated in the WANDA Listening Session during the Juneteenth Celebration.
"Supporting WANDA, we see the great dynamic impact of what Black women can do when we really get in charge of the equity issue in our communities. From starting businesses starting education programs and leading policy change has really been a system change for our community and a big way for us to make impact," Mary Blackford of Market 7.
About WANDA
Founded on International Women’s Day in 2016, Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA) is on a mission to build a movement of 1 million women and girls of African descent to lead as food sheroes through education, advocacy, and innovation. Based in Washington, DC WANDA is a Black women-led social justice 501c3 nonprofit organization composed of women leaders, advocates and entrepreneurs working to strengthen our families, communities, and economies by transforming our food system. We transform our lives and our families through #foodfortheculture. Learn more athttp://iamwanda.org.
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