What surrounds us white folks all the time is unearned privileges, relatively safe environments and media geared towards our culture, language and assumptions. When something is geared towards another audience we gasp–how dare they not think of us!?!?

City Slicker Farms’ mission is to serve everyone starting with the least served, and that means we reach out first to folks who are often left out. In spite of all our efforts we never do a perfect job–more white people are involved in our organization than are present in the West Oakland population by about 10-20%.

What I’ve noticed in our work in the community is that people of privilege (whatever their ethnicity may be) are very good at getting their needs met by advocating for themselves and availing themselves of what they feel could be of benefit. We don’t have to reach out to these people, they just come. They have what’s called “cultural competency”–knowing how to navigate the system. However, when there’s a history of oppression such as in the African American, Hispanic and Asian communities, there is much more hesitancy in terms of taking what’s rightfully theirs. In the field I have found that low-income people, especially people of color needed to be invited many times to participate before they felt welcomed. Think about it. If your ancestors were persecuted, punished and even killed just for trying to satisfy their basic needs, might there be justified fear and caution even generations later? Even if that weren’t the case, current examples of insensitive behavior coming (mostly unconsciously) from white culture would be enough I think to make people of color test the water with a toe before jumping in.

As an organization that has had difficulty raising enough money to hire staff members we have had to rely on mostly white volunteers (they’re the ones with the economic privilege to volunteer their time instead of working for money), so extra efforts are required to make our organization accessible to all ethnicities and class backgrounds.

Just because I’m white I have privileges in our culture that others lack. Believe me, I don’t look at this simplistically. We’re all “different” and we all suffer and we’re all individuals with a unique personal story. We can never assume. But rather than feeling guilty or angry about my unearned privilege (after all I didn’t choose to be born white) I decided to just try to use some of my privilege to bring resources to West Oakland and even out the score just a tiny bit and that’s what I really encourage all others who feel pained by how things are to do in their communities.

A note about the word racism and why it really can’t be applied to discrimination against white people is in order. Racism is where a group with actual power oppresses another group of a different race. Since white people have the most actual power in our culture, there can’t really be racism against us. Discrimination, hate speech, meanness, etc. can happen towards whites just as towards anyone and is deplorable and horrible on a personal and human level. But I have never experienced what it’s like to have my freedom limited and my destiny determined based on the color of my skin. If an individual says something mean to me about being white, that’s mighty different than nearly constant discrimination.

And finally, in terms of the connection between food and racism, I think it’s clearly causal. Our neighborhood is historically 60-70% African American. When the Alameda Health Department did a study they found that African American’s are dying seven years earlier than whites of diseases that are all nutrition related. If you can’t stomach the fact that race determines health, then I guess you could just chalk it up to class, but if you look into class you will find that although there is poverty among all ethnicities it’s highest among people of color. So, I’m just chasing my tail here, and for me it always leads back to the fact that most people of privilege, even “liberal”, “left” or “radical” people, really don’t want to give up their privileges even a little bit.

I am really glad you brought up these issues and were brave enough to voice your thoughts. My conclusions have been arrived at after years of questioning and talking about my own assumptions, not of hiding them.

Think about how you felt when you read our website–I imagine you felt left out. It doesn’t feel good to feel left out, and I am sorry for that. Now multiply that feeling to everything you see all day every day and I don’t think you’ll feel too bad about having that feeling once or twice here and there so that people who are often left out are focused on for a change.

And…there’s too much big stuff to work on to split hairs over absolute fairness. Just get out there and get your hands (and ego) dirty. It’s what I’ve done and boy have I learned a lot in the process–all through risking my own comfort zone.

Best,
Willow

thanks for your reply. I was a little bit concerned when I wrote the post that people might read stuff into it that I didn’t intend to say. Maybe let me try to say more clearly what I meant.

I see crystal clearly that there is racial inequality in this country. I am very much aware of the correlation between racial inequality and poverty, and the correlation between poverty and bad nutrition, leading directly to poor physical health.

That is why I am absolutely thrilled about the city slickers project. As I wrote, I think it is extremely important, even visionary. And as I wrote, I absolutely endorse the effort!

I agree 100 % with your statement; “race and poverty are correlated; poverty and unhealthy food are correlated; voila: race and unhealthy food are correlated.” It’s undeniably true, as many studies show.

Where I think you missed the point I was trying to make: “correlated with race” is NOT the same as “racism”. Racism, if I understand correctly, is something that involves people and their attitudes/actions towards each other. I don’t see that here causing bad nutrition.

Correlation means that there is a connection. Correlation does NOT mean there is a causal connection.

If one just reduces the problem to “racism”, I think that one misses the chance learn whatever the true reasons may be, and do something about it. My guess would that the problem is more complex. Also, it just ends up perpetuating racial division, which is the last thing anybody needs.

As I said, I see the correlations as much as you do. I really agree that we need to change these unfair and deadly realities. I just don’t see how it is fair, correct, or helpful to say “this is racism”.

Oh, and I didn’t “take offense about someone promoting the active involvement of people of color in improving their own urban food landscape.” It’s the exact opposite! As I said, I want and encourage every person to grow their own food to improve their health. I took offense at not being welcomed as a caucasian. I think the “lack of progress toward establishing equality and justice in America” is awful. But welcoming people based on race really will only perpetuate the problem. Two wrongs won’t make a right.

I hope this makes a bit more clear where I am coming from. BTW thanks a lot for all those links- Looks like there’s some interesting reading ahead for me!

You could even take a step back and look at the connections between poverty and race, which are so numerous (as are the number of resources, studies, articles, and books on the subject) that you could spend the rest of the year on them before even getting to the food connection.

It’s a pretty simple equation: race and poverty are correlated; poverty and unhealthy food are correlated; voila: race and unhealthy food are correlated.

As you say, “we have a lot of important work to do to promote urban agriculture, health, social justice, and sustainability.” It’s great that you are part of a community garden project. Unfortunately we haven’t reached the point in our progress toward establishing equality and justice in America where it’s fair or reasonable to take offense about someone promoting the active involvement of people of color in improving their own urban food landscape.

I’d encourage you to spend some time learning more about this connection. If you are dedicated to the causes you mentioned, it’s a crucial one to understand. Here are some people and organizations you might want to look into:

Majora Carter and Sustainable South Bronx (http://www.ssbx.org/)
Van Jones, Green for All and the Ella Baker Center (http://greenforall.org/, http://ellabakercenter.org)
People’s Grocery (http://www.peoplesgrocery.org/)
Added Value (http://www.added-value.org/)
Community Food Security Coalition (http://www.foodsecurity.org/)
Center for Health, Environmental & Justice (http://www.chej.org/)
Bryant Terry (http://www.bryant-terry.com)

Yes. The issue here is facilitating ACCESS to amazing, life-giving food for all people–those with bulging bank accounts, and those with empty pockets.

Thank you for your important contribution, and for reminding us all of our power to affect change.