Food as a Path to Healing: The Connections Between Food, Culture and Identity
The complex relationship between food, justice and identity – in particular, for indigenous and immigrant communities – was explored in a thought-provoking virtual panel discussion on food justice hosted by Asian Counseling and Referral Service on May 27.
“Food justice” can often hold different meanings for different communities. Is food justice about access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food? How does food justice intersect with economic, racial and environmental justice? Why is food justice essential to cultural identity and personal wellness for people of color?
The forum “Food as a Path to Healing: The Connections Between Food, Culture and Identity” welcomed experts whose work is rooted in food, justice and community to explore the various intersections of food, culture, identity and transformative justice.
SPEAKERS:
Joseph Seia is the executive director of Pacific Islander Community Association (PICA). He was born in Los Angeles, grew up on Tutuila and Upolu islands with his ‘āiga (family) in Sāmoa and eventually emigrated to Duwamish/Coast Salish Territory with his father Aitulagi Iosefa and his siblings in 1994. He has 15 years of experience in direct service & youth development work, antiracist-community organizing, and nonprofit leadership & administration. He works actively against the political erasure of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities and will continue to provide soul labor in re-envisioning what it means for NHPI people to feel cultural belonging. Mr. Seia currently co-chairs the National NHPI Policy Council, and also co-chairs the local Undoing Institutional Racism Collaborative in King County.
Valerie Segrest is an enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, serves as the Native American Agriculture Fund’s Regional Director for Native Food and Knowledge Systems. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Health Sciences from Bastyr University and a Master of Arts in Environment and Community. Ms. Segrest has dedicated her work in the field of Native American Nutrition towards the efforts of the food sovereignty movement rooted in education, awareness and overcoming barriers to accessing traditional foods for tribal communities throughout North America. She has co-authored several publications including the books “Feeding the People, Feeding the Spirit: Revitalizing Northwest Coastal Indian Food Culture” and “Feeding Seven Generations: A Salish Cookbook”.
Aakanksha Sinha is an assistant professor at Seattle University and received her M.S.W and Ph.D. at Boston College. Dr. Sinha is a mixed-methods researcher and focuses on issues related to access to basic needs, food security, positive deviance, and community asset building. Her research focuses on solutions for deep-rooted social issues found within the community itself. For this, she leverages the strength and knowledge of the community. As a cross-cultural researcher, she strongly believes that countries and communities can learn from each other. Dr. Sinha and her husband Uttam are also the team behind Seattle-based Indian street food restaurant Spice Waala, which directly supports local food-insecure communities with vegan and vegetarian meals.
Moderator: Yamila Sterling, Solid Ground
RESOURCES
Reports/studies on food insecurity amongst communities of color
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Number of Families Struggling to Afford Food Rose Steeply
in Pandemic and Remains High, Especially Among Children
and Households of Color
University of Washington: Economic Security and Food Access in Washington State During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Books to read on food justice:
Cultivating Food Justice: Race, Class and Sustainability by Alison Hope Alkon & Julien Agyeman
Sweet charity: Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement by Janet Poppendieck
Individual actions to advocate for food justice:
Donate towards the Spice Waala community kitchen program (Paypal: spicewaala@gmail.com OR Venmo: @spicewaala)
Understand current food policies and advocate – View AHNC Priorities and other anti-hunger and anti-poverty provisions in
Governor Inslee’s proposed 2021-23 Budget
