Healthy Food for All? OFPC discussion in Fruitvale identifies issues, solutions
Olga Becerra, mother of five, used the meeting's day care for her two children, pictured here, while she participated.
By Irene Florez and Cynthia Joseph
Rosaura Marin’s son isn’t obese, but his weight is going up.
Marin noticed the tell-tale love handles about a year ago and says that his weight is increasing.
“We don’t drink sodas at home. I keep fresh fruit on the dining table at all times and we’re even trying a one month no-meat trial period in the hopes of increasing our vegetable intake," she said. "But, I still notice the kid's and my husband’s weight gain and I worry."
Oakland needs an equitable and sustainable food system. To accomplish this, broad swaths of the population, including residents like Marin, must have input. The Oakland Food Policy Council does not fear the challenge and works to do just that.
The first step: collecting data from community meetings in underserved communities and drafting an action plan to present to the city of Oakland is now underway. The council, or OFPC, will create the plan based on feedback from three community meetings. It asks residents which of the following goals weigh most importantly:
- Increase and improve urban agriculture
- Eliminate pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- Expand locations that accept electronic benefits transfers (EBT)
- More and larger farmers markets
- Increase access to healthy food mobile vendors
- Finance new food businesses
- Develop better food recycling and composting
- Establish nutrition standards for all city contracts
- Purchase food from local small farmers
La Clinica’s office in Fruitvale held the first meeting on Wednesday. Spanish speakers formed the majority of the attendees. Despite a light turnout and a missing interpreter, a few key food system observations arose: Fruitvale needs access to affordable organic food: most participants cannot afford to shop area farmers’ markets; residents would benefit from more information about nutrition and the local food shed; and most attendees currently shop at Mi Tierra or Mi Pueblo.
Marin’s goal involves improving healthy food affordability. OFPC did not orginally list this goal, but Marin definitely considers it top-of-mind. She must nourish three children on her salary and her days revolve around meal preparation.
“I purchase most of my food at Mi Pueblo," Marin said. "There, if I buy more than $20 worth of groceries they provide free delivery. This helps a lot. Sometimes I purchase vegetables at the Fruitvale farmers’ market (at the BART station). But if I knew of healthier or more affordable locations I would shop there."
People United for a Better Life in Oakland - PUEBLO - the council’s outreach consultant, chose Fruitvale, deep east Oakland (past 73rd) and West Oakland for the community meetings.
Alethea Harper, OFPC coordinator, said PUEBLO will compile and present the data from each session to the workgroups who will determine recommendations for the action plan. Harper said the council plans to present the final version of the action plan to the city in September.
Chinese speakers will likely form the majority of the next session, set in deep east Oakland. Cultural and informational hurdles apparent at the Fruitvale session, namely facilitating a dialog where most attendees do not share the same vocabulary, will continue to pose a problem if not worked out by then. In the Fruitvale meeting, most participants had never heard of GMOs or many of the other food shed terms used by facilitators. The meeting confused at times as facilitators espoused different definitions, in English, for every term.
The council meets both as a full body and in breakout work groups every other month. Meetings are open to the public and anyone can be part of a work group.
Harper said the council wants to reflect Oakland’s diversity. Current openings include food policy council members slots; applications accepted until August 27.
The OFPC launched in 2009 following a 2006 City Council resolution allotting start-up funds. Food First is the organization's sponsor and supports the council along with a number of other community partners.
Marin had to leave the meeting early in order to make it home at a reasonable hour.
“My neighborhood isn’t very safe at night and it’s a long ways away.”
She said she understands that eating more heart-healthy foods won’t prevent her family’s weight gain above recommended-weight levels. So, following the notion that every little bit helps, she will continue attending food-related meetings to access information about nutrition and food markets.
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