Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) is an organization devoted to building community through healthy, local food. While we certainly engage in the technical work of managing gardens and growing food, we cannot emphasize enough that community – people – is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in the power of shared gardens and shared meals to create connection and to cultivate a humanity in how a community cares for its members.
This week’s unlawful and anti-democratic events at the United States Capitol have shocked our organization and the community we love and serve. Witnessing the violence, symbols of white supremacy and hateful intimidation tactics used to threaten our democracy has been emotional and a sobering reminder that – on the very ground in which we garden – a belief pervades that democratic freedoms and equality are for some, but not all. It has been a traumatic week for so many in our community, particularly people of color and children, and we acknowledge this. We grieve with you.
While recent events have highlighted racism and double-standards in our government and law enforcement practices, white supremacy and racism have historically been and continue to be intrinsic to our food system. Because of this, access to local, healthy food is a privilege available to far too few.
As we look for ways to grow beyond this week’s violence, we hope you’ll join us in thinking critically about how we can expand access to local, healthy food and ensure that our local food system is an equitable and welcoming place for all. We’ve listed some of our favorite resources in the food justice space below, and we thank these organizations for leading the conversation. Indeed, this is the type of work that can unite us all.
National Organizations
Black Urban Growers
First Nations Development Institute
FoodCorps
Food Systems Leadership Network
HEAL Food Alliance
National Black Food & Justice Alliance
National Farm to School Network
National Young Farmers Coalition
Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance
Native Seeds/SEARCH
Soul Fire Farm
Local Organizations
Black Lives Matter Utah
New Roots
Utah Diné Bikéyah
We look forward to engaging in this work with you.