When Food and Politics Collide

My head is spinning a bit with everything that is going on in the larger food community right now.

A huge conversation is happening about the intersection between race, racial justice, and the food system. I’m on the board of an organization and last weekend we had a meeting where we talked at great length about racial justice and examining white privilege, so this debate is particularly meaningful to me as I think about the impact I want to have in the food system and community.

Others are questioning the role of big food in nutrition education, something I will probably write more about in the upcoming weeks as I consider my future as an RD.

There’s a lot to say on all of these topics, and I hope to write more about them in the upcoming days and weeks. There’s certainly a lot to digest and respond to. For the moment though, I wanted to share some links to articles I found particularly interesting.

The Intersection of Race and Soda

• Race-Baiting in Richmond
  • There are a lot of interesting things in this article, but I felt like calling attention to the wise words of the commenters was necessary: “What is progressive about a group of middle class liberals deciding what is in the best interest of working class people? None of these progressive activists did their homework.”
• In NAACP, Industry Gets Ally Against Soda Ban

Nutrition Education and Corporate Sponsorships

• Are America’s Nutrition Professional’s in the Pocket of Big Food?
  • I’ll be thinking a lot about this as I embark on the road to becoming an RD. Even after reading the report, I know that’s where I’m headed. Sometimes the best way to fight a system is to dive on in.

Breaking Down Privilege and the Food System

• Uninvited from TEDxManhattan: An Open Letter
  • Response from TEDxManhttan: Onward…
  • Response from Tanya Fields: Moving Forward: TEDx Manhattan Apology and Joint Statement
    • True, true words, both in regards to food and everywhere else: “The work we do in our communities can be traumatic but really facing your privilege can be messy and murky as well.”