Many do not believe that food systems and racial injustice are connected. Maybe they think that Black people (or racialized groups, or ‘the left’, or ‘liberals’, you name it...) are once again, making another thing about race. However, you really don’t have to look very far to find information on race and food systems. Admittedly, there isn’t an abundance of Calgary specific sources on the topic, so I’ll present the issue within a North American context. I’ll begin by defining ‘food systems’ and ‘food insecurity’. Then, I’ll explain how colonization has set the stage for our current Canadian food system. Next, I’ll discuss food sovereignty, through the story of the Black Panther Party Breakfast program and food justice efforts in Toronto. Finally, I will explain how industrialization and colonization have shaped the way we view food today.

What is a Food System?

According to the University of Oxford, “the food system is a complex web of activities involving the production, processing, transport, and consumption. Issues concerning the food system include the governance and economics of food production, its sustainability, the degree to which we waste food, how food production affects the natural environment and the impact of food on individual population and health.”

What is (Household) Food Insecurity?

Alberta Health Services defines household food insecurity as “inadequate or insecure access to food because of financial constraints.” Those who experience food insecurity worry about running out of food, rationing what they do have either by skipping meals (sometimes going a day or more without food) or restricting portions. Or, they may overeat when food becomes available. Also, living in the same household doesn’t mean that food is distributed equitably. For example, a low-income parent may choose to suffer the brunt of food insecurity by feeding their child first. Food insecurity may be constant or it may be the result of an unexpected event, such as the loss of a breadwinner. A not-so-obvious fact is that having a low household/individual income does not necessarily mean that one is food insecure. Likewise, a high income does not make one immune to food insecurity. Low wage workers can maintain food security, if their budget is not disrupted by unforeseen circumstances. Middle and high income households/earners can experience food insecurity if they find themselves in a situation where financial pressures such as debt, a mortgage, an increase of household members, illness or job loss. In other words, living beyond your means, new mouths to feed and unforeseen circumstances may place a high income earner in a precarious situation.

According to Alberta Health Services, those who are vulnerable to food insecurity tend to be:

Low income household residents
Renters as opposed to homeowners
Single parents (typically women)
Social assistance recipients
Single
Women
In households with children under 18 years old

Researchers also suggest that the following populations are at higher risk of experiencing household food insecurity:

Recent immigrants
Refugees who have been in Canada for 10 years or less
People who live with a disability
Members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community
Workers who’s employment opportunities are affected by racial discrimination
Homeless populations

Some health consequences of food insecurity include:

Nutritional deficiencies
Higher risks for poor emotional and physical health outcomes in youth and children
Higher risks for the development of chronic health conditions in adults who cope with prolonged food insecurity, yet chronic health conditions also make these adults more susceptible to becoming food insecure due to the negative impact being ill has on their income.
Higher risks for particular chronic conditions including migraine headaches, mood disorders, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, bowel disorders and asthma.

The (Quick) Colonial History of Food Injustice in Canada

Before European settlers, Indigenous Peoples had their own food systems and traditional ways of sustenance; they were hunters and gatherers and farmers, for thousands of years, on this land we now call Canada. European colonizers deliberately stripped Indigenous Peoples of their food cultures through imperialism. For example, the Gradual Civilization Act encouraged the abandonment of tradition and adoption of European ideals such as wealth accumulation and private land ownership. Cultural events such as potlatch ceremonies (a gift giving feast) were banned, and Indigenous Peoples were forced to sign treaties where “life-sustaining hunting grounds” were exchanged, in some cases, for meager amounts of cash. Their food systems were basically legislated out of existence.

Exchanges between European colonizers and Indigenous groups were (obviously) typically unbalanced. And colonialism has now mutated: these same inequities can be observed today. Staple foods, such as fruits and cereal, that we enjoy in southern Canadian urban areas cost exorbitant amounts in northern Canada. So, on a trip to the supermarket in the north, you may find a box of Corn Flakes for $9 and grapes for $28 a kilogram.

Racism and food inequities have driven not only Indigenous Peoples, but also the Black community to fight for food sovereignty. The following is the story of the Black Panther Party community food program.

The Black Panther Party Breakfast Program: How Black Innovation Helped Shape America (Again)

According to Food Secure Canada, while a “patchwork” of school food programming does exist, Canada is one of the few industrialized countries without a national program. They believe that education should not be hindered by a lack of nutritious food, therefore through government policy, a resulting universal food program would ensure that all children would have access to: a healthy meal or snack at low to no cost, sustainable local as well as culturally appropriate foods and food education programs. In North American history, grassroots school food programs have existed, however, when tied to race and militancy, they are perceived as threatening, rather than valuable.

The Black Panther Party was a Black nationalist party that stood for Black empowerment. While ending police brutality was at the core of their mission, (with legally armed teams tasked with “policing the police” in Black neighbourhoods, for example) they also ran numerous community aid initiatives. The “Free Breakfast For School Children” program began in January 1969 at an Episcopal church in Oakland. The administration of this program can be credited to party members and volunteers who visited local grocery stores to solicit donations, consulted with nutritionists to plan healthy breakfast options and prepared the food for free.

The goal of the program was to fuel revolution, promote Black survival and self-determination. Indeed, children who enjoyed these breakfasts were no longer falling asleep in class and they were no longer crying about stomach cramps.

The program ran from 1969 to the early 1970’s when it was disrupted by the FBI. Efforts to end the program included door to door campaigns where FBI agents would tell parents that the Black Panther Party taught racism and that the food was infected with venereal disease, among other things. The night before the first breakfast program was to launch in Chicago, Chicago police broke into a church, mashed up all the food and urinated on it. Unfortunately, these efforts were successful in ending a program that fed thousands of children. However, these children were accustomed to free breakfast before school, and this put pressure on political leaders to feed children before school.

While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had attempted programs since the mid 60’s, their free breakfast program took off around the time that the Black Panther Party’s dissolved, in the early 70’s. The school breakfast program was permanently authorized and today it feeds over 14.5 million American children before school. The fight against racial injustice paved the way for advances in broader, mainstream, American society.

The Push for Food Sovereignty in Toronto

A reflection on the impacts of colonialism, imperialism and capitalism may lead one to seek a way to reclaim their health and cultural identity through food sovereignty. The Executive Director (ED) of the Afri-can Food basket organization in Toronto defines food sovereignty as “the right of people to healthy and culturally appropriate food.” The Afri-can Food basket’s mission in Toronto is to create a food ecosystem that empowers the Black community to “be drivers of their own development” through farming and distribution.

While food banks and programs are helpful, they are not enough to overcome the systemic disparities that disadvantage racialized groups. Food insecurity in Black and other racialized communities is reflective of structural disadvantages. Also, issues of food insecurity and poverty are often ‘offloaded’ onto charitable organizations who do not have the capacity to solve them. Charitable organizations, despite the important work they do, then act as a sort of a band aid solution to larger systemic issues.

According to PROOF a University of Toronto food insecurity policy research group, while 1 out of 8 households experience food insecurity, 11% of white households are food insecure compared to 28% of Black households. Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia account for 84% of the food insecure population. An analysis of immigration status confirms that whiteness is the complexion for protection as white immigrants have a lower risk of food insecurity than Black immigrants. For Black households, it doesn’t matter whether one was born here or abroad, the risk of food insecurity remains high. This data was sourced from Statistics Canada as well as numerous Canadian Community Health Surveys (2017-2018).

Leticia Deawuo (Director of the Black Creek Community Farm) believes that access to land to grow food is an imperative in the search of self-determination. However, financial and employment inequities, lack of land accessibility and systemic anti-Blackness are obstacles that need to be addressed. She addresses this issue through an 8 acre farm land where she takes the production of cultural staples like okra, gai lan and callaloo into her own hands. This resource benefits over 3000 people in her community. However, many would like to see more government support of Black farmers and food producers.

The Impact of Industrialization and Colonization

The industrial revolution and subsequent technological advancements including manufacturing, preservation science, marketing and hospitality industries changed the way people ate. This period brought us the gas stove, refrigerator, canning and frozen dinners. However, this is the same period of colonization where the Canadian government worked to strip Indigenous Peoples of their cultures, right to self-government, land use and hunting rights. This set the stage for a modern era where Indigenous food practices are viewed as primitive, while commercialization has impacted our current expectations of a modern food system. Western food systems are not the only food systems, but colonialism has shaped what we now see as ‘natural’ and what we view as healthy. Capitalism and its concomitant red tape restricts those who desire self-determination, while racism compounds these issues.

In Conclusion: A Call to Action

As mentioned earlier, there isn’t a wealth of information about the intersection of race and food insecurity specific to the city of Calgary. As a Calgarian, if food justice is an issue you are passionate about, I invite you to share any information you have on this topic with us. I also encourage you to support your local communities of color in the fight for fair pay, equal job opportunities and equal access to land ownership. In the future, I will share a discussion with the Leftovers Foundation (Calgary, AB) in which they will address their food justice initiatives.

This article was written in partnership with the Leftovers Foundation.

To learn more about their community based food justice efforts visit: https://rescuefood.ca/

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