Access, Equity And Sovereignty Work Group

Mission

The mission of the Access, Equity and Sovereignty (AES) Work Group is to advance food equity in the Western NY Food System by identifying and better understanding programs, policies, systems, structures and practices that contribute to barriers to inclusion and food access locally and regionally.  Our objectives include developing focused and effective interventions that increase food resiliency, contributing to community food sovereignty, and ensuring that the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) represents basic values that demonstrate highest standards with respect to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) as described by the RAC’s guiding principles.

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Tasks & Initiatives

• ​Host Bi-weekly Work Group calls every 2-4 weeks.
• Expand membership, as needed and desired.
• Identify and create centralized information sources about community food resiliency and how to achieve it.
• Develop a baseline understanding of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) guiding principles with WNY Food Futures Initiative Regional Advisory Council and work group members to increase ownership and commitment.
• Develop clear, transparent, and inclusive communication channels (including translation services where and when needed).
• Provide value chain frameworks that help Identify and scope existing community food resiliency efforts, enterprises, and community owned assets.
• Establish a Food and Racial Equity Advisory Group as a part of WNY Food Futures Initiative that informs food system leaders of how to drive equitable food policies through an inclusive and collaborative process.
  
• Develop new short and long-term projects that focus resources and community food resiliency investments in under-resourced and marginalized communities.
• Analyze and understand food geographies (urban, rural, and peri-urban) by working at the community and regional level to develop food solutions and action plans that recognize the unique needs, geographies, and cultures of the WNY region.
• Improve family economic and food security through the development of job readiness programs to support multiple career pathways, increase equitable participation and access, and make improvements to communities.
• Develop partnerships with nonprofit organizations and community based groups to mobilize emergency food providers and provide temporary food banking services in high priority food access areas.
• Coordinate with the University of Buffalo Food Lab on a framework to engage city and regional council members and planners, community food system leaders and support groups, centering a food insecure community and/or a historically underserved group in community as a pilot. 
• Link resources and capacity of major distribution institutions with grassroots efforts of food access and sovereignty.

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Challenge/Opportunity

More food equity needs than current orgs/efforts present to advance outcomes. Administration buy-in in schools, need in-building champions to facilitate conversations and lead initiatives. Identifying, dealing with/planning for turnover and long term sustainability. 

Work Group Members

ABBY BENNETT 
Coordinator, Project Work Groups

OMAR ABDEL KERIM
Work Group Convenor

SHEILA BASS 
Active Member
Healthy Corner Store Initiative- Cornell Cooperative Extension- Erie County

LINNEA CARLSON
Active Member
Jamestown Mobile Market/Food Policy Council

TIM CHEN
Active Member
Grassroots Gardens

JEANETTE KONCIKOWSKI
Active Member
Grassroots Gardens 

TOM LOWE
Active Member
Field & Fork Network

ELIAS MARTINEZ 
Active Member
Kubed Root

JEN REGAN
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County- Veggie Van

TAKIYAH BUTLER

SIMEON BANISTER
Rochester Area Community Foundation

REVEREND KWAME
Active Member
Community of Good Neighbors, Buffalo

IGNACIO VILLA
Active Member
Farmer Pirates Compost

SHONTAE CANNON-BUCKLEY
Active Member
Massachusetts Avenue Project Food Justice Organizer

TC WASHINGTON
Headwater Food Hub

PASTOR GEORGE NICHOLAS
Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church

LESLIE KNOX
Active Member
Taproot Collective

MICHAEL SNYDER - Advisor
Gakwi:yo:h Farms- Seneca Nation of Indians

MARLENE WAKEFIELD - Advisor
Seneca Nation of Indians

ALEXANDER WRIGHT - Advisor
African Heritage Coop

ALLISON DEHONNEY - Advisor
Urban Fruits and Veggies

SAMINA RAJA - Advisor
UB Food Lab

NATHANIEL MICH - Advisor
UB Food Lab

RITA HUBBARD-ROBINSON- Advisor
NeuWater & Associates

REBEKAH WILLIAMS - Advisor
Food for the Spirit; Buffalo Food Equity Network

HARPER BISHOP - Advisor
Cooperation Buffalo

DELLA MILLER - Advisor
FoodLink