2019 Food Justice Youth Summit
The 5th Annual Food Justice Youth Summit, a collaboration between Capital City Public Charter School and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability & Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), was an all-day (April 12), interactive event where DC youth lead workshops focusing on various issues related to food justice. This event provided youth with the opportunity to share their research, ideas, and recommendations on food justice issues as they work with other youth and food justice activists to build a citywide movement for sustainable food systems.
The workshop sessions were:
Trash or Treasure? Participants sorted through foods while learning composting practices and guidelines.
You Are What You Eat: Students shared the ways in which GMOs affect our food system and health.
Is That GMO on My Fork? This session offered a deep dive into GMO effects, while testing common foods to find if they've been genetically modified.
Urban Farming: At Tech Prep Friendship Technology Preparatory Academy students shared how they bring urban farming to life in their community from seed to plant to harvest to products such as pesto and applesauce to sell in their Farmers Market.
Grass-fed vs Grain-fed: Participants tested samples of grain-fed and grass-fed beef to see if they identified differences in quality and taste.
Research Round-up: Students led discussions covering animal welfare, environmental sustainability and GMOs.
How We Grow: Gardening and its Impact on Youth Today: City Blossoms's Mighty Greens, Eastern Senior High School students shared their experiences and perspectives on the role of urban agriculture in their lives and communities.
Animal Wel...fair? Student research uncovered the impact of animal cruelty in our food systems and solutions for an animal cruelty-free future.
How Much Do You Spend? This session explored certified symbols on food packages and what they mean for customers.
The Food Justice Youth Summit featured tours to the University of the District of Columbia’s (UDC) Center for Sustainability, UDC's 20,000 square foot green roof and food production site, an aquaponics system site, and a nutrition cooking demonstration.
Throughout the day there was information area with tables from Mom's Organic Market, the Earth Day Network, the University of the District of Columbia College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, the Washington Youth Garden, the DC Greens, the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, and more organizations.
Students were enthusiastic about participating in a youth led summit. Here are a few reflections:
The summit is important to me because it gets to showcase young adults taking food and health seriously. People say we're the future and this shows that we actually care about nutrition and the environment. —Keontria Wainwright
Food justice is important because food is what keeps you alive. Food brings people, families, and cultures together. Food justice is about being able to enjoy and prepare food that nourishes the body and keeps us healthy. —Diamond Blount
[We needed] independence from food systems we know are oppressive and corrupt. —City Blossoms's Mighty Greens, Eastern Senior High School student
The event was hosted by University of the District of Columbia. Learn about previous years.
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