About Ohemaa Boateng
My name is Ohemaa Boateng, a long time resident in the Jane and Finch community and a leading organizer for urban agriculture, social justice, food security and food sovereignty in Toronto. I started my journey in food justice work beginning in 2014 as a summer intern at Black Creek Community Farm – spearheading the Farm School program, coordinating family and children programs and leading the weekly farmers markets in front of Jane and Finch Mall and at Driftwood Community Centre. I’ve advocated for fair access to fresh locally grown and affordable food, raised awareness to the food injustices experienced by racialized residents and supported the push for livable wage policy in order to support social determinants of health in my community. I am passionate about mindfulness, growing food sustainably, food literacy, environmental stewardship and Black and Indigenous food sovereignty.
I believe championing food sovereignty is one, recognizing that the years of systemic neglect and social inequities within our food, education, housing, health care, policing and economic systems, does not happen in a vacuum. Prior to the pandemic, Black households were over 3 times more likely to be food insecure than white households according to the PROOF study. The pandemic has exacerbated these issues and put a spotlight on how these systems were successful at serving some but failed to serve the Black, Indigenous and vulnerable communities. Two, our current food system penalizes our communities with higher costs and lack of access to fresh produce. Championing in food sovereignty work is about transforming the current system by pushing for and creating policy that addresses these social equities. As well as investing in adequate funding, protections and resources into racialized communities like Jane and Finch, to be drivers of their development, have a say in how their food is transported, distributed, processed and accessed to be able to feed themselves and their families with dignity.
It is our vision at Black Creek Community Farm to be a model urban agricultural centre that engages, educates and empowers the community through sustainable food.
Thank you all who have supported and continue to support the growth of the Black Creek Community Farm. Check out Black Creek Community Farm here.
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