Reclaiming the Food System: Learning from Community Responses to the Impacts of COVID-19

The dominant food system is racially and economically unjust, environmentally unsustainable, and vulnerable to shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This research explored how non-profit organizations in the Chicago region who responded to increased food insecurity and other pandemic impacts are opening pathways to re-organize the food system towards racial equity and resilience to future shocks. Workshops held in 2022 brought together 26 individuals from 20 non-profit organizations in the Chicago region with majority people of color across their leadership, staff, and board. This report summarizes participants’ descriptions of how their organizations pivoted in response to the pandemic’s impacts and their visions for the future of the food system. Evident across the workshop discussions was the importance of resource mobilization, partnerships, and community care to building equitable food systems. Responding to the pandemic’s impacts required mobilizing human, material, and financial resources. The latter comes, at least in part, through grants; however, philanthropy often reproduces systems of privilege and oppression. Participants offered recommendations for funders interested in shifting these unequal power dynamics. Partnerships helped participants address pandemic-related disturbances by leveraging resources to overcome challenges and carry out programs that met community members’ priorities. Yet, inequitable and disrespectful partnerships caused harm. Participants provided recommendations for developing effective partnerships. Care for and with community was central to participants’ work. Their experiences and perspectives can inform funders, non-profit organizations, community practitioners, and others interested in transforming the food system to become equitable and resilient

Depictions of Fear in Lev Tolstoy\u27s Sevastopol Sketches and Stephen Crane\u27s The Red Badge of Courage

The purpose of this thesis was to examine and compare two iconoclastic works dealing with war as experienced by combatants. So much of modern war fiction takes this perspective that one is hard pressed to imagine a time when such was not the case; the watershed was marked in the above named works by the aforementioned writers, which, and who, were first in putting readers inside the heads of common soldiers facing mortal danger. These pioneering authors opened the door to modernist writing about boundary situations involving existential threat, as well as the psychological reactions they evoke – especially fear. Depicting the toll the horrors of war take on individuals has helped humanize its study and enhanced our understanding of what had been a hidden cost of modern armed conflict

Addressing Environmental Gentrification: Improving Environmental Health for Children and Youth without Displacement

This research brief aims to consider how community members and policies might improve environmental amenities within contaminated communities without displacing existing residents. To this end, we will first introduce a concept known as environmental gentrification. We will then summarize some of the existing literature that explores the relationships between urban greening and brownfield redevelopment projects in relation to gentrification. Brownfields refer to properties where the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant may complicate the property’s expansion, redevelopment, or reuse (https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/overview-brownfields- program). Our review of literature indicates that the degree of gentrification associated with sustainable development varies. Finally, we will suggest policies and strategies that community-based environmental justice groups and their members might consider in their efforts to promote environmental health, which in turn supports children’s health, without unintentionally displacing people, including families with children

Equity in sustainable development: Community responses to environmental gentrification

Sustainable development aims to address economic, social, and environmental imperatives; yet, in practice, it often embodies a neoliberal market logic that reinforces inequalities. Thus, as the social work profession grapples with its role in advancing environmental sustainability, practice models must explicitly attend to social and economic justice. For example, environmental gentrification refers to situations in which the cleanup of contaminated land or the installation of environmental amenities intentionally or unintentionally catalyzes increased housing costs, thereby contributing to the displacement of vulnerable residents. With the goal of contributing to practice knowledge, we conducted a systematic review of peer‐reviewed articles (1997−2017) to learn how community groups have responded to the threat of environmental gentrification. We found that community organizations employ a range of strategies, including blocking development, negotiating for protections, planning alternatives, and allying with gentrifiers. We conclude by exploring ethical implications and practice principles to help social workers engage in truly sustainable development

Justice Issues Facing Family-scale Farmers and their Laborers in the Northeastern United States

This study investigates how justice-related issues affect farmers and workers on organic farms in the northeastern United States. At the study\u27s core is an examination of the current context of laborers in organic agriculture in the U.S. Northeast. The study analyzes the results of an online survey of Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) farmer members to gather information about who labors on organic farms in the NOFA network and what unique justice issues they face. The survey results indicate that most of the farms within the network are small-scale and rely heavily on family members and volunteers for labor. Many of the justice issues related to labor arise from the difficulties these farmers experience achieving financial viability. This study increases understanding of the broader systemic context within which small-scale organic farmers make their commitments and decisions, and it illustrates how the justice-related experiences of both farmers and workers are affected by participation as small-scale organic farms in the larger agricultural system

Ecological Restoration

Ecological restoration involves revitalizing neglected, degraded, damaged, or destroyed habitats. • Restoration-based education involves learners in ecological restoration with an intentional educational purpose. • Urban restoration-based education can enhance personal and community well-being while improving ecosystem services in degraded environments. • Restoration-based education can benefit from consciously forming partner ships, integrating local values alongside socioeconomic and ecological considerations, and being sensitive to issues of power and diverse cultures

Environmental Gentrification in Chicago: Perceptions, Dilemmas and Paths Forward

This research sheds light on perceptions of environmental gentrification in Chicago. It also identifies policies and practices that hold potential to promote environmentally healthy neighborhoods and equitable development without displacement. Executive Summary Purpose Access to greenspace, clean air, water, food, and safe, affordable, and stable housing are all important to good health. Yet, low income and communities of color endure disproportionate pollution burdens that negatively affect health. While cleaning up contamination or implementing “green” improvements like parks, playgrounds, bike trails, and other greenspaces can reduce health disparities, these environmental improvements sometimes contribute to rising rents and property values, which can displace the very residents intended to benefit from these amenities. This has been called “environmental gentrification.” This research sheds light on perceptions of environmental gentrification in Chicago. It also identifies policies and practices that hold potential to promote environmentally healthy neighborhoods and equitable development without displacement. Methods The research involved interviewing 27 individuals of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who possess deep knowledge related to land use through their professional or lived experience in community development, environmental justice, housing justice, industrial development, public health, real estate finance, and/or urban planning. We also reviewed related documents. Findings 1: Gentrification and Disinvestment Can Displace Working Class Residents ❖ The higher cost of living associated with gentrification can harm neighborhoods by displacing residents and businesses, as well as disrupting social networks and community culture. In many cases, people of color are pushed out by an influx of wealthier and white residents. However, gentrification can also benefit some legacy residents through, for example, increased home equity. ❖ As land uses change on the North side of Chicago, polluting industries are migrating to the city’s South side, further consolidating pollution and worsening health inequity. ❖ Disinvestment resulting in poor access to employment, education, transit, healthy foods, retail outlets, and other public and private services not only detrimentally affects health but can lead some families to seek improved living conditions elsewhere. ❖ Disinvestment can be a precursor to future gentrification. Findings 2: Drivers of Disinvestment and Gentrification ❖ Structural racism, market forces, piecemeal policies, and power disparities among actors are factors that drive land use decisions with inequitable outcomes. ❖ Without proactive effort to redress racial inequities, seemingly neutral development decisions in actuality reinforce existing disparities. ❖ Reactive policy responses to the forces driving displacement -- and policies that in some instances contribute to displacement -- place the burden of fighting for affordability on legacy residents. Findings 3: Environmental Gentrification in Chicago ❖ Concern about environmental gentrification varies. Interviewees from gentrifying neighborhoods worried that investments in environmental improvements will accelerate gentrification already occurring, whereas those from disinvested neighborhoods often sought investment, particularly in people themselves through education, training, and capacity-building. ❖ A paradox exists in that immigrants, legacy, and working class residents who improve their neighborhoods through business development, community gardens, and the arts not only make the neighborhood more appealing for themselves but also to gentrifiers. ❖ Respondents voiced concerns about who ultimately benefits from environmental improvements in regard to several projects in Chicago, including but not limited to the 606 Trail, El Paseo Trail, redevelopment of the South Works U.S. Steel Manufacturing Plant, and Big Marsh Bike Park. ❖ Recognizing that decisions about environmental cleanup, parks, trails, or other green amenities are not politically neutral, some interviewees called specifically on environmental organizations to incorporate a wider range of issues that affect local communities into their traditionally siloed work. Findings 4: Development without Displacement ❖ Myriad policy interventions and other strategies (Tables 2a-2e) hold potential to help encourage access to green amenities and their associated health benefits without displacement. No single intervention will be sufficient; rather, multi-faceted solutions are needed that promote affordable housing, generate jobs, improve health and safety, advance sustainable development, and build wealth in communities of color. ❖ Many policies and practices noted in this research may reduce harm caused by disinvestment, gentrification, displacement, and racialized exclusion. Yet, because structural racism exists, communities of color will more likely suffer from land use decisions whether through disinvestment or investment. This highlights the need for policy interventions that go beyond reducing harm to redistribute material and decision-making resources toward communities of color. To do so will require redressing existing power disparities and authentically engaging communities of color in land use decision processes. Findings 5: Community Engagement Toward Co-Governance ❖ Many respondents called for deepening relationships among government agencies, technical experts, and community-based groups so that residents’ local expertise would inform land use decisions to improve neighborhoods and the lives of people living there. ❖ Adopting a “co-governance” model increases the likelihood that the communities most often excluded from planning processes and harmed by land use decisions can influence how investments are made in their neighborhoods in order to benefit from them. Co-governance involves shared decision-making between local communities and other stakeholders in land use decisions; generates collective understanding and action by drawing from everyone’s unique strengths, vantage points, and capacities; and prioritizes governmental transparency and accountability to the communities affected by development decisions. ❖ Many organizers, activists, and community development practitioners are building long term relationships with residents, forming collaborations across issues and neighborhoods, and working toward equitable development. The City can learn from and scale up these approaches. ❖ Because privileges associated with socio-economic status and racial identity can greatly influence an individual’s ability to participate in civic engagement, it is critical that the City and other conveners allocate sufficient funds to ensure accessibility in community engagement processes. ❖ Social equity assessments offer a tool for giving explicit consideration to impacts related to economic, racial, and environmental justice in land use decisions

Integrating Youth Participation and Ecosocial Work: New Possibilities to Advance Environmental and Social Justice

This article reveals possibilities to expand the role of youth within ecosocial work practice. The Where I Stand Youth Summit held in Chicago, Illinois, provided a safe space for young people to reflect upon their understanding of, and roles within, social and environmental justice movements. Drawing upon critical youth empowerment theory and participant observation, we note that youth shared experiences of oppression across unique social identities, while displaying authentic communication, acceptance, and desire for solidarity. Re-defining what knowledge matters, along with intention and self-restoration, also emerged as critical to building young people’s agency and power to effect social change

Recuperar el sistema alimentario: aprendiendo de las respuestas comunitarias a los impactos del COVID-19

En esta investigación, exploré cómo las organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro que responden a las perturbaciones causadas por el COVID-19 en el sistema alimentario de la región de Chicago están abriendo caminos para reorganizar el sistema alimentario hacia la equidad racial y la resiliencia a perturbaciones

Postitive Youth Development

• Positive youth development is an assets-based approach for cultivating competencies essential to personal well-being. • When environmental education enables children and youths to contribute to improving urban environments, it can not only increase cities\u27 sustainability and resilience but also foster young people\u27s personal growth. • Participatory action research, peer education, and youth civic engagement are three educational approaches that can lead to positive change for both urban environments and youths living within them