Trying to Eat Healthy in a Food Desert

Summary

The video explores the food justice challenges in East New York, Brooklyn, a neighborhood with limited access to fresh, healthy food. It highlights the systemic issues of food deserts and the impact of segregation on food availability. Community leaders like Aisha Muharras and business owners such as Ali Ahmed are working to provide affordable, nutritious options, countering the dominance of fast food. The story also touches on the efforts to reconnect local residents to their cultural food heritage, offering hope for a future where healthy food is accessible to all, regardless of income.

Takeaways

• 😀 East New York, Brooklyn, has one of the highest concentrations of fast food restaurants in the city, highlighting limited access to healthy food.
• 🍔 Fast food options like Wendy's, Burger King, and Checkers dominate the neighborhood, often offering unhealthy meals at low prices.
• 🥗 Despite the prevalence of fast food, East New York Farms provides fresh, healthy produce, like dino kale, to the community through its weekly farmer's market.
• 🌍 Aisha Muharras, originally from Jamaica, oversees East New York Farms and strives to bring fresh, organic food to a neighborhood where it is scarce.
• 🚫 Food deserts, food apartheid, and food injustice describe areas like East New York, where residents have little access to fresh food due to systemic issues like segregation and redlining.
• 🛒 Black neighborhoods have fewer supermarkets and more fast food restaurants compared to white neighborhoods, a disparity that is rooted in historical racism and discrimination.
• 🍽️ Ali Ahmed, who transitioned from running a bodega to opening Brain Food, offers affordable, healthy meal options to combat the area's reliance on processed and unhealthy foods.
• 💵 Ahmed's Brain Food business offers meals for just $5, making healthy eating accessible to residents who may not have the financial means to shop at Whole Foods or other premium markets.
• 🏙️ Gentrification in neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy has brought higher rents but also introduced healthier food options like Brain Food, aimed at both newcomers and long-time residents.
• 👨‍🌾 Jaden Schack, a 17-year-old high schooler, works at East New York Farms and helps to introduce his peers to sustainable farming practices, despite initial mockery from his friends.
• 🌱 The vision for the future is for healthy food to be treated as a basic human right, not a luxury, with a focus on reconnecting people to their cultural food roots and empowering communities to grow their own produce.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the script regarding food access in East New York?

The main issue is food apartheid, where East New York, a predominantly Black and Brown neighborhood, has limited access to healthy, fresh food options. Fast food restaurants dominate the area, while fresh produce is scarce, leading to poor nutrition and health outcomes.

How does Aisha Muharras describe the food situation in East New York?

Aisha Muharras describes the food situation in East New York as being 'very scarce' in terms of fresh produce. Supermarkets are either too far or too expensive, and the available food is not organic or healthy.

What does the term 'food apartheid' mean, according to the script?

'Food apartheid' refers to the systemic lack of access to healthy, fresh food in certain neighborhoods, particularly in communities of color. It highlights how food systems are designed to favor wealthier, predominantly white areas while neglecting poor neighborhoods of color.

How do fast food chains contribute to food injustice in East New York?

Fast food chains have increasingly targeted urban areas with predominantly Black and Brown populations, where healthier food options are limited. These chains contribute to food injustice by providing cheap, unhealthy food in areas with fewer alternatives.

What historical factors are linked to the food inequality in neighborhoods like East New York?

Food inequality in neighborhoods like East New York is rooted in historical segregation and structural racism. For decades, Black communities were systematically denied loans and excluded from wealth-building opportunities, leading to the closure of grocery stores in these areas, while fast food chains moved in.

How does Ali Ahmed’s business, Brain Food, address the food access issue in the community?

Ali Ahmed's Brain Food business aims to provide healthier alternatives to the typical corner store. It replaces unhealthy products, such as sugary drinks and processed snacks, with nutritious, affordable options like meal preps that cost just five dollars, making healthy food accessible to all.

Why was there initial skepticism from the community about Brain Food?

The community initially viewed Brain Food with skepticism because of the association of healthy food with gentrification. People often see kale and quinoa as symbols of wealthier, more privileged lifestyles, leading to the perception that the business was catering to outsiders rather than local residents.

What role does the East New York Farm play in improving food access and education?

The East New York Farm provides fresh, locally grown produce and offers educational programs, including cooking demonstrations and a cookbook with recipes from community members. It also helps residents reconnect with their cultural roots and teaches them how to grow and prepare their own food.

How does Jaden Schack’s experience reflect the challenges young people face in East New York regarding food choices?

Jaden Schack, a 17-year-old farm employee, initially faced ridicule from his peers for working at the farm. Many of his friends saw farm work as embarrassing and preferred working at fast food restaurants. However, Schack's involvement in the farm has led some of his peers to rethink their attitudes and consider learning more about healthy food.

What is the broader vision for the future of food justice in neighborhoods like East New York?

The broader vision for food justice in East New York is that healthy food should become a human right, not a luxury. The goal is for people to reconnect with their cultural heritage, grow their own food, and have access to fresh, affordable, and nutritious options in their communities.