This essay is part of a series in which I explore several reasons good food projects fail, taking examples from a food project I worked on alongside other examples of food projects launched in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where I live and work.

Deficit Thinking has primarily been used to describe race and class bias amongst educators towards low-income and minority students with regards to academic performance. For example, it has been argued that low-income and minority students do poorly in school because they are deficient in one or more areas such as insufficient nurturing/socialization outside of school, limited intelligence, lack of motivation, etc. Major dialogue is taking place now to counter and dispel the assumptions and myths about why students fail, and if you’re interested in learning more about that, click here, here, and here to learn more.

From the moment I switched gears from health coaching to community food education and local food system advocacy three years ago, I have experienced this same bias from organizations, farmers, and food purveyors about Bed-Stuy and its residents as it relates to issues of food access, motivation, and perceptions of healthy eating and foodways within low-income and black and Latino populations.

The bias that pervades good food projects, including the good food hub I worked on, is that the residents of Bed-Stuy are not interested in foods considered healthy or fresh, they do not know what healthy or fresh food is, and/or they do not create their own access for the foods they prefer.

Whenever a conversation about Bed-Stuy comes up, the focus is always on how unhealthy the residents are, how poor everyone is, how dangerous it is to live here or visit, and how there’s nothing good to eat or do here.

Yet, less than half of Bed-Stuy’s population lives in poverty, crime has continued to decrease since the early 2000s (yes, there are pockets of the neighborhood that experience high incidences of crime, but overall, crime has continued to decrease steadily), someone’s always hosting a walking or bicycle tour, I have over a dozen sit-down restaurants to choose from, I can catch plays at an off-off Broadway theater, visit at least five art galleries, attend annual neighborhood events, and practically trip over artists, filmmakers, and entrepreneurs on my way to experience all of this.

There are just under fifteen supermarkets that serve the neighborhood of about 140,000 residents, including several that operate on the border of Bed-Stuy and neighborhing Bushwick, several Asian groceries that offer a variety of fresh produce, a number of fruit/vegetable carts, two community farmers markets, a recently opened food cooperative, a community supported agriculture project (CSA), at least thirty community gardens that grow edible foods, and host of backyard, fire escape, and rooftop kitchen gardeners.

And never mind that the Bed-Stuy Farm Share has served several hundred residents since its inception seven years ago, the Park Slope Food Coop has about three thousand members with Bed-Stuy zip codes, Fresh Direct has been delivering for almost two years now, and scores of residents frequent Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, Citarella, Garden of Eve, Gourmet Garage, and Zabar’s. I know, because I’ve parked outside of several subway stops to observe and count the bags. And almost every Bed-Stuy resident I know over 45 has a big box club membership, long before this big box club came to Brooklyn and you had to drive out to Long Island or New Jersey.

The quality and/or affordability of the neighborhood options are always an issue of contention amongst residents and community food organizers and good food projects can address those issues, but these projects fail when they approach a community through the lens of deficiency or scarcity.

Up next: Reinventing the Wheel

About two years ago, I worked on a project to bring a web-based food hub into Bedford-Stuyvesant, a neighborhood that has been designated a “food desert”. I find the term “food desert” highly problematic, and something I’ll get into in another post. The organization managing the project has been a long-time fixture in the neighborhood, providing single-stop services to low-income, homeless, and/or unemployed residents in Bed-Stuy and throughout Brooklyn.

As for food access, they offer an in-house soup kitchen serving breakfast and lunch weekdays, a mobile soup kitchen that travels throughout Brooklyn, an innovative pantry model that is both digital and client choice, a CSA-like produce club, and nutrition and cooking education. The organization believed this food buying model would increase good food access in the neighborhood while also helping its clients aspire towards self-sufficiency.

The online food portal had already launched a couple of hubs in Michigan, and was looking to break into the New York City market.

I was excited about this project, as I loved the idea of creating new markets for farmers, artisanal food producers, and Eaters to participate in. But I also knew firsthand about the specific challenges to bringing something like this into a neighborhood like Bed-Stuy.

About two months into the project, I was released from the project on the grounds that I wasn’t a “good fit”. They then hired someone else, a person with no connection to the neighborhood and no involvement whatsoever with Brooklyn’s grassroots community food scene. The food hub never actualized.

They did, however, develop a mutually beneficial relationship with one of my favorite farmers, so I’m glad that something positive resulted in my brief time with them.

Later, I would find out that the organization and the food hub threw me under the bus, discussing with colleagues my “failure” to get the project off the ground.

Using this project as an example of why food projects fail, I am going to highlight the reasons well-intentioned food projects fail by discussing how I approached this project and the resistance I was met with from both the organization and the online food hub.

And by fail I mean:

• The project does not meet the organization’s goals or definition of success
• The project’s leadership incorrectly assumes its value and relevance to the community it wants to help
• The project’s success hinges on organizational leadership and not community-based succession of leadership
• The project is run by “temporary” staff who have no intentions of building long-term relationships with the community

It is my hope to create a real, open, and honest dialogue about what really has to happen if we, all of us in this good food revolution, really believe that everyone deserves access to good food.

Tomorrow: The problem with Deficit Thinking.

CONTACT:                                                                                                FOR RELEASE:

Jessica Ziehm                                                                                     Immediately, Thursday

518-457-3136                                                                                              February 9, 2012

USDA ANSWERS NY’S PLEAS TO INCREASE PLUM POX COMPENSATION

Commissioner Aubertine Applauds USDA for Updating & Increasing

Compensation Rates for the Removal of Plum Pox Virus Infected Trees

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today applauded USDA for responding to New York farmers this week by publishing updated compensation rates for orchards and nurseries infested with the stone fruit disease, Plum Pox Virus (PPV).  While the rates went into effect immediately, USDA is seeking comments on the new rates and New York growers are encouraged to voice their opinion of the increased compensation.

“I commend USDA for hearing our pleas for a higher, more adequate compensation rate for growers with trees impacted by Plum Pox Virus,” the Commissioner said.  “Support from growers is key in eradicating this potentially economically devastating disease, and these increases will ensure continued cooperation from the stone fruit industry as we work to protect their crop from Plum Pox Virus in New York State.”

Orchard and nursery growers of PPV impacted species are compensated for their loss through an 85-15 federal-state cost share program.  The newly proposed compensation rates are the rates proposed by a team of New York growers, coordinated by Gerald White, a Professor Emeritus in Agricultural Economics at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.  These rates more accurately reflect the loss a grower incurs when they are required to remove their trees in an effort to eradicate PPV from the State. An example of the new rate is that an acre of three-year old trees in a wholesale orchard will increase from $9,429/acre to $12,737/acre.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, along with peach and stone fruit growers and nursery growers in New York have been advocating to USDA to increase the compensation paid to growers who are forced to remove PPV infected trees.  New York growers have been at a greater disadvantage with compensation for PPV as they plant their orchards at higher densities, and thus more trees are impacted by the mandatory quarantine and removal when PPV is detected.  In addition, the value of New York peach, plum, nectarine and apricot crops has nearly doubled since USDA originally set compensation rates back in 2000, and therefore, they have not been fully compensated for the loss they incur from the required removals.

While the Interim Rule for PPV compensation rates went into effect immediately, February 3, 2012, USDA is seeking comments on the rates.  New York growers are encouraged to comment on the increased compensation rates.  Comments will be accepted through April 3, 2012 through either the Federal eRulemaking Portal or via mail, in which comments can be sent to:  Docket No. APHIS–2011–0004, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.

New York has been working to eradicate Plum Pox Virus since 2006, and is the only remaining U.S. location with the disease.  While PPV does not pose any human health risks, the virus reduces the quantity and quality of susceptible species of stone fruit, including peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums and apricots.  The only method of eradication is to remove the infested plant material.

There are 1,600 acres devoted to peach production in New York, ranking the state 15^th in the nation.  In 2010, New York growers produced 11.8 million pounds of peaches that were valued at $7.0 million.  Most of the State’s stone fruit production is around Lake Ontario, with fresh market fruit produced in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island.

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Okay, so you have several social media profiles (at least three, but no more than five) and you login at least once a day.

But are you really doing enough to engage with your followers, colleagues, and customers in a more effective and meaningful way?

Do you feel like you’re just wasting your time online?

Could you use a little perspective?

Here are nine things you can do one to three times a day to keep up and keep going in social media.

1. Set goals for the day/week. What are you using your social media presence for? Marketing? Outreach? Networking? Research? To increase sales? When you know the WHY of your social media presence, you can focus on creating content and engaging with your community in a way that really matters.

2. Set a time limit. If you knew you only had an hour to spend online everyday, you would be more productive and efficient.

3. Schedule your status updates. Social Media clients like Hootsuite allow you to schedule status updates up to a month in advance, a timesaving tool you should not be missing out on. Schedule announcements for upcoming events and sales, as well as blog posts, and use the time you save for other important tasks.

4. Share your favorite resources. What brings value to your life on a day-to-day basis? This can be both personal and professional. Create a conversation around the tools you use to make your life more meaningful and invite others to share theirs.

5. Share the laughs. We can all use a good laugh every now and again, so if you’ve come across something you think is absolutely LMAO, by all means share it. BUT, please exercise discretion and common decency in your choice. Keep it clean (nuances are okay), suitable for viewing work, and least likely to offend. Everyone.

6. Share your inspiration and motivations. What gets you out of bed everyday? Do you have favorite quotes or poems you refer to throughout the week to keep you motivated? Do you have a favorite tool, book, or person you can always rely on to keep your spirits up? There’s nothing like opening up to show your community that a real person does indeed exist behind that status update.

7. Ask questions. Humans love knowing what they know and they especially love talking about themselves, so ask your community questions about something you’d like to learn more about, ask them what a day in their life looks like, ask them about their values, concerns, and what their goals are. By doing this, you’ll build trust by connecting on a deeper level, and you can use what you learn to shape your marketing messages so that you’re really speaking to your target audience.

8. Talk about yourself. A little shameless self-promotion is healthy, so let the world know about your recent accomplishments and breakthroughs. If you’re a consultant, share how you helped a client work through a challenge or how your brilliance turned a sinking project into smooth sailing.

9. Share the love. 49% percent of Americans believe that online word of mouth marketing is highly credible, so share what you like about other businesses, even if they’re your competitors. You’ll gain trust and respect from your followers, and eventually, other brands will return the favor.

And here are a couple of don’ts for you to keep in mind:

Don’t oversell. Social media isn’t a space to hawk your product or service. Yes, you’re in business to make money and you should certainly tell your community what you’re offering, but the quickest way to lose followers and alienate customers is to always be selling.

Don’t call names. You may have a burning need to share something that has you seeing red, but be professional about it. You can use the opportunity to create dialogue around the issue, but always practice etiquette and customer service. Once it’s posted, you can never take it back, so be mindful of the tone and content of your words.

You may have noticed a recurring theme – share – throughout this list and it’s one you really need to understand if you want to a successful social media presence.

Sharing is at the core of social media, so be open and share your love, knowledge, and respect for all things you, your brand, and your industry.

What are your favorite ways to engage with your community online?

If you liked this post and still feel lost about what you should be doing on social media, sign up for my Social Media Agenda, my weekly how-to that offers specific tips, tools, and tricks to more effective online engagement. Click here to learn more

I received this email from Councilman Brad Lander, who represents the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope,
Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington: 

Last week, I joined some of your neighbors at a meeting to support workers at Golden Farm supermarket. The store has been the site of many protests recently, because for years its workers were forced to work long hours for less than minimum wage.

At the meeting, Golden Farm employees spoke passionately about their fight to gain fair wages at the store and improve working conditions. They said that Golden Farm had threatened they would lose their jobs if they tried to organize.

The workers told us that their efforts so far have been working. Things have already started getting better at Golden Farm, but still fall far short of what most of us – and the law – would find acceptable. We need to increase the pressure on Golden Farm by making sure that the neighborhood knows about this important struggle.

Can you support the workers at Golden Farm? Please join us for door knocking in Kensington to help spread the word:

Weekday Shifts: 12:00-3:00 PM or 5:30-7:30 PM 
Thursday, February 2^nd
Friday, February 3^rd
Wednesday, February 8^th
Thursday, February 9^th
Friday, February 10^th

Weekend Shifts:
Saturday, February 4^th, 2 PM – 5 PM

Please let me know, by emailing lander@council.nyc.gov, if you can join us.

Rally to support Golden Farm workers
There is a rally on Saturday, February 11^th, from 2 – 3:30 PM, in front of Golden Farm supermarket, to support the workers. This is our chance to call for fair wages and decent treatment for the people who work at Golden Farm supermarket. I hope to see you there.

I know that Golden Farm has been a popular store in the neighborhood, but none of us want a good deal coming at the cost of a fair paycheck for the store’s staff. Let’s keep working for strong neighborhood businesses that have the community’s support and are good neighbors in return.

##

This reminds of me of the labor practices of Amish Market and Garden of Eve.

Have they come to their senses yet?

aka Gag Me with This Post-Black Nonsense!

When Carter G. Woodson, historian, author, and journalist founded Negro History Week in 1926, his goal was to highlight and recognize the contributions of Negros [sic] to U.S. American culture, industry, and commerce, as well point out the diversity of Negro culture and achievement.

Today, despite having grown from a week to a month and becoming a Nationally recognized and celebrated campaign, the origins and intentions of Black History Month have been diminished, ridiculed, and essentially, lost.

Growing up, black history was a part of my everyday life. I learned about the history of enslaved Africans and their descendents through books, films, music, plays, games, black vernacular, storytelling, fashion, and most importantly, food.

I don’t care to debate on whether or not the conscious acknowledgement of black American history during one month allows that history to be ignored for the remaining eleven months of the year. Nor do I care to argue about the commercialization of the experience of Black History Month.

What I am interested in addressing is how structural racism and normative whiteness continues to deny all people of color visibility throughout history and the present day.

I’m looking at the work that I do, especially in my own community and wonder why I rarely see people of color in leadership positions. I go to meetings and see that the policy makers do not include the (black and/or low-income) communities the decisions are being made for, or, at the very least, their input. I’m reading blogs that cover food and farming, specifically those that discuss access, food justice, and farmworker issues, and I wonder why they rarely include the voices of the very people affected by the inequities they are bringing awareness too.

I know hundreds of black (and brown, yellow, and red) folks across the country doing what I do (building and empowering communities around food and food sovereignty), but when I read popular blogs that highlight that work, they are not there.

I think about projects I’ve worked on that haven’t been successful, and wonder why the leadership found it easier to blame the recipients, or me, instead of looking at how the organization failed to recognize the ways in which their racialized consciousness and praxis affected the desired outcome.

Every time I read about “the first black person to ___________”, every time I attend a food and farming event and I am the only person there that looks like me, every time someone is surprised that I would be interested in agriculture, it reaffirms the necessity of a Black History Month.

And as long as structural racism and normative whiteness continues to pervade all aspects of U.S. American culture, Black History Month is still necessary.

I’m looking forward to spending the next 28 days highlighting the contributions, past and present, of U.S. Americans of African descent working passionately and tirelessly to transform their community’s relationship with food, farming, the outdoors, and the environment.

And not just because it’s Black History Month, but because I can no longer wait for someone else to think it’s necessary and important.

Le Sigh. Are the writers at Yahoo! living under a rock? Judging by this lazy, poorly researched article, I’d say, yes.

Or maybe the writer penned this during Wikipedia’s blackout?

Possibly, considering that he doesn’t seem to know about innovations in production agriculture, both rural and urban, like hydroponics, aquaponics, large-scale rooftop farming, and urban planning initiatives across the country to increase green spaces and improve food access by (hyper)localizing.

Currently:

- About 58,000 jobs annually
- Only about 39,000 Ag graduates nationwide including advanced degrees
- Ag placement rate w/in six mos of graduation is above 90% as compared to national average below 50%.

(from Cause Matters)

The author also doesn’t seem to know about this new crop of farmers, or these kids, or even this guy.

And what about the move towards more energy-efficient, off-the-grid practices like solar and wind to power equipment and facilities?

If the University of Idaho has to cut their ag programs, it has more to do with their inability to evolve and adapt to the changing face of agriculture in the U.S. then lack of job prospects.

On-farm waste management technology, anyone?

New Direct-to-Consumer distribution models, anyone?

Farmer and Eater-led regional food systems, anyone?

Anyone? 

If the writer was only looking at traditional employment prospects, sure, maybe these degrees are outdated. But if you’re a part of the good food movement, then you know that the jobs these degrees will serve will be the ones you create.

What say you?