The Summit Planning Committee voted in January 2019 to transform the name of the Summit from the Food Access Summit into the Food Justice Summit.

Learn more about the evolution of our name.
 

Moving Towards Justice. Ensure that overlooked communities have voice, presence, and power in shaping Minnesota’s food system.

• To develop a shared understanding and common language across sectors and cultural perspectives in areas of tension in the food system

• Build a more cohesive and statewide understanding on the root causes of food insecurity and the role justice plays in healthy and sustainable food systems

Expanded Participation of New Systems and Sectors. The Summit will connect systems and sectors impacting healthy food systems who may not typically work together.

• Build understanding on how food systems work and the sectors that have influence and impact - why farmers or city planners would be included

• Participants will leave impassioned with a broader network of connectivity as well as a stronger understanding of topics such as racial equity, emergency food services, urban/rural farming, policy/advocacy, etc.

Collective Action and Impact. More content will focus on the social determinants of health and the policy, systems, and environments that impact food access, leading to cross-sector collaborative action.

• To build and strengthen relationships across cultural perspectives, sectors,
  and geography

Food Systems Education. Build upon the established momentum of the MN Food Charter and understand its value as a tool for expanding healthy food access

• To build enthusiasm for collective action to advance healthy food access

• To build skills and action plans for implementing collaborative action for broader impact

The Summit will build upon food access work in Minnesota by bringing champions of food justice together while also reaching into new sectors to broaden the scope and impact of food systems work. An emphasis will be placed on highlighting BIPOC/farming communities and the connection to restoring healthy food systems.

Attendance will include representation from the following sectors/communities:

• Public Health and Health Care - chronic disease prevention (including public and private associations and institutions

• Agriculture – urban/rural farmers and farm laborers, agriculture policy and union leaders

• Retailers - food enterprises, entrepreneurs, farmers markets, grocery stores, food co-operatives

• Hunger Relief - food banks, food shelves, emergency food assistance, nonprofit organizations

• Food Justice – community organizers and activists, grassroots organizations, youth-led enterprises

• Local, State, and Federal Government - elected officials, city and county planners, public health, human services, agricultural departments, etc.

• Indigenous and Tribal Communities

• And More!

Long-Term Goal: To bring together people working to advance healthy food access to learn from each other’s lived experiences & stories, build connections across sector, cultural perspectives, and geography to build alignment and momentum toward collaborative action.

Full Food Justice Summit 2019 creative brief can be downloaded here.

Catholic Charities, Center for Prevention at Blue Cross Blue Shield MN, Fairview Health Services, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Mighty Axe Hops, Minnesota Cancer Alliance, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Minnesota Farmers Union, Public Health Law Center, Red Lake Comprehensive Health Systems,
The Food Group, U of MN, Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, University of Minnesota Extension