Food insecurity is complex. It’s more than geographic and economic barriers to food access. That’s why at FoodShare, food justice means working to dismantle systemic forms of oppression that exist in our food system and in our food movement.

It means acknowledging that colonialism, capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy are some of the organizing principles embedded in our current food system, and work together to shape who gets a seat at the table, and who experiences the most food insecurity.

For FoodShare, being a food justice organization means that we are aligning and evaluating our work to ensure that it drives at dismantling sites of exploitation within the food system and our food movement. We use an equity lens to seek justice, and food security, for everyone.

This looks like:

• Partnering with communities and trusteeing grassroots groups who experience the most food insecurity and multiple forms of oppression, particularly Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities;
• Recognizing and supporting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, applying both to our work;
• FoodShare’s Indigenous Advisory Circle provides advice to FoodShare on programs and policies, as well as items relating to FoodShare’s advocacy work, reconciliation and partnerships with Indigenous groups.
• Applying a poverty reduction lens to our most recent pay grid review (July 2018) – raising the lower pay band by 25% while the three highest bands received a 0% increase;
• Opening up conversation with our long-term partners and funders, to ensure they are implementing their own anti-oppression frameworks;
• Applying a critical equity lens to our program design and delivery;
• Embedding food justice in all our work which includes training all staff and board members on anti-racism and the ways oppression is manifested in our food system and food movement;
• Highlighting economic injustice and its impact on our food system.