Course:LFS350/Projects/W2020/PHABC-Gardens

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Overview

Project Title

Equity, Racism, and Community Gardens

Organization Name

Public Health Association of BC

Keywords

Anti-racism, racism, difference, diversity, inclusion, equity, community garden, urban agriculture, food movement

Related Course Concepts

Food justice, Asset based community development, Social class/income inequality, Cultural identities, Racism, Colonialism, Indigenous food sovereignty

Organization Information

Organization Name

Public Health Association of BC

Mission and Vision of Organization

Vision

A fair and healthy British Columbia for all.

Mission

PHABC promotes health, wellbeing and equity for all British Columbians through leadership in public health.

Guiding Principles + Values

Approach

As a member-driven organization, we fulfill our mission through advocacy, collaboration and engagement activities, education, and research throughout the spectrum of public health practice and systems including prevention, promotion, protection and policy.

Identified priorities

Eliminating poverty; reducing health/socioeconomic inequities; addressing climate change and healthy environments; contributing to a sustainable, equitable economy; and preventing violence.

Contact Information

  • Primary Contact Person(s): Aaren Topley
  • Email: sr.consultant@phabc.org
  • Phone: 250-885-7752
  • Address: Victoria
  • Website: phabc.org

Preferred Method of Contact

  • Best method(s) to contact: Email, Phone
  • Best day(s) to contact:Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, I will be in town roughly one week per month for an in-person meeting. I will also be available by email or phone during the week.
  • Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons

Project Description

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

Can You Dig It (CYDI) is a community garden initiative that was launched in 2009 to create opportunities for individuals and community groups to become included in the social fabric of their neighbourhoods. CYDI has created and supported 39 community gardens on public and private lands throughout BC's Lower Mainland, engaging over 40 partner organizations and 1,700 gardeners.

As of 2018, PHABC supports the CYDI network of community gardens. PHABC is working with UBC LFS students to better understand the current and potential landscape of community gardening in the region, so that it can strengthen its support for the CYDI network with respect to health/socioeconomic inequities, environmental sustainability, and preventing violence.

The aim of the current LFS350 student project is to research urban agriculture policies and practices in communities of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. Past LFS350 student researchers have focused on municipalities outside BC to seek out community gardens that are working through dynamics of racism, classism, and other inequities as they manifest in community spaces.

Main Project Activities

This term, students will continue to build on previous LFS350 student research, and continue to seek out creative and anti-oppressive approaches to create welcoming and inclusive community garden spaces. The Fall 2019 LFS350 group collected a large amount of policy and practices for community gardens in the City of Surrey. This term's student team will develop an academic literature review and a report that includes a summary of the CIty of Surrey's policies, as well as an analysis of the policies in the context of the academic literature.

Expected Project Deliverable(s)

A written report comprised of:

  • Review of literature related to equity, municipal policy, and urban agriculture
  • Summary of the City of Surrey urban agriculture policies and practices (as collected by the Fall 2019 LFS350 group)
  • Analysis of the City of Surrey policies in the context of the academic literature

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

  • Well organized, independent and attentive to detail
  • Ability to collect, analyze and process large data
  • Strong social justice lens with an understanding of anti-oppression frameworks, including structural racism
  • Understanding of community garden or community building dynamics
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Willingness and comfort level reflecting on your own social location and relationship(s) to power and privilege

Student Assets and Skills (to be developed through the project)

  • Understanding of how municipalities work through socioeconomic complexity through communities gardens
  • Ability to collect, analyze and process large data
  • Strong social justice lens with an understanding of anti-oppression frameworks, including structural racism
  • Understanding of community garden or community building dynamics
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Willingness and comfort level reflecting on your own social location and relationship(s) to power and privilege

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

  • TBD

Is a criminal record check required?

  • No

Project Location

  • Self-directed

Preferred Days of Week and Hours

  • Self-directed

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

  • TBD

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should familiarize themselves with these materials prior to the first partner meeting:

Additional/General Resources

Expected Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

I hope students will learn about...

  • How municipalities in BC are incorporating anti-oppressive practices into their urban agriculture policies

I think students will come to appreciate...

  • The resonance of these themes (racism, inequity, agriculture) with broader global issues

Through this project, students will develop...

  • Enhanced ability to identify, analyze, and address inequities as they manifest in everyday settings

Organizational Outcomes

Intended Project Outcome (Short Term Outcome)

  • PHABC will have a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the City of Surrey's urban agriculture policies regarding equity and racism

How does the student project contribute to your organization's mission and long-term vision?

  • By contributing to a deeper understanding of racism and other inequities in community gardening, this project supports PHABC in its efforts to eliminate poverty, reduce health/socioeconomic inequities, address climate change and healthy environments, contribute to a sustainable, equitable economy, and to prevent violence.