By Suad Maow, volunteer advocate, Oxfam Action Corps boston@oxfamactioncorps.org
Photo: Suad Maow
As a volunteer advocate with Oxfam America’s Action Corps, I
am very excited to participate in the Boston Local Food Festival. I
was born in Somalia and I wasn't exposed to any kind of food except for
fresh food. So, it came as a bit of a
shock when I moved to Boston and had to eat food from a can or frozen breakfast
items.
But as I have
gotten older, I am starting to see a shift in the way food is made available.
There are more farmers markets and food festivals happening throughout the city
and the country. This was not the case when I was a teenager. Seeing this shift
is making me happy because I know the value of fresh food. I know that it’s
better for the environment, cuts down on food waste, and is a healthier
option.
Do you ever wonder, like I often do, how to combine support
for fresh, local foods with your impulse to do the right thing for farmers in
developing countries like Somalia? That’s
where Oxfam can help you. Many think
that hunger is about too many people and too little food. But that’s not true.
Our planet produces enough food to feed every woman, man, and child. Instead,
hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to resources.
Right now, many farmers in poor countries—the people who grow the food the
world relies on—don’t have the power to access the resources they need to
thrive.
We stand on common ground with these farmers. Our voices and our food choices can help. Though
we might be far apart, our problems aren’t so different. No matter where live,
we all rely on the land—our common ground—and farmers to put food on the table.
Come visit our
table at the Boston Local Food
Festival to learn actions you can take to help farmers worldwide, like
these:
·
You can help us stop land grabs. Governments and corporations are currently taking land that is not theirs, forcing families from
their homes and leaving families hungry. You can speak up for farmers around
the world and demand that companies develop land policies to protect their
rights.
The main reason
that I am excited to attend the Boston Local Food Festival is not only to taste
delicious food, but just to hear the dialogue coming out of such a festival.
The conversations that attendees will have pertaining to food are sure to be
entertaining and educational. I can’t wait to eat delicious food and
meet interesting people!
I’ll be looking
forward to seeing you there!
Caption: This placemat and other free materials are
available at www.oxfamamerica.org/worldfoodday
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