Youth Advocacy Leads to Successful Farmers Market in Morris Heights
A Group of Middle School Students from I.S. 229 Roland Patterson in Morris Heights Learned the Power of Youth Advocacy
A group of middle school students from I.S. 229 Roland Patterson in Morris Heights learned the power of youth advocacy when they successfully lobbied the mayor to start a farmers market in their neighborhood.
The Problem: Poor Conditions at Local Grocery Store
Yarelin Delossantos, 14, and Kylah Ortega, 13, told the Bronx Times they were sick of seeing expired and unhealthy foods at their local grocery store, and they knew that far too many people had a hard time getting proper nutrition. Together with others from their competitive dance group, they decided to take action.
The Solution: A Farmers Market with Produce Giveaways
With the help of Harriet Burnett, who runs the Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Center afterschool program out of I.S. 229, the young people spoke directly to the mayor about food insecurity conditions in their neighborhood at a town hall in the Bronx. Ortega and several fellow students highlighted the poor conditions at their local stores, including rotten produce, expired canned goods and green-tinted meats.
The Mayor’s Response
After hearing the students, Mayor Adams was well on board, given his own experience with the power of proper nutrition. He said he was previously pre-diabetic with tingling in his fingers and toes, ulcers, high blood pressure and loss of eyesight. Though his mother was diabetic, "[The problem] wasn’t in my DNA, it was in my damn dinner," Adams said.
The Launch of the Market
The farmers market celebrated its grand opening in late November at River Park Towers, where the students gave away collard greens, tomatoes, apples, cabbage, kale and lettuce. In addition, the offices of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Council Member Althea Stevens distributed Health Bucks, $2 coupons that residents can redeem for produce at local markets.
Conclusion
The dedication of these students proves that our youth have the vision and determination to bring real change. By advocating for their community, they were able to bridge the gap of food insecurity and highlight the importance of youth engagement.
FAQs
Q: What was the main issue that the students were trying to address?
A: The students were trying to address the poor conditions at their local grocery store, including expired and unhealthy foods.
Q: How did the students go about addressing this issue?
A: The students spoke directly to the mayor about food insecurity conditions in their neighborhood at a town hall in the Bronx.
Q: What was the outcome of the students’ efforts?
A: The outcome was the launch of a farmers market with produce giveaways at River Park Towers.
Q: Who was involved in the launch of the market?
A: The students, along with Farmer Dave at Trinity Farms in Clintondale, New York, and the offices of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Council Member Althea Stevens.
Q: What did the students learn from this experience?
A: The students learned the power of youth advocacy and that improving their community was actually not as difficult as they imagined.
