The second Monday of every month, FoodLab hosts a community meeting to bring community members together to discuss topics related to running a successful triple bottom line business and a just and sustainable food system for Detroit. The location varies, hoping around the city to highlight different member business that are willing to host such a gathering after hours. I’ve been able to attend two Food For Thought meetings since the program began.
This past Monday, Food For Thought took place at Sister Pie to discuss issues and challenges around local sourcing. The turnout was amazing! 30+ members of the community came to discuss the topic (and eat amaaaaazing pie). The conversation began where you might expect: the struggles of getting food entrepreneurs and farmers connected, and how farmers can best advertise what they’re growing to help reduce waste, as well as figuring out ways to bring folks together so farmers can learn what buyers are looking for and how they can best plan what they’re growing around the demand.
The conversation then took an interesting turn, addressing issues that come up a lot in Detroit: a lot of the growers that people are sourcing from are young, white, and new to the city. How do we extend these relationships to native, older, black folks who have been urban gardening way before it was the hip thing to do.
This dynamic between new and old residents is something I seem to be mulling over in my head nearly constantly during my time here. How do I fit into this city? How can I be part of the solution in a productive way without overstepping my welcome? As someone who is interested in returning to the city after finishing school, how do I avoid becoming another young hipster with a white savior complex? Is that even possible? I’m nowhere near finding all the answers. Every day I spend in this city infinitely increases the complexity of these issues.
I’ll most likely never find the answers. It’s a continual learning process, but it’s one I’m willing to work through.
