Advancing Food Justice at CUNY

With 500,000 degree and non-degree students, more than 100 degree programs at every academic level based on 25 campuses throughout the city, and 40,000 teaching and support staff, CUNY has the potential to be a catalyst for promoting food justice in New York City and beyond.

With thousands of students passionate about food justice; dozens of scholars who study food policy, nutrition, and health; and more than 30 degree programs in food-related disciplines, CUNY educates more current and future workers for New York City’s food sector than any other institution. The Institute prepares CUNY students, faculty, and staff to become lifetime advocates for a healthier, more equitable and sustainable food system for New York.

Projects

CUNY Food Justice Student Fellowship

The Fellowship provides continued training and opportunities for participation in food-centered civic engagement to young adults between the ages of 18-25. The program exposes fellows to various food justice career pathways and opportunities, providing them with mentorship and training. Fellows leave the program better equipped for lifetime activism and careers in food, food justice and related fields.

Partners

Brotherhood Sister Sol
Farm School NYC
East New York Farms

CUNY Campaign for Food Security and CUNY Student Health Advocates

This program focuses on SNAP outreach and enrollment across the 25 CUNY campuses. The goal of this project is to support CUNY schools in aligning their SNAP outreach and enrollment activities while continuing to make progress in reducing food insecurity among their students.

Partners

Hope Center for College
Community and Justice at Temple University
Young Invincibles
Office of CUNY Dean for Health and Human Service

Improving Food Environments at CUNY

The Institute is facilitating a student-led movement to do away with restrictive contracts that encourage purchase of unhealthy products. These agreements limit the freedom of student communities to create healthier food and beverage environments on CUNY and SUNY campuses.

Partners

Center For Science In the Public Interest
SUNY students, staff, and faculty
CUNY students, staff, and faculty

Food Policy Courses

The Institute is developing CUNY courses on food security, food justice and food advocacy. These classes are intended to expand the food policy academic offerings across CUNY campuses and to provide students with new opportunities for experiential learning.

Partners

CUNY students, staff and faculty

CUNY Food Faculty Collaboratory

The Collaboratory brings together dozens of CUNY scholars and professionals doing food work to share their work, develop collaborative projects and expand their teaching on food justice.

Partners

CUNY students, staff, and faculty

Key Related Resources

Reports

Healthy CUNY, CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, and the Hope Center for College Community and Justice. THE STATE OF FOOD SECURITY AT CUNY in 2020. CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy, 2020.
Roberts C, Ilieva RT, Willingham C, Freudenberg N. Reducing Predatory Marketing of Unhealthy Foods and Beverages in New York City: Policy Options for Governments and Communities: A Policy Brief. CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, 2019.
Malaine Clarke, Kathleen Delgado, Maggie Dickinson, Alyshia Galvez, Robert Garot, Iris Mercado, Janet Poppendieck, and Nicholas Freudenberg. Ending Food Insecurity at CUNY: A Guide for Faculty and Staff. CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute and Healthy CUNY, 2018.

Scholarly Publications

Cohen, N., Poppendieck, J., & Freudenberg, N. (2017). Food Justice in the Trump Age: Priorities for Urban Food Advocates. JOURNAL OF FOOD LAW & POLICY 34.
Palmedo, P. C., Dorfman, L., Garza, S., Murphy, E., & Freudenberg, N. (2017). Countermarketing alcohol and unhealthy food: An effective strategy for preventing noncommunicable diseases? Lessons from tobacco. Annual review of public health, 38, 119-144.