Giving Compass' Take:

• From advocates for farm worker justice to agricultural researchers to cookbook authors, Food Tank highlights 14 Latinx individuals working to revolutionize the way we eat.

• What can we all learn from these inspiring people? How can we create an equal system for all? 

• Learn about working with all stakeholders for a better food system. 

Latinx individuals make up the majority of farm workers harvesting food in the United States, yet one in every six Latinx households faces hunger. “[Farm workers] harvest the food that we eat and sometimes they don’t have food on their table,” President of United Farm Workers (UFW), Teresa Romero, tells Food Tank.

But Latinx individuals, groups, and communities are working to eliminate these inequities and create positive change in the food system. Farmers like Eduardo Rivera are growing culturally appropriate foods, organizations like GrowHaus and El Centro Amistad are educating their communities about healthy eating, and others are supporting the next generation of Latinx farmers.

In recognition of National Latinx Heritage Month, Food Tank is celebrating the contributions of Latinx individuals across the food system.

  1. Bianca Acosta, Colorado, United StatesBorn in Mexico, Bianca Acosta is the Community Outreach Manager for GrowHaus, a nonprofit in a neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. GrowHaus serves Elyria-Swansea, the most polluted neighborhood in Colorado, by helping residents in their community gain access to healthy food.
  2. Rudy Arredondo, Washington D.C., United StatesRudy Arredondo is the president of the National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association, an organization which represents the interests of small Latinx farmers and ranchers across the country.
  3. Guadalupe Antonio Cruz, Michigan, United StatesFor over 20 years, Guadalupe Antonio Cruz has been supporting migrant and seasonal farm workers in Michigan. Arriving in Michigan as a migrant worker in 1999, Cruz now works as a Migrant/Seasonal specialist for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Read the full article about Latinx food change makers by Keaton Smith at Food Tank.