Kyle Brown
Director Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies
California State Polytechic University, Pomona

The Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, has been engaged in community food systems since its founding in 1994. Most recently, we have conducted a food assessment for Watts, a working-class minority community located in south Los Angeles. South Los Angeles is characterized by the highest poverty rates, the highest rates of obesity among children and adults, and the highest rates of adult diabetes in L.A. County (L.A. County Dept. of Public Health, 2009) Residents report high percentages of children and adults who regularly eat fast food and drink soda or sweetened drinks. Our analysis revealed a paucity of food stores and restaurants offering quality supplies of fresh fruits, vegetables and other nutritious food choices, characteristic of a food desert. The combination of poverty with a lack of quality food options indicate that Watts residents are at great risk for being food insecure.

In partnership with a local non-profit organization, Watts Labor and Community Action Committee (WLCAC), we have assessed the current state of the food system serving the community of Watts, including aspects of food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste. The assessment has revealed opportunities for intervention by WLCAC in an effort to reduce food insecurity. While much of WLCAC’s focus has been on increasing local food production through community gardening initiatives, the assessment suggested significant progress in alleviating food insecurity may be accomplished through an emphasis on interventions in other parts of the food system, particularly in the area of distribution and processing – an emphasis which may be complementary to other WLCAC priorities, such as employment and job training. The assessment is currently providing a foundation for pursuing funding opportunities for various program implementations, as WLCAC actively works towards greater food security for Watts.

Regenerative food systems are an integral part of sustainable community initiatives, and a cornerstone of the Lyle Center’s approach to education and community engagement. A key aspect of our approach focuses not only on ensuring food security, but also on the empowerment of communities to be active participants in shaping and controlling their own food systems, a concept known as food sovereignty. This approach of food sovereignty raises a number of important questions, including: 1) which methods of participatory engagement are most effective at promoting the empowerment of the local community to plan and act for themselves? And 2) to what extent does food sovereignty depend on degrees of sovereignty over other vital community systems, such as water and energy? These questions are serving to frame our future work in Watts and in other communities in which we work.