Racial and Social Equity
Click the links below to access information and resources.
Racial Equity Vision: We envision the Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition as a leader in the state on racial equity, where our work and network challenges the status quo and structural racism. We will build a culture of diversity. Connecting across sectors, our coalition will comprise people from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds and will represent all Iowans. Power and statewide decision-making will be equitably distributed and led by the communities most impacted by racial inequities.
Racial Equity Action Statement: We acknowledge systems of oppression and inequity in food systems and education. We commit to engaging in culturally responsive and reflective practices that combat racism, ensuring that racial equity is at the center of our work. We commit to:
Integrating racial equity across our Coalition’s work,
Building community power to create equity in food systems and education,
Addressing the systems that drive inequity in food systems and education in Iowa by dismantling racism,
Together with communities, creating a long-term racial equity plan with actionable goals and measurable outcomes, centering lived experience as knowledge.
The coalition’s racial equity working group developed this racial equity assessment to guide coalition members in equitable decision making. We intend for it to serve as a succinct and effective resource that can be applied to all types of decision making (ex: program and project planning, policy development, structural considerations, etc.).
Teaching for Change Social Justice Book List
More than 60 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.
Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. This site offers tools, research, tips, curricula and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities, and the culture at large.
Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Bias Resources
In an effort to create learning environments that are more diverse, inclusive, and reflective of our culturally diverse society, farm-to-school programs should keep in mind equity-minded best practices.
National Young Farmers Coalition Racial Equity Toolkit
This toolkit is a starting point to help farmers organize around transformative learning and action. It aims to orient members toward preliminary consciousness-raising and direct action. This toolkit does not detail a universally applicable pathway toward resolving pervasive racialized oppression; it is an initial response for people who are overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of the initial problem and need help determining how to start dismantling racism in their communities.