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Posted by pchippy on 2009-03-13 09:51:42 +0000

Good for you, Mir! Why are the food deserts food deserts in the first place?

Posted by virtue on 2009-03-13 11:38:27 +0000

Congrats--sounds like a fascinating gig!

Posted by TheFullCleveland on 2009-03-13 11:59:10 +0000

Probably due to cheap oil, and the cheap, plentiful, pseudo-food, which is tempting for people who need to buy cheap stuff.

Posted by pamsterdam on 2009-03-13 12:04:55 +0000

Congratulations, beautiful! Can't wait to see you next week(end)! Email coming soon. x

Posted by TheFullCleveland on 2009-03-13 12:10:22 +0000

Congrats! Way to go.

Posted by Miriam on 2009-03-13 20:24:48 +0000

The food deserts in Nashville are in very poor neighborhoods, including around public housing projects. There are lots of fast food chains, convenience stores and liquor stores, and the majority of residents don't have cars. Their access to fresh fruits and veggies are by bus, friends and family members...which are not always reliable or convenient. These neighborhoods have asked for help getting grocery stores into place, and help improving nutrition for their kids. That's where I come in! And Food Security Partners come in.

Posted by Miriam on 2009-03-13 20:25:22 +0000

Can't wait to celebrate with you! Already planning some pretty fun stuff for us!

Posted by pchippy on 2009-03-13 20:40:23 +0000

Right. I get all that. But I don't understand what is at work other than the invisible hand of the marketplace. Is there in fact a potential profit to be made by putting supermarkets in these neighborhoods? If so, why have the supermarket chains not moved in to take advantage of that profit? If not, is it reasonable to expect them to move in purely as a public service? I don't mean to sound like a neoliberal here, or even like a Republican. If significant numbers of people don't have access to good food and the economics of changing that situation don't make sense from the retailers' point of view, I'd favor public subsidy of supermarkets in those neighborhoods, just like I favor the existence of post offices even in towns where the revenues from mail delivery fall short of costs. I just wonder what the current dynamics of the problem are, in terms of economic forces.

Posted by MF DU on 2009-03-13 20:43:08 +0000

Congrats! This sounds like a good gig fer ya!

Posted by G lib on 2009-03-13 21:58:40 +0000

I want a full report. Pictures and all.

Posted by Miriam on 2009-03-13 22:03:17 +0000

Not sure what the official positions of the supermarkets are, but most of them say that it's not financially a good idea for them. I have to wonder if that's really the case, when I have six grocery stores (including a Target and a brand new Publix) and a new Harris Teeter being built within 2 miles of my house and the neighborhoods I'm referring to have a much higher population density and no grocery stores. To me, that would seem like a perfect place to make some money on food. I think there are politics and racism involved, to be honest. Guess I'll learn more about that and be able to share once I really get started. In the meantime, we're going to work on getting community gardens started, and the program I'm working for is also working with local farmers. There's also a big part of this that deals with the issue of poverty. Very multi-faceted.

Posted by G lib on 2009-03-13 22:12:52 +0000

With a growing season as long as yours, there aren't ANY community gardens? I suppose it might be a spread out city vs. tightly packed city issue. Go community gardens! Hooray!

Posted by Miriam on 2009-03-13 22:29:07 +0000

Trying to figure out what kind of music to go to...so many choices!

Posted by Miriam on 2009-03-27 23:46:48 +0000

There are lots of community gardens here, but Tennessee is one of the states losing the most farms every year. FSP also works with schools to build school gardens and bring healthy, fresh foods into the schools from local farms. I've been learning a LOT this week about what creates a food desert, what I'll be working on with FSP, and what it means to create a coalition of people who have been working on this issue for more years than I've been alive. The problem of food insecurity and lack of healthy foods is endemic to the neighborhoods in question, and the residents are eager for change. Today I had my official headshot taken (which I don't particularly like), and sat in on an NPR interview with my boss (I'm taking the reporter and 2 community activists on a tour of one of the food deserts on Sunday). This job is about to be crazy high-profile and I have to admit I'm a bit nervous. Of course, it's not quite the same as climbing onto a speaker at the Malbert and taking the mic to welcome everyone to the party! Ha ha. Will keep y'all posted, but if you sign up for the e-newsletter you'll keep up to date on what I'm working on...which is called Re/Storing Nashville.