Making Visible the People Who Feed Us: Educating for Critical Food Literacy Through Multicultural Texts

Abstract

The number of food systems education programs and curricula in the U.S. has increased in response to the growing interest in where food comes from and how it is grown. While these educational efforts aim to increase learners' connection to food and the land, they do not always focus explicitly on the structural inequities that shape food systems and the experiences of food workers. There is, however, a small but growing number of food systems education programs that seek to shed light on and challenge these inequities. We build on these existing critical approaches to food systems education by introducing the notion of critical food literacy-or the ability to examine one's assumptions, grapple with multiple perspectives and values that underlie the food system, understand the larger sociopolitical contexts that shape the food system, and take action toward creating just, sustainable food systems. In particular, we discuss and highlight the potential of multicultural texts to make visible food workers, especially those who tend to be less visible, and identify pedagogical strategies for cultivating critical food literacy by drawing on empirical research on response to multicultural literature and using a multicultural text produced by the Food Chain Workers Alliance as an illustrative example. Ultimately, we argue that citizens who develop and demonstrate critical food literacy can participate in public, democratic discourse about food systems and help create food systems that are just and sustainable for all.

Student food literacy, critical food systems pedagogy, and the responsibility of postsecondary institutions

“…Critical knowledge, on the other hand, "allows people to perform actions related to food and think critically about their relationship to the broader food system" (Truman et al, 2017, p. 213). Drawing on notions of critical literacy, Yamashita and Robinson (2016) propose four elements of distinctly critical food systems literacy, including the ability to "(1) examine one's own values with respect to food systems; (2) grapple with multiple values and perspectives that underlie food systems; (3) understand the larger sociopolitical contexts and factors that shape food systems; and (4) take action toward social justice in food systems and sustainability more broadly" (p. 273).…”

An emerging signature pedagogy for sustainable food systems education

“…Further, common ways of seeing and knowing are discussed to reveal the social, cultural and historical influences on food system knowledge. This results in continual questioning of processes and outcomes in food system development to determine if efforts are perpetuating, contributing to, or addressing issues of power and inequality (Andreotti, 2014; Meek and Tarlau, 2015; Yamashita and Robinson, 2016).…”

Just Transitions in a Public School Food System: The Case of Buffalo, New York

“…We do not include curriculum in the data because it is not local per se. Future studies can and should examine curriculum for and as opportunities to educate for a just transition (see, for example, Yamashita & Robinson, 2016). We suggest that student learning about and engaging in school food systems serve as important transformational sites within community food systems, where young people learn about food production (and its links to human and ecological health and sustainability), food (in)security, and food connections.…”