British Columbia — November 2, 2023 — Food Secure Canada (FSC) is delighted to announce its upcoming Indigenous & Black Peoples’ Food Sovereignty Advisory Circle gathering taking place on November 2-3, 2023 in British Columbia.
The Indigenous Caucus and African Canadian Caucus of FSC’s Indigenous & Black Peoples’ Food Sovereignty (IBPFS) planning project will be gathering with respective community members from 5:30-8:30pm on November 2 in Vancouver and Burnaby to provide a platform for mutual learning, collaboration, and sharing of insights and inspirations on the journey for Food Justice and advancing food sovereignty regionally for Indigenous peoples and people of African descent. FSC is proud to undertake this historic convergence. Originally planned for August 23-27, 2023, the gathering was rescheduled due to the wildfires in British Columbia.
Concurrent gatherings will be held for Indigenous peoples and people of African descent in Vancouver and Burnaby, respectively, where community representatives will engage in discussions about food sovereignty. Key topics will include examining how these communities are strategically positioning themselves to economically benefit from the BC government’s $214 million three-year school food investment and ensuring the priorities of their children are addressed in the emerging National School Food Policy.
In Bella Bella, on November 3-5, 2023, the caucuses, which constitute the Advisory Circle of the IBPFS planning project, will meet individually to complete regional plans to move forward with food sovereignty for their peoples. This has been in development since the launch of the project in August 2022. Similarly, being two groups of peoples with histories of colonization and systemic and structural racist policies deliberately implemented to disenfranchise them from economic prosperity, the Advisory Circle will also come together to finalize plans to foster collaboration, understanding, and relationship-building between Indigenous peoples and people of African descent to advance equity in food systems through Indigenous peoples’ and African Canadians’ food sovereignty.
Food Secure Canada is proud to stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples and African Canadians and looks forward to the positive outcomes that will emerge from this historic event.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Co-Executive Director, Marissa Alexander
marissa@foodsecurecanada.org
About Food Secure Canada:
Food Secure Canada is a national alliance of organizations and individuals working together to advance food security and food sovereignty through three interlocking goals: zero hunger, healthy and safe food, and sustainable food systems. The organization promotes dialogue and collaboration among communities, policymakers, and stakeholders to build a food system that is just, ecological, and democratic.