Celebrating diversity & advancing food justice this month
June 11, 2024
Throughout the month of June, there’s a dual celebration of identities and histories that shape our communities and our work for fair food access and community-owned food systems. Pride Month and Immigrant Heritage Month not only spotlight the richness brought by diverse identities but also the ongoing struggles for equity and justice.
At the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, we celebrate the diversity and resilience of our LGBTQIA2+ and immigrant communities. We also recognize the intersection with our vision of a Colorado where everyone who lives here – regardless of their identity, background, or country of origin – should be able to access the food they choose, where they want it, and when they need it.
Pride Month
This month, we want to take the time to honor our LGBTQIA2+ friends, as well as remember the history of their community’s struggle for rights and acknowledge the multiple layers of discrimination and inequities that they continue to face today.
The origins of Pride Month date back to the Stonewall Riots in 1969, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQIA2+ rights movement. Despite significant progress since then, the continued bigotry towards our LGBTQIA2+ friends is an assault on their basic right to exist. Continued discrimination, economic instability, and social exclusion mean this community faces more barriers to accessing what they need to thrive in life – like food and nutrition – compared to those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender.
Immigrant Heritage Month
Let’s also celebrate the diverse backgrounds and cultures that immigrants bring to Colorado and our nation during Immigrant Heritage Month. They enrich our communities with their traditions, cuisines, life experiences, perspectives, and so much more.
Yet, our immigrant friends often encounter significant challenges in accessing nutritious and culturally relevant foods, along with other resources, to help them reach their full potential. This can be due to language barriers, lack of documentation, economic hardships, and other factors. The Blueprint acknowledges the systemic barriers and hatred faced by immigrant communities in this country, as well as the fear and targeting of other cultures for political posturing – and our collective need to address such deeply rooted injustices in our food systems and beyond.
Here at the Blueprint, we believe that food is a basic human right and our communities should be able to define and shape their own local food systems. Our work is guided by the principles of food justice and now food sovereignty as part of our organizational transformation. Food justice focuses on equitable access to healthy, affordable, and culturally affirming foods, while food sovereignty emphasizes the right of local communities to control their own food systems from production to consumption. Both are crucial in addressing the systemic inequities that affect marginalized groups, including LGBTQIA2+ individuals and immigrants.
During June, we reaffirm our commitment to helping local communities create sustainable food systems that are just, inclusive, and equitable for all who reside in Colorado. And we invite you to join us in celebrating the diversity and resilience of LGBTQIA2+ and immigrant communities – and also collaborating with our network of partners for statewide and local solutions that center equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Together, we can build and champion a more just and inclusive Colordo for all.