Despite the importance of recognizing and working to combat the existence of food deserts, some thought leaders reject the term “food desert” altogether. Black farming activists Leah Penniman and Karen Washington prefer the term “food apartheid.” They argue that real deserts are a naturally occurring phenomenon, while food deserts are rooted in social inequalities. Apartheid, they tell us, refers to a system of segregation and unequal treatment based on skin color, and as such, it better defines a problem that has been precipitated by long-standing discrimination at nearly every level of society — from redlining and housing discrimination to unfair working conditions and lack of access to healthy food.
Some who prefer the term “food apartheid” believe that as long as there are profits to be made hiring from a large pool of vulnerable workers — workers willing to work for very little compensation and without basic protections — there will be some who hold a financial stake in the prevalence of poverty. There are companies that will make more money if they can keep certain communities in a state of distress. So, the argument goes, racism and “food deserts” aren’t an accident — they’re by design.
10 Likes
