Justice

Justice. During my time in this “Place Based Storytelling” class, I have been documenting Rethink’s Food Justice Committee. Before this documentary project, I never gave much thought to the role that justice plays in our day to day lives.

When I first met these kids, I was very surprised by their acute awareness of power dynamics, their knowledge of the role justice plays in their school systems, and their drive to achieve justice in their school food programs. These kids realize the power dynamics and the role money plays in what food ends up on their plates at lunch time, and that the better and more nutritious choice is often sacrificed for a cheaper end product. Through group activities and discussions, they express their views on what healthy food is and why it should be made available to everyone.

During the process of documenting these kids, I myself have become more conscious of the food I consume and the process in which it was brought to me. These kids have also offered a great deal of inspiration. Every meeting is geared towards preparation of explaining their views on, solutions for, and reasons to improve the school food system in front of a board at a press conference. These kids have a lot of courage and determination to achieve their goals, and I have been surprised in how much I have learned from them.

[Editor’s Note: This reflection was captured as part of an English class taught by Luisa Dantas to explore place-based storytelling.]