A group of middle school students from I.S. 229 Roland Patterson in Morris Heights learned the power of youth advocacy when they successfully lobbied the mayor to start a farmers market in their neighborhood.
Yarelin Delossantos, 14, and Kylah Ortega, 13, told the Bronx Times they were sick of seeing expired and unhealthy foods at their local grocery store, and they knew that far too many people had a hard time getting proper nutrition. Together with others from their competitive dance group, they decided to take action.
With the help of Harriet Burnett, who runs the Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Center afterschool program out of I.S. 229, the young people spoke directly to the mayor about food insecurity conditions in their neighborhood at a Sept. 23 town hall in the Bronx.
Ortega and several fellow students highlighted the poor conditions at their local stores, including rotten produce, expired canned goods and green-tinted meats.
The students demanded better in terms of both quality and selection.
“We would like our supermarket to contain foods that reflect the culture diversity in our neighborhood,” said Ortega. Most readily available foods are filled with sugar and sodium, worsening people’s health, she said. “We are tired of being overlooked and underserved.”
A farmers market with produce giveaways at River Park Towers could be one step towards solving the problem, the students said.
After hearing the students, Adams was well on board, given his own experience with the power of proper nutrition. He said he was previously pre-diabetic with tingling in his fingers and toes, ulcers, high blood pressure and loss of eyesight. Though his mother was diabetic, “[The problem] wasn’t in my DNA, it was in my damn dinner,” Adams said.
“To have these three angels come here and talk about, ‘We want better food’ — you have to feel good.”
Dais told the crowd that the students’ accounts of low-quality food at the grocery store were unfortunately not a surprise.
“We have gone there with video, and what she’s telling is the truth,” he said, adding that he is working to replace the grocery store provider and also wanted a farmers market.
Dais’ office later connected the students with Farmer Dave at Trinity Farms in Clintondale, New York, who agreed to donate items for the market, and the students got to work.
Delossantos and Ortega said they were happy to see their ideas supported by elected officials. “It was a little scary, but we had to speak up,” said Delossantos.
The farmers market celebrated its grand opening in late November at River Park Towers, where the students gave away collard greens, tomatoes, apples, cabbage, kale and lettuce.
In addition, the offices of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Council Member Althea Stevens distributed Health Bucks, $2 coupons that residents can redeem for produce at local markets. People using SNAP benefits to pay at markets can receive up to $10 per day in Health Bucks.
The launch of the market saw a strong turnout, the students said. “A lot of people showed up, surprisingly,” said Delossantos. “I feel like we helped a lot of people.”
Assembly Member Landon Dais expressed pride in the kids who spoke up to the highest levels of city government and saw real results.
“The dedication of these students proves that our youth have the vision and determination to bring real change,” said Dais in a press release after the event. “By advocating for their community, they were able to bridge the gap of food insecurity and highlight the importance of youth engagement,”
In the offseason, the students are keeping in touch with Farmer Dave about what he’s growing and plan to keep the effort going. This year, the dance group will tackle a project around mental health, another issue affecting many in the community.
Delossantos and Ortega agreed that their first interaction with local government was a positive experience and that improving their community was actually not as difficult as they imagined. When their efforts came to life during the produce giveaway, “We really connected with people,” said Ortega.
This story was updated on Feb. 3 at 12:30 p.m. to correctly state the office that connected the farmer and the students.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
