In Philadelphia, food insecurity — lacking reliable access to affordable, nutritious food — affects about one in six families. Rooted in structural inequity, land dispossession, and environmental racism, this condition has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic: studies indicate that among children the rate is closer to one in three. 

Although numerous programs address food and land insecurity at the individual or neighborhood level, few situate cultural preservation as their guiding framework. Fewer still place community agriculture at the center of their practice, and the pathway not just toward security, but sovereignty. 

In this course, we examine the root causes of food and land insecurity in our city and engage directly with community agriculture projects in Black and Latinx neighborhoods dedicated to fighting it. Along the way, we will make deep and durable connections with each other and with the land that sustains us.

“Food and Land Security in Philadelphia” is a bilingual, immersive community-based learning (CBL) program that includes campus-based preliminary training; intensive and participatory action onsite with local partners in Philadelphia; and online conversations for academic learning and collective reflection. 

During the intercession week of September 18th – 22nd, 2023, Drexel students and Philadelphia neighbors will meet daily from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM to explore the nature and history of food and land insecurity in our city and ways that community agriculture projects seek to address these urgent issues.

The program is bookended by optional afternoon workshops from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM on Day 1 and Day 5 where we will deepen our critical reflective engagement.

All meals, materials, and community instruction are included in the mandatory $300 program fee. Contact steve.dolph@drexel.edu for questions about financial support.