The #WeStillGottaEatInitiative

The We still gotta eat initiative

is an international project committed to global food justice, culinary excellence, and improving the health and wellness outcomes of disadvantaged communities on a global scale. In 2020, during a time of increased violence against Black communities in Los Angeles (which has occured for centuries), Danielle launched the #WeStillGottaEat initiative, a food justice intervention and direct-service program which offered nourishment, healing, and a sense of sanctuary to Black residents in Los Angeles, CA by offering direct cash payments, organic produce, as well as organic farm fresh meals + food items for FREE. (You can read more in our LA Times cover story here.) If you would like to support this important global initiative to provide vital resources to support the nutrition, health, and wellness of underserved populations globally, visit here.

Why did we start the #WeStillGottaEat Initiative? (LA-specific)

There is estimated to be about 2-3 million Black residents in Los Angeles, which is 8-12% of the population (pending Census data). Yet, Black residents account for almost 50% of the hungry or homeless population in Los Angeles. Additionally, there are hundreds of thousands of Black individuals and families who, although are housed, still struggle with hunger and have little to no access to healthy food due to a number of reasons including:  Food apartheids throughout Los Angeles County in which, due to forces like gentrification, racism in urban design, lack of municipal investment and community development, and lack of green space, land, and groceries stores through intentional design; entire neighborhoods are deemed unworthy of having access to healthy, whole foods. Additionally, mental and emotional health challenges, disabilities, and other health disparities within Black communities (that are informed by structural racism and injustice), create barriers for families and individuals to even prepare healthy meals for themselves/ourselves. These discriminatory practices deeply undermine food sovereignty efforts and strip Black communities, particularly in South LA, of access to fresh, healthy, organic produce and foods which exacerbates health inequities that already exist.

Furthermore, in South LA specifically, there are over 1.3 million residents and just 60 grocery stores, many of which have a small or non-existent organic or quality produce section. Additionally, due to centuries of economic injustice and wage theft including forced enslavement, Jim Crow, segregation, and more currently, wage inequality (ie: Black women earn $0.61 to every $1 a white man is paid), many Black communities have low levels of disposable income, as well as limited access to transportation to and from the stores, if there even is one in their/our community. This is why we launched #WeStillGottaEat, a comprehensive, multi-dimensional program which offers FREE high vibration, deeply lovingly made, artisan-style, mostly-organic, chef-quality, farm fresh meals + food items to Black residents (including individuals, families, childrens, and elders) in LA in order to receive nourishment and healing during this time.