Obstacles to Access, Affordability, and Equity

Jasmine C. Leyva is an independent filmmaker based out of Los Angeles who directed "The Invisible Vegan," a documentary about health in the black community that can be found on Amazon Prime. Prior to directing her own films, she starred in several national commercials and worked behind-the-scenes on several network TV shows. She is currently working on two follow up documentaries highlighting food issues in communities of color. Garrett's research and teaching explores the role of media and communication in networked movements for social change. Much of his work focuses on local and global food systems, as he considers how food can contribute to neighborhood health, environmental sustainability, and the rights and welfare of animals. His first book, More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change, was an ethnographic exploration of community-based food justice organizing in urban America. His recent research has examined the possibilities of what he calls “food tech justice,” seeking ways to use new food innovations to advance health and equity in the food system and beyond. lauren is the founder of Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.), a vegan food justice nonprofit that promotes veganism, fights for workers, and works on lack of access to healthy foods in Black and Brown communities. She has been an animal activist for three decades, during which she has launched numerous groups, investigated factory farms, run consumer campaigns, and helped stop the construction of an industrial dairy in California. Watch lauren’s TEDx talk on The Power of Our Food Choices.