Laney Campus Forum- Oct 16, Kelly D. Carlisle, of Acta Non Verba, spoke about food, nutrition and raising local awareness. She emphasized the lack of nutritional food available locally and how it affects the community.
In East Oakland, where Kelly started her farm project, “Acta Non Verba,” the problem is not a high priority, and the type of food mainly for sale there is usually not of any nutritional value.
Kelly spoke about her food epiphany and about the importance of nutrition and how nutrition became a priority during the infancy of her child. She said, “There is no Food Justice here, and that a food apartheid existed in the communities of East and West Oakland, Ca.” She called for activism and student participation involving what food is served here on campus and in the community.
She asked us all “do you think you deserve better food?” and said, “We are in charge of our quality of life.” She asked if students here at Laney could advocate here to make better food choices available.”
Considering the life expectancy of residents in the community here is a low 72 years, this statistic alone should make us concerned.
Kelly mentions a study that was recently conducted with cooperation from Committees for a Better Environment, in that study it was found that organic food was the lowest priority in the community. She said “organic is a class issue in her community,” and added that the word is divisive when used.
Kelly stressed the fact that when she learned she had “agency” regarding the food she and her family would consume it empowered her to make better choices, and that we all should follow suit. She added, “Take charge of what you will be eating,” and ask, “Why don’t I have access to the same foods that Kelly does?”, “What is it gonna take to make you stand up and say, this is not cool for you!”
In response to this and her epiphany on food nutrition, Ms. Carlisle has been growing and producing nutritional food on her ¼ acre farm in East Oakland and reaching out to the community to raise awareness and make food available that is nutritional.
She is also the Founder and Executive Director of Acta Non Verba. She is a veteran of the United States Navy and has been the recipient of many awards, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. She is an avid gardener and is an Alameda County Master Gardener Trainee. She is an active member of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
Ms. Carlisle was selected as one of 200 U.S. Delegates to Slow Food International’s Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto in 2012 and 2014. Ms. Carlisle is the December 2011 Bon Appetit Good Food Fellow. She has worked with and mentored pre-teen and teenage youth since the age of 14. A native of East Oakland, California, she is committed to creating positive change in her childhood city.
Most recently, Kelly’s work has been honored at the White House by President Barack Obama.” See http://anvfarm.org/home/who-we-are/ for more information. The Acta Non Verba Project can be reached at [email protected]