The Black Farmer Project: Promotion of Food Access and Healthy Living By Urban Farmers in Baltimore

Brionna Colson-Fearon

Brionna Colson-Fearon is a rising senior studying psychology and biology with a minor in African American studies. She is interested in the social, economic, and environmental factors leading to disparities in food access and health outcomes among communities of color. After Wesleyan, Brionna plans to continue her education by pursuing a PhD in social or community psychology. In her free time, Brionna enjoys journaling, baking, and watching tiktoks.

Live Poster Session:

Zoom Link

Thursday, July 29th, 1:45pm-2:45pm EDT

Abstract:

Farming is an essential part of a community’s ecosystem. Urban and community farmers act as stewards of land, caring for the health of the land and allowing for the production of healthy food. At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were nearly 1 million Black farmers in the United States, however due to decades of racism and discrimination, fewer than 50,000 remain. The current study focuses on Black-owned urban forms operating in Baltimore, MD. Fifteen urban farmers were interviewed, and interviews were analyzed using a thematic analytic approach. Three major themes were identified during analysis: 1) Community Empowerment, 2) Health Promotion, and 3) Food Access Inequality, with each theme having two subthemes. Findings are presented showing the farmers’ perceptions of food access in their neighborhoods, as well as ways to improve food availability.

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