Urban Campesinxs

Urban Campesinxs is a food justice and young adult leadership program aimed at bettering the environmental, economic and health conditions experienced by working families in Southeast neighborhoods of San Francisco.  Through urban agriculture practices, we tap into the wealth of traditions, and experiences of immigrant families in the Excelsior district and provide apprenticeship and employment opportunities for young people.

Urban Campesinxs provides hands-on urban farming experience, while working with youth to strengthen their leadership, technical and career skills. We hope to give neighborhood youth and families access to healthy foods, help them cultivate healthy eating habits and build community capacity to grow traditional foods and medicinal plants. We also plan to partner with local schools in food justice efforts.

Crocker Amazon Park is the site where PODER youth leaders will create an urban learning farm where area residents can share sustainable food practices and traditions, and learn cooperative approaches towards the stewardship of public lands.

Background

Some facts about the Excelsior District:

• The neighborhood has the highest concentration of families with children in the city.
• 71 percent of students qualify for federally funded lunch programs.
• There are fewer community gardens and no farmer’s markets than in other areas of the city.
• The Excelsior sends more residents to the hospital for asthma than other neighborhood each year due to pollution from nearby freeways and busy roadways.

Community members are tired of the health risks brought about by poverty such as limited food choices, staggering youth unemployment, toxic pollution and lack of open space. By planting food together, working cooperatively and reclaiming public lands, we hope to improve the health and spirit of our community.