A transformative gathering that centers food justice, cultural foodways, and community resilience. Through interactive workshops, a panel featuring Cal State LA student, staff and faculty, community resources, and a student poster session, this summit will showcase the vital role of traditional foodways and community-led initiatives in addressing systemic inequities in food access.
Date: April 9, 2025, from 11 AM to 2 PM (check in begins at 10:30 AM)
Location: University-Student Union Plaza
10:30 AM Check-in Begins
11:00 AM Land Acknowledgment by American Indian and Indigenous Students Alliance
11:15 AM Community Resource Fair & DJ
11:45 AM Taste of Decolonization: An Indigenous Food Experience by Dra. Claudia Serrato
12:30 PM Transition - CalFresh Outreach Center & Food Pantry Announcements
12:45 PM Herbalism with EBT with Botanica del Barrio by Felicia ‘Fe’ Montes
1:15 PM Food Justice Leaders Panel
Food Access Summit Speakers
Dra. Claudia Serrato
Felicia ‘Fe’ Montes
Dra. Claudia Serrato (P’urhépecha/Zacateca) is a culinary anthropologist, chef, and educator who specializes in Indigenous foods and traditions. She is known for her advocacy of food sovereignty and her work in preserving Indigenous foodways. Dr. Serrato holds a Ph.D. in sociocultural anthropology from the University of Washington and teaches at Cal State University Dominguez Hills.
Claudia will lead a workshop that features an Indigenous food tasting experience and a mini talk, "Decolonizing the Diet: It Begins with Taste" that explores how reconnecting with Indigenous flavors is an act of cultural resistance and healing. Participants will gain insight into the power of taste memory, traditional nourishment, and the importance of reclaiming Indigenous culinary traditions.
Felicia ‘Fe’ Montes (M.A./M.F.A.) is a Xicana Indigenous holistic artivist, femcee, designer, poet, professor, public scholar, and practitioner of the healing arts from East Los Angeles. She is the co-founder and director of Mujeres de Maiz, In Lak Ech, and El MERCADO y Mas. Fe is an assistant professor in Chicanx/Latinx arts and social practice at Cal State University Long Beach.
Fe will lead the Herbalism with EBT workshop that will explore how students can use their CalFresh/EBT benefits to access and purchase herbs for wellness at local grocery stores. The session will feature the Botánica del Barrio cart, an alterNative mobile medicine cart that aims to educate, dialogue, and document wellness remedies. This activation aims to make holistic wellness more accessible by moving the conversation out of the high-priced wellness space, where this knowledge is often held, and into the streets focusing on community and public settings.
Food Justice Leaders Panel
Analena Hope Hassberg, Ph.D
Associate Professor,
Department of Sociology
Sherry Lin, MFA, RDN
Registered Dietitian,
Student Health Center
Susan Oseguera
Cal State LA student,
Department of Nutritional Science
Community Organizations
The Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC) is dedicated to ensuring that food is healthy, affordable, fair, and sustainable for all residents. Serving as a backbone organization, LAFPC collaborates with over 400 organizations and agencies through various program and initiatives: Healthy Markets LA, Farm Fresh LA, Cultivating Farmers, and the Food Leaders Lab.
Food Access Los Angeles is committed to building sustainable food systems that ensure equitable access to fresh, affordable, locally grown foods for all residents. They operate eight farmers' markets across Los Angeles and coordinates community development programs like Market Match and WIC while supporting California small and mid-sized farms and local small businesses.
Food Forward is a nonprofit organization that rescues fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste. They donate 100% of the recovered produce to hunger relief agencies across 13 California counties that include Los Angeles and Ventura, along with 7 adjacent states and tribal lands.
Grow Good is a nonprofit organization operating on a 1.5-acre regenerative urban farm in Southeast LA. They provide nature-based programs for individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability. They work closely with The Bell Shelter by supplying food, job training, and mental health programs.
LA Compost is dedicated to empowering Los Angeles communities through local composting initiatives. They manage a decentralized network of compost hubs where organic waste is processed into nutrient-rich compost. LA Compost offers educational programs and resources to foster environmental stewardship and community engagement.
Student LunchBox (SLB) is dedicated to combating food insecurity among college students in Los Angeles County. SLB addresses the critical issue of campus hunger by rescuing nutritious food and redistributing it to various college campuses. Through on-campus pantries, satellite locations, and mobile food markets, SLB provides not only food but also essential toiletries, hygiene kits, clothing, and bedding.
Celebration Nation is a nonprofit that empowers the Indigenous Latino/a community, with a particular focus on honoring and supporting farmworker families. They organize cultural events and programs in Southern and Northern California including food distributions, health clinics, and toy drives.
The Eastmont Community Center has been a pillar of East Los Angeles for decades, offering programs that enrich families through personal development, job training, and social services. They offer computer literacy, ESL/citizenship classes, and nutrition programs. They partner with Cal State LA to host a weekly farmers market on campus where students can use their EBT/CalFresh benefits.