Food Justice, a social movement ensuring universal access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food for all, is a growing imperative today. Only by examining the structural disparities of food systems and by becoming prepared to accept a meaningful change can we address the urgency of food insecurity, particularly for communities of color and low-income communities. The Global Food Project in Johnson County is one example of how people in Iowa have come together for an inclusive, just, and sustainable way forward.

Will Kapp was raised in Iowa City and has worked on vegetable farms across the country, taught in the Iowa City Schools, and managed the Global Food Project for IC Compassion since January 2021, helping more people grow food in Johnson County and eat that food is his main goal with the Global Food Project.

Ayman Sharif was born and raised in Sudan, migrated to the States, and has lived in Iowa City since 2013. An urban planner with a degree from the UI 2020, Sharif served as the City of Iowa City’s Community Outreach and Engagement Specialist, focusing mainly on reenergizing the neighborhood associations system and advancing goals to achieve greater civic engagement, connections, and participation. He served as a Johnson County Food Policy Council member from 2020 until October 2023, contributing to the Council’s effort to improve and diversify the local food system. Sharif has been a director at the Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa since May 2023.

Brandi Janssen is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa. Her research interests include local food systems, rural environmental health, and community responses to climate change. She authored the book Making Local Food Work: The Challenges and Opportunities of Today’s Small Farmers.

​MEAL AND MEETING SPACE PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY

In Pursuit of Food Justice, Globally and Locally

FEBRUARY 7, 2024, 12:00PM – 1:00PM
IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
ALSO STREAMING ONLINE: https://www.youtube.com/@thelibrarychannel

DOORS OPEN AT 11:30AM – JOIN US FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND A MEAL!

PLEASE RSVP BY FEBRUARY 1st – SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO ORDER

​Learn more about the Global Food Project: Global Food Project