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Access, for all intents in purposes, is at an all time premium. Those
who have it flourish, while those who don’t, usually sink. In terms of
access to basic human rights (food and labor to be exact), in some areas
and communities, 'access' can be the difference between life and death.
One example is colloquially referred to as “food deserts”, i.e. areas
where fresh produce is skint, yet cheap fat-laden fast food is the only
reliable source of sustenance. Another is the lack of jobs. Not job
programs, but honest-to-goodness jobs that teach skills while paying a
livable salary. But is there a way to tackle the creation of access to
healthy food and jobs, all in one action?
The politics behind America’s fresh produce and unemployment problems
are abundant and show little signs of clearing up in the immediate (red
tape has a tendency to trip up progress), so we wont go too much into
that. But what we can highlight today is a tiny glimmer of hope.
Sweet Work Project
is a Harlem, New York initiative that is challenging the preconceived
notions surrounding work and food, and giving a chance to the youth of
Harlem NYC to learn business ownership and employable work skills while
feeding their community healthy organic food. Sweet Work is creating a
brick-and-mortar grocery store that runs off of the co-op infrastructure
making its workers also part owners of said establishment. It’s a win
win.
Sweet Work Co-op founder Greg Allen states:
“Can you think of a way to provide affordable organic produce to a
neighborhood with no vegetables AND promote radical access to work, a
living wage, and ownership for young people who have spent time on the
street? Don't worry— Sweet work Project, Inc. has. It's a worker-owned
organic grocery store in West Harlem, NYC.
Currently running a (successful!) Kickstarter campaign, Sweet Work
Project is laying out a full-fledged assault on these social ills so
that they can ensure a brighter future for the youth of Harlem.
Something tells me that this idea is going to catch on.
Links to consider:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sweetworkproject/pop-up-...