7 Latinx Leaders in the Fight Against Hunger

Hispanic Heritage Month provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the leaders who fight for the dignity, empowerment, and survival of our Latinx neighbors, both here in New York City and across the nation. While this list is by no means exhaustive, it does feature several individuals (both past and present) who have helped to combat food insecurity in Latinx communities and uplift the workers who have long provided food for all of us. Take a peek at the full list below! Mateo Guerrero-Tabares Mateo, standing outside Make the Road New York in Queens. Source: Feeding America. Mateo Guerrero-Tabares is the Trans Justice and Leadership Program Manager at Make the Road New York, a Food Bank member agency that serves immigrant, working-class, and transgender communities throughout Brooklyn and Queens. Mateo found his way to Make the Road in 2010 after arriving in New York City as an undocumented minor. He began his journey as both a client and volunteer, receiving aid from the organization to adjust his immigration status and stay permanently in the United States. He now brings that same level of solidarity and support to the immigrant and transgender New Yorkers he proudly serves. Read our recent interview with Mateo! Dolores Huerta Dolores Huerta speaking at a campaign rally for President Bill Clinton. Source: Wikimedia. A famed organizer and activist, Dolores Huerta has long been a champion for the working poor, women, and children. Though she rose to prominence when establishing the National Farm Workers Association with Cesar Chavez, she forged a unique path all her own that focused on helping migrant populations secure the resources they needed to thrive. Still a major labor leader to this day, Huerta travels the country as a speaker and campaigner, drawing on her decades of experience in the public sphere to fight against injustice. José Andrés View this post on Instagram A post shared by José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) José Andrés is a Spanish chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, an organization that provides emergency food relief to communities around the globe. Most recently, Andrés made headlines for taking to the ground to serve refugees escaping conflict from Ukraine. Andrés also provided meals and other resources to us here at Food Bank For New York City at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to help us feed and nourish our neighbors across the five boroughs. Emma Tenayuca Source: Wikipedia. Born in San Antonio, TX in 1916, Emma Tenayuca was a Mexican American writer, speaker, educator, and organizer who fought for workers’ rights. Though she accomplished many things in her lifetime, she is perhaps best known for helping to orchestrate and lead a massive strike of over 12,000 pecan shell workers in her native San Antonio at the age of just 21. The strike forced owners to increase wages for the pecan shell workers, many of whom were immigrant women. The victory marked a significant step forward for the Mexican American struggle for justice and equality in the United States. Cesar Chavez Cesar Chavez addressing a crowd. Source: Wikimedia. Cesar Chavez was instrumental in securing union rights for migrant farm workers in the 1960s. As a farmer himself, Chavez decided to partner with Dolores Huerta to create the National Farm Workers Association (later known as the United Farm Workers of America) to advocate for the improvement of wages and conditions for those working the land. Chavez utilized a range of non-violent tactics – from marching to fasting, organizing, and collective bargaining – to draw attention to the struggles of migrant farm workers and solidify protections that continue to uplift and support laborers to this day. Pedro Rodriguez As the economic fallout from COVID-19 drove more and more New Yorkers to the pantry line, Pedro Rodriguez took it upon himself to establish La Jornada, a food pantry formerly located in Queens. Serving thousands of individuals and families a week, the pantry became a lifeline for immigrant communities in need of reliable and consistent access to produce and shelf-stable goods. La Jornada eventually joined the Food Bank member network, receiving grants from us to optimize their operations. Jessica Govea Thorbourne Source: Cornell University. Jessica Govea Thorbourne was a labor organizer and educator who worked closely with Cesar Chavez at the United Farm Workers Union. She was one of the first activists to publicly call attention to the dangers of pesticides to both workers and food, helping to limit exposure and establish better safety practices in the field. Later in her life, Thorbourne served as a professor at Cornell and Rutgers, where she taught courses on labor organizing. For more on how we serve our Latinx neighbors now and throughout the year, click here.

In honor of Harlem Week, Food Bank hosted a special BBQ for our neighbors outside of our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry in West Harlem. The sunny day was full of music, good food, face painting, raffles, and more! Food Bank's Culinary Manager Chef Sheri whipped up a feast of BBQ favorites. "This is something that's been coming together little by little over the years," explained Sultana Ocasio, the Director of Food Bank's Community Kitchen & Food Pantry. "We wanted to do something around Harlem Week to highlight our presence in the neighborhood and celebrate the fact that we've been serving our neighbors here since the 1980s." "And so we thought, 'Hey, let's have a family BBQ!'" she continued. "The smell of the grill, the music pumping from the speakers... we wanted to draw people in and create a space where we could all hang out and be together." Sultana Ocasio working the food line alongside Food Bank President & CEO Leslie Gordon. It didn't take long for community members to find our BBQ. Tunes from DJ Jay Thursday and the smoky fragrance of Food Bank Culinary Manager Chef Sheri's roast chicken, grilled corn, hamburgers, hot dogs, and more drew in a vibrant crowd of folks from all over the neighborhood, who not only got to enjoy a delicious free lunch, but face painting activities, a fresh produce stand, and hourly raffles. "It's great that we could all be here to enjoy this beautiful summer day together," said community member Lorna, who lives two blocks down from Food Bank's Community Kitchen & Food Pantry. "When times are tough, it's important for us to lean on one another and help out when we can." Lorna stopped by the BBQ on her way home from church in the neighborhood. The BBQ was supported by Food Bank staff and volunteers, many of whom came out to spread a little love as food, gas, and rent prices are driving more and more New Yorkers to the pantry line. Ell, a local eighth grader volunteering with their mom, handed out fresh vegetables to folks throughout the day. "I just love helping other people," said Ell. "It's great that we can be here today to not only give out free produce, but to bring a little joy and happiness to our neighbors. It feels great to be here with everyone today." Ell in action staffing our fresh produce stand with other Food Bank volunteers. To learn more about Food Bank's efforts to support our local community here in West Harlem, visit foodbanknyc.org. You can also sign up for a volunteer shift in our Community Kitchen & Food Pantry by clicking this link. Scroll below for more photos from our Community BBQ! Our volunteer face painter kept busy with all the youngsters visiting her table! Melanie Zuniga (Food Bank's Community Dietician) handed out tasty smoothies and helpful nutrition information at our produce stand. "Today, I just want to play music that makes people feel good and dance," explained DJ Jay Thursday. Community members (and their furry friends!) filled the block throughout the afternoon.

Earlier this month, Food Bank teamed up with the Village Community School (VCS) for a service-learning project to benefit students served by Food Bank’s Campus Pantry Program. Together, we packed bags of nutritious snacks, learned about reading food labels, and even enjoyed a little story time with our youngest participants. Left: Food Bank Vice President of Institutions & Partnerships Janis Robinson reads “Maddi’s Fridge.” Right: A VCS student packs a bag of food. Located in New York City’s historic West Village, VCS has long been committed to giving back to those in need; in fact, service is baked right into the curriculum and taught to students from their very first moments at the school. To help create meaningful experiences for the students, VCS leans on a service committee co-chaired by parents, including longtime Food Bank friend Juliana Ruecker, who invited us to partner with the school for its first in-person service day since the onset of COVID-19. “This is our first on-campus live event in three years, so I almost cried this morning I was so excited,” explained Sarah Williamson-Broadman, VCS Dean of Faculty. “The fact that over 100 upper schoolers and 120 lower schoolers and their parents will be helping today is hugely impactful for the school and for the children that will receive this food.” “One of the things that I want our students to understand is that hunger doesn’t have a face,” she continued. “Food insecurity can affect any kind of person. My hope is that a day like this instills a lifelong passion for giving back.” A VCS student proudly holding a bag of food she packed. As the day unfolded, you could see this passion igniting in the hundreds of bright-eyed students gathered around tables stacked with shelf-stable goods and snacks. They packed their bags with care, asked thought-provoking questions of our Food Bank team leaders, and took time to reflect on the communities their efforts would be nourishing. “I come from a fairly privileged family, so I’ve never really had to worry about where my next meal is coming from,” explained a VCS eighth grader. “But it’s important for us to recognize that many of our neighbors do have to worry about that and do have to go through these hardships. I feel lucky to be able to help people, especially people my own age.” Food Bank Director of Corporate Engagement Jessica Presedo stands with over 1,000 packed bags of food. With school about to end for students in New York City this month, it’s important to remember that many of our city’s children will no longer have access to the free breakfasts and lunches they’d normally receive at school. Food Bank’s Campus Pantry Program works to close these gaps by providing students with fresh, nutritious food all year long. To support our Campus Pantry Program and the estimated 1 in 3 NYC kids currently facing food insecurity, consider giving to Food Bank’s Summer Hunger Campaign. Each donation helps us to serve our youngest neighbors with the dignity they deserve.