Towards Food Sovereignty: Scaling Circular Food Innovation Systems in the Bronx

Food apartheid, or restricted access to healthy food, disproportionately affects marginalized communities due to legacies of segregation and systemic exclusion. This issue is most severe among lower-income, female-headed, Black, Latine, and immigrant households, with the Bronx experiencing the highest rates of food insecurity in NYC (39%), representing a public health crisis. Our community-faculty partnership will pilot a food sovereignty initiative, an inclusive, community-centered approach that leverages local resources to address these challenges. Collaborating with ReBORN Farms, we will implement a sustainable circular economy model in the Bronx, evaluating its impact, sustainability, and scalability. This model focuses on health, cultural pride, and economic development by creating community-driven solutions for growing local food, reducing waste, and sourcing seasonal crops. Profits from produce sales will be reinvested to support farm operations, staffing, and product innovation, fostering long-term sustainability and community empowerment.

Community Partners:

Project Team:

Mr. Henry Obispo

Founder, ReBORN Farms | Mr. Obispo has worked as a community organizer, food justice activist, and social entrepreneur for the last ten years. Creating initiatives such as cooperatives and social enterprises in addition to other roles. His work is focused on food insecurity, making access to nutritionally dense foods, and self-determination/empowerment within an individual’s and family’s health and wellness. I have also been in leadership and/or founder roles in many food justice initiatives in The Bronx and beyond.

Dr. Shellae Versey

Associate Professor of Psychology, Fordham University | Shellae Versey received her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Michigan. She is a psychologist and critical health researcher, and her interests focus on questions at the intersection of social determinants of health, the environment, and an aging society. Her research examines links between health and social engagement and the implications of place and policy for older adults.