Food Justice for Black Californians: Confronting Racism, Bias & Barriers in the Safety Net

The facts are undeniable—Black Californians experience some of the highest rates of food insecurity, impacted by both historical and persistent systemic racism, harmful stereotypes, and administrative barriers when trying to access essential safety net programs. We are no longer just documenting these disparities. It’s time to act.

Through this seed campaign, we are engaging and seeking out a coalition of partners to lay the groundwork for a task force to dismantle the structural barriers keeping Black Californians from the food and resources necessary for stability.

Food insecurity does not exist in isolation—housing instability, economic exclusion, and disaster response inequities all compound the struggle for long-term security in Black communities. We’ve heard it firsthand in focus groups, and we see it play out in real-time, from local crises to policy failures that create ongoing instability.

We are building the power we need to advance policy and administrative advocacy strategies that remove barriers to the safety net, strengthen community-led solutions, and ensure systems are accountable to the realities Black Californians face.