FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 15, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 27
oped letters & comments
Putting the power of food in
the hands of communities
BY COREY JOHNSON
As human beings, food is what
we need to survive and thrive. But
we all know that food is more than
just a necessity. It’s a connection to
our families, our culture and to the
Earth.
Unfortunately, in our city – one
of the richest in the world – many people don’t have
access to adequate, nutritious food.
More than 1 million New Yorkers are food insecure,
and there is inequitable access to fresh and
healthy food in many neighborhoods throughout the
city, predominantly in low-income communities and
communities of color.
Th at’s why I recently released Growing Food Equity
in New York City, a detailed report that outlines the
City Council’s agenda to tackle the challenges we face
in regard to food policy.
Th is report stems from our core belief that access to
adequate, nutritious food is a human right.
Th at means that we have a moral obligation to
build a society where everyone has the fundamental
right to be free from hunger and have access to
healthy food.
Food policy needs to be addressed holistically if
we’re going to achieve that goal, which is why the
Council will introduce legislation to empower the
Mayor’s Offi ce of Food Policy. Th at offi ce is currently
too understaff ed and under-resourced to appropriately
coordinate all of this city’s vast food policy.
We also need to expand some of our most successful
food programs that not only feed New Yorkers, but
also make sure the food they get is fresh and healthy.
One example is our Health Bucks initiative, which
provides coupons to low-income New Yorkers to purchase
fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. Th e
program benefi ts more than just its participants.
Health Bucks encourages participants to shop at
farmers markets, which are an important part of our
local food economy.
Stimulating that economy — which also includes
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs
and fresh food boxes — is at the heart of what we
need to do to achieve our ambitious food policy goals.
I’m also calling for the city to fund a Community
Food Hub Incubator to develop and support even
more local food businesses and farm-to-city projects.
Th e Council will also consider legislation to create an
Offi ce of Urban Agriculture that will help prioritize
the ecological, economic and health benefi ts of urban
agriculture in our city, including community gardens
and urban farms.
Th ings like local food businesses, CSAs, farmers
markets and community gardens are integral to our
diverse communities, and as a city we must do everything
we can to help make them a success.
Th is is smart food policy.
New Yorkers know best what kind of food they
need to sustain themselves and their families physically,
emotionally and culturally. Our diversity is our
strength, and we don’t need a top-down approach to
food equity.
Rather, we want a system of food governance that
grows (pun intended) from the communities themselves.
Th at’s at the heart of the City Council’s food agenda
— implementing food policies that enrich our diverse
communities.
Food is power. And we want that power in the
hands of the people.
Corey Johnson is the New York City Council
Speaker.
BOTH SIDES ARE
TO BLAME?
Th e political tone in this country
has taken a downward spiral.
President Trump has to be given
much of the blame. One should
respect their political opponents and
not make outrageous statements.
Unfortunately, Th e Courier has
sunk to below the president’s level.
Th is is evident in its Aug. 8 editorial.
Th e Courier wrote in response to
the El Paso shooting “Republicans
may try to wash the president’s
hands of responsibility here, but the
majority of us know better. Sure,
Trump didn’t pull the trigger but
his past words undoubtedly inspired
the gunman to do so. Th at Trump
doesn’t show an ounce of remorse is
appalling.”
No matter what one thinks of the
president, to accuse him of complicity
in murder when it goes against the
facts I fi nd disgusting.
Lenny Rodin, Forest Hills
Editor’s note: Mr. Rodin included
in his letter a quote from the
El Paso shooter’s alleged manifesto
which claims that the motivation for
his actions pre-dated Trump’s presidency.
We will not publish this quote
verbatim, nor will we name the suspect;
we will not use this space to
give this alleged hateful murderer
a channel to voice his hatred and
inspire others to lash out.
Regardless of what the shooter
said and when he started believing
it, the larger point centers on this
president’s infl ammatory language,
including the same references to an
“invasion” of immigrants which the
shooter used in his manifesto.
Mr. Rodin’s letter omitted two
paragraphs in our editorial last week
which preceded the one he quoted
that make clear our stance. We feel
compelled to repeat this now:
“One study aft er another has found
that the number of hate crimes in
America has soared since Trump
took offi ce. Th at’s because white
nationalists feel empowered by the
president’s own rhetoric; they feel it
justifi es their own hatred, and spurs
them to lash out on their own.
“Radicalized white nationalist terrorists
are getting their hands on
weapons of war, and turning them
against ordinary people just living
their lives. Th e president, of course,
didn’t pause to contemplate his contribution
to this. He blamed everything
and everyone else except himself,
and guns.”
We stand by our editorial, though
readers have every right to disagree
with it if they so choose. — RP
KEEP THE COOPS
GOING
Joseph N. Manago wrote this
paper last week asking for an end
of cooperatives and has written to
Governor Andrew Cuomo and the
state Legislature (“Reader: Get rid of
the co-ops,” Aug. 8). He feels co-ops
depletes aff ordability of rental inventory,
and wants to legally abolish
housing cooperatives in the state of
New York.
My wife and I have a cooperative
in Glen Oaks Village. Years ago, we
realized that we could not aff ord a
house and all the maintenance costs
involved. We saved hard and long to
aff ord our cooperative. We also pay
taxes, maintenance and pay a mortgage
and we are both senior citizens
and keep our apartment in good
repair at our expense.
Under our co-op board president
and his management team, the quality
of life has aff ected for the better
the thousands that live here. Th ey’ve
shown great concern for the shareholders.
And those who do the maintenance
here do an excellent job here
and need to be commended.
I feel Joseph N. Manago is off base
on this issue. Let me also point out
that an owner only, in part, takes
pride in that property, then that person
is only a renter.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
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editing. Names will be withheld upon
request, but anonymous letters will
not be considered for publication.
Th e views expressed in all letters and
comments are not necessarily those of
this newspaper or its staff .
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