Over the course of 12 sessions, researchers in the lab of Tashara Leak, assistant professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, taught 36 teens about nutrition, food systems and food justice in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem.
Navika Gangrade, a doctoral student in Leak’s research group, led the study as part of her dissertation research. She said the study combined the lab’s ongoing research around bodegas, which play an essential role in the food systems of low-income and minoritized communities in New York City, with innovative nutrition and youth empowerment education.
“We thought it was a great opportunity to engage teens in nutrition education and advocacy, while continuing to work on bodegas as an intervention site,” Gangrade said.
In addition to learning about nutrition and food systems, the teen participants engaged in a photojournalism project, working together in groups to document the types of foods and snacks available in their local bodegas. At the end of the program, they presented their findings to leaders involved in food justice efforts, including Craig Willingham, deputy director of the City University of New York’s Urban Food Policy Institute.
Liarah Hooper, a 12-year-old participant, said she was nervous at first, but she enjoyed presenting their research to people who could make a difference.