Abstract
Despite Sacramento's recognition as "America's Farm-to-Fork Capital," food insecurity is a persistent issue across the region with nearly one in six residents across the four-county region experiencing food insecurity. Urban agriculture is a promising strategy to alleviate food insecurity by increasing the availability of fresh food in urban centers, which in turn can promote health equity, community resiliency, and food justice. Previous research indicates that in urban areas, including Sacramento, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) frequently report the highest levels of interest in urban agriculture, yet due to systemic barriers, experience the lowest levels of access to community gardens. In this chapter, we explore insights from interviews with Sacramento community members working in the field of urban agriculture and food justice to better understand localized intersections between food equity, urban agriculture, and environmental justice. We explore community visions for localized food sovereignty. Finally, we discuss how educational initiatives can serve as a conduit through which young people can work with community leaders and university partners to co-construct solutions to food and environmental injustices in their own communities, describing the Growing Educational Pathways Through Food Sovereignty (GEPFS) project.