During Black History Month, we are sharing the stories of Black leaders in our community and Black-led organizations that we at The Mississauga Food Bank are proud to work with.
Meet Vivian Etuka, a Community Council Member with Peel Food Action Council (PFAC) and the Executive Director at Bethel Food Bank! 🙌
Vivian has always been an advocate for food security and justice and believes that we cannot advocate for either without being inclusive. “I truly believe that healthy and nutritious food is a human right, not a privilege.”
She is proud of the work she and her team do at PFAC. “We bring together stakeholders from across Peel’s food system to work collectively towards a just, sustainable, and secure food system in the Peel region. As a Community Council Member, I reach out to organizations and members of our community to collaborate, partner, volunteer or fundraise with us.”
For Vivian, Black-led organizations have been marginalized and made to feel like outsiders for so long. “This has led to our continued struggle, lack of access to programs and information, and lack of trust in the government. It is important to work with Black-led organizations to promote diversity and inclusivity in our community. We want our voices to be heard, included and to be treated as equals. We want our cultural backgrounds to be recognized and respected, and the community can support our efforts by creating safe spaces to promote and educate cultural diversity, hiring more diversified people, and funding more Black youth programs.
Also, we want our food bank users to know that we operate a judgment-free organization that believes in meeting them where they are. We ask them open and honest questions to better meet their needs, and most importantly we recognize and respect cultural diversity and see the human that they are.”
Vivian, thank you for everything you do and for taking the time to share with us! 💚🧡
Visit Peel Food Action Council to learn more about their work in the community.