![]() Kimberly oversees the Urban Agriculture Master Plan and describes the process as inclusive and community-led while protecting against gentrification and displacement. Although the Division values collaboration, each member of the team leads their own project. ![]() The Division works to address a variety of issues, including food insecurity, food business entrepreneurship, urban agriculture, and institutional procurement. The Division intentionally prioritizes inclusion in their work and committed to forming an advisory board that reflected New Haven’s diversity, so that those most affected by injustice could create meaningful solutions. Through the team’s collaboration and communication, the Division clarified its mission and value, which are exemplified by the Division’s paid community advisory board. Both Lexi and Kimberly grew up in Connecticut and appreciate how the Division embodies multiple priorities, including environmental justice, health equity, and community engagement. Latha’s colleagues include Lexi Basile, a Food Systems Administrator, and Kimberly Acosta, NHFSPD’s Food Policy Analyst, who echo Latha’s thoughts on the Division’s commitment to community-driven change and values. Latha’s leadership is instrumental as the Division collaborates with community members to create a sustainable and equitable local food system. ![]() “I felt alone doing the work before,” Latha explains, “but having people join the team helped enhance what those values meant, and I’m proud of the Division and this team.” Since joining the NHFSPD in 2018 Latha continues to center community ownership and justice in the Division’s innovative projects including values-based procurement work, composting, urban agriculture, and sugar reduction approaches. As the only member of the team, Latha defined the Division’s values based on her prior knowledge of food systems work and community members’ perspectives. When Latha Swamy began her role as the Director of New Haven’s Food System Policy Division (NHFSPD), she immediately identified four primary challenges in her work: funding, staffing, organizational structure, and awareness. ![]()
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