2015 National Environmental Justice Conference

Youth/Emerging Leaders Summit

Hunter Scott and Zri Hitchock -YFLP Student Leaders
Howard University School of Law
March 11-13, 2015 

Funders/Partners
Project Partners
• Environmental Health Watch and Rid-All Green
Partnership in collaboration with Burten, Bell,
Carr Community Development Corporation.
• EPA Environmental Justice Small Grant Project
• Sisters Of Charity Foundation of Cleveland 

EHW and Rid-All Collaboration
Environmental Justice & Grassroots Activities
Activities and Projects
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HUD Roach Research Project
Race, Food and Justice Conferences(2013 & 2014)
Green Houses and Green Houses Project
YFLP Program

Background

• EHW

▫ Environmental education, direct-service, research, policy and
advocacy
▫ Neighborhood Leadership for Environmental Health Initiative (EPA
CARE communities)-Community Environmental Health
▫ Affordable Green Housing Center-Healthy Homes

• Rid-All

▫ Urban Agriculture Training Center for youth and adults
▫ Growing Power network
▫ Educate through arts, entertainment and direct-service 

Project Curriculum Components
• Watersheds, and Wetlands as Solutions
• Environmental Health, Justice, Policy and
Advocacy parts I and II
• Plant Biology, Nutrients, Soils, Aquaponics and
Ecosystems
• Food Literacy, Nutrition and Health Disparities
• Tying It All Together 

What is a Food Desert?
• A Food Desert is a area in your neighborhood
where the aren't stores available to get fresh
healthy quality food within walking distance.
• A Food Desert is also an area where there are
only fast food restaurants.
• There are also transportation issues because
people may not have cars to drive miles away to
get the foods and nutrition that they need. 

Place Matters
Urban vs. Suburban 

Place Matters
Social Determinants of Health 

Unsafe neighborhoods

Substandard housing

Obesity
Poor Nutrition
Heart Disease
Food deserts High Blood Pressure

Mental Health
Stress/Racism
Birth Defects

Health Disparities

Accidental Injury
Toxic Chemicals

Poor Indoor Air
Quality

Asthma
Lead Poisoning

Industrial pollution
9 

Food Justice-Urban vs. Suburban

COMMUNITY FOOD ASSESSMENT
CUYAHOGA COUNTY FOOD INSECURITY ANALYSIS
April 16, 2008 

Food Justice-Transportation 

Program Overview
• Organic Farming and Permaculture Design
▫ Plant Science, Composting, and Aquaponics

• Leadership and Community Engagement
▫ Presentation, decision making, problem solving,
dialogue sessions, planning community meetings

• Nutrition Education and Cooking Classes
▫ Hands-on cooking classes

• Student Follow-Up
▫ Participation in environmental clubs
▫ Additional leadership development
▫ Community engagement activities 

Nutrition Education & Leadership Training 

Daily Lessons and Cooking Class
Daily Nutrition Education
• Tuesday through Thursday nutrition education
• Vegetarian, vegan, raw
• Label reading making healthier choices
• Introduction to Indian and Mediterranean diets
• Different instructor every 2 weeks
Cooking Classes
• Friday- Hands on Instruction
• Food preparation
• Made and immediate impact on students
• Students were given supplies and tool kits

▫ Blenders, cutting boards, chef knife, hat/apron,
steel, nutrition tool kit 

Leadership Training
• Students implemented 2 community meetings
using their own voice
▫ Meetings were ran by students, no adult
participation
▫ Flyers, meeting agendas, power point presentation

• Students had daily team building activities, and
hosted a peer-to-peer day
▫ Other youths involved in community were invited
to come to Rid-All Farm 

Leadership Training
Dialogue Days
• Two- way conversations
• Students read bio’s, met in groups and
prepared questions
• Students learned how decisions were made that
impact communities
• Many speakers came from Cleveland
neighborhoods 

Leadership Training
Dialogue Days
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City Council
City Planners
Entrepreneurs
Executive Directors
Foundations
Artists
Professors
Shaker Lakes Nature
Center

• Community Development
Corporations
• Non-profit organizations
• City of Cleveland office
of Sustainability
• Testing at Doan Brook
Watershed
• Community Activists and
Residents 

Leadership Training
Garden Install Selection Process
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Applications were submitted
We voted and prioritized applications
We interviewed the applicants
Students decided on sites
Students designed the gardens utilizing
permaculture and landscaping elements learned
during the program 

Garden installations in food deserts
Area 11= Fairfax Neighborhood
Area 21= Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood 

Garden Installations
• Olivet Institutional Baptist Church -Fairfax
• Salaam Community Garden-Mt. Pleasant 

Salaam Community Garden- Mt. Pleasant

Herb Garden

Flower Bed 

Olivet Church- Fairfax 

After YFLP-I am A Leader
• Initiating a recycling program at my school
▫ met with school administrators and environmental club

• October 2014
▫ CHUH school Principal and administrators toured Rid-All Farm

• September 2014
▫ attended the City of Cleveland Sustainability Conference

• October 2014
▫ main presenters at the Botanical Garden National Youth Voices
Conference

• December 2014
▫ co-presenter at Case Western Reserve University Provost
Scholars Program for high school students

• March 2015
▫ Roots of Success Leadership Training 

Thank You for Listening!
Contact: Kim Foreman
kim.foreman@ehw.org /216-961-4646 x 104
www.ehw.org