Women Leading the Fight for Food Justice at Teens for Food Justice

By Emily R. Miller, Director of Development & Communications, Teens for Food Justice Food justice isn’t just about access to fresh food—it’s about power, equity, and the right to nourish ourselves and our communities. In New York City, where nearly one in four residents experience food insecurity, this issue is urgent. For generations, women have led this fight, from growing food in their backyards to pushing for policy change at the highest levels of government. At Teens for Food Justice, women are driving this work at all levels through a transformational program—leading hydroponic farms inside schools, mentoring students, developing innovative curricula, and shaping policy advocacy. Their leadership ensures that young people, particularly young women of color, gain the skills and confidence to challenge food insecurity and create lasting change in their communities.

Food justice isn’t just about access to fresh food—it’s about power, equity, and the right to nourish ourselves and our communities. In New York City, where nearly one in four residents experience food insecurity, this issue is urgent. For generations, women have led this fight, from growing food in their backyards to pushing for policy change at the highest levels of government. At Teens for Food Justice, women are driving this work at all levels through a transformational program—leading hydroponic farms inside schools, mentoring students, developing innovative curricula, and shaping policy advocacy. Their leadership ensures that young people, particularly young women of color, gain the skills and confidence to challenge food insecurity and create lasting change in their communities.

From Vision to Action

In the early 2010s, Katherine Soll founded Students for Service, a nonprofit that connected young people with volunteer opportunities across New York City. Through that work, she noticed a pattern—students were deeply concerned about food insecurity and wanted to do more than just volunteer at soup kitchens. They wanted to be part of the solution. That realization led Soll, along with additional co-founders Tara Smith Swibel and Chana Chenfeld, to create Teens for Food Justice in 2013, building a program where students could take direct action against food insecurity through urban agriculture, nutrition education, and food policy advocacy.

Instead of solely donating food, TFFJ would teach students how to grow it. The organization launched its first indoor hydroponic farm at the Urban Assembly Unison School in Brooklyn, where students learned to cultivate fresh produce inside their own school. The model was simple but powerful:

1. 1. Hydroponic farms in schools produce tens of thousands of pounds of fresh food annually.

1. 1. Students learn STEM, sustainability, urban agriculture, and nutrition while operating the farms.

1. 1. The food goes directly into school meals, in take-home bags to campus families, and is distributed within the community, increasing access to fresh produce in food-insecure neighborhoods.

What started as a single farm in Brooklyn has grown into seven farms across New York City and Denver, serving over 8,000 students annually.

The program’s impact has gone beyond simply food production. TFFJ has helped shift the narrative around food justice, demonstrating that students—especially those from historically underserved communities—can be leaders in the fight for food equity.

From its founding, TFFJ has been shaped by women who recognize that solving food insecurity requires not just growing food, but growing leadership.

Women Farmer-Educators: Growing Food and Mentoring Students

TFFJ’s hydroponic farms operate inside Title I schools, where they provide hands-on STEM education and fresh food access for students and families. The farms are run by a team of farmer-educators, many of whom are women.

At the Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Campus, Sr. Farmer-Educator Alyssa Gardner-Vazquez serves as both a farm manager and mentor. A former TFFJ student herself, Alyssa now teaches the next generation about food systems, sustainability, and nutrition. Through her guidance, students not only develop technical farming skills but also gain leadership experience, learning how food justice connects to public health and policy.

For young women in the program, seeing women in leadership roles helps them imagine new possibilities for themselves. Whether they pursue careers in agriculture, environmental science, public health, or policy, TFFJ ensures they have the knowledge and experience to take that next step.

Young Women Leading Policy Change

Beyond growing food, TFFJ students are also engaging in food policy advocacy—working to improve school meals and address food insecurity at a systemic level.

Two of TFFJ’s current food policy interns, Manpreet and Keiara—both young women of color—are actively involved in this work. As part of their high school internship, they research policies related to school food access, meet with city leaders, and advocate for reforms that make healthier, culturally relevant meals available in public schools. They even provided testimony, both written and in person, to the NYC City Council.

 TFFJ Food Policy Interns Ethan, Keiara, and Manpreet at City Hall after attending a City Council hearing on the Healthy Kids’ Meal Bill, which would require healthier options in kids’ meals at NYC restaurants. Keiara provided testimony in support of the bill, advocating for policies that promote better nutrition for NYC students.

Manpreet shares her perspective on the program: “I have gained a better understanding of nutrition. It’s not just about what we eat; it’s also about having the opportunity to make healthy choices. This has changed the way I talk about food, making me consider both personal choices and the systemic issues that affect access to healthy food.”

School meals play a critical role in nutrition, especially in low-income communities, where many students rely on school food as a primary source of daily nourishment. However, participation rates in school meal programs drop when students perceive the food as unappetizing or of low quality. TFFJ’s food policy interns work to bring student voices into the conversation, ensuring that meal programs reflect the needs and preferences of the students they serve.

Keiara, one of TFFJ’s food policy interns, shares: “I realized that I’m more knowledgeable about what we eat. I wouldn’t have had this mindset at all if I hadn’t become an intern, learned about the Healthy Kids Meal Bill, and helped work on it.”

She reflects on her experience growing up: “Back when I was in Guyana, in my neighborhood we didn’t have fast food places… almost everyone had a fruit tree in their backyard, and every afternoon different fruit vendors would pass by, selling fresh, ripe fruits depending on the season. Every Sunday, a greens vendor would pass by selling fresh vegetables from different food groups, and people—including myself—would go out to buy. However, when I came here… where I live now, there are fast food restaurants everywhere. As soon as you get out of the train station, tempting smells fill your nostrils, and most of the fruit and vegetables in the supermarkets look like they haven’t been tended to. What’s also sad is that there is an organic food place, but it’s expensive, small, and in between two fast food places. Working with TFFJ has made me think about what I can do to improve the health and wellness of me and those around me. I used to think that I can’t make a difference because I’m just a kid, but they have shown me that every voice matters, that once you care enough to make a change, it can happen.”

Their work aligns with broader food justice movements that center youth leadership in policy discussions. By equipping young women with the skills and experience to advocate for change, TFFJ is preparing the next generation of food justice leaders.

Building the Next Generation of Women in Food Justice

Representation in food justice leadership matters. Studies show that when young women see themselves reflected in STEM and advocacy fields, they are more likely to pursue careers in those areas. Manpreet’s experience has helped her to imagine her own path, “My experience with TFFJ has inspired me to think about my future and how I can advocate for change. I want to pursue a degree in chemical engineering with a focus on sustainable practices and then become an environmental lawyer.”

Through hands-on farming, advocacy training, and leadership development, TFFJ prepares young people—especially young women of color—to step into roles that extend beyond the farm. By equipping the next generation with the tools to create change, we are strengthening community-driven solutions to food insecurity and ensuring that leadership reflects the people most impacted by inequities in the system.

TFFJ and BCAGlobal are working toward the same goal: shifting power within the food system so that historically marginalized communities have not only access to fresh, healthy food but also a voice in shaping food policy, education, and careers. Both organizations recognize that food justice is not just about what’s available—it’s about who gets to lead.

TFFJ is part of a growing movement to ensure that the contributions of marginalized communities—including women—are recognized and valued in the fight for food justice. Food justice is constantly evolving. But one thing remains true: Women have always led the fight, and they will continue to shape the future.