By Dawn Scotland
The Truth Reporter
There has been uproar on social media regarding the City of Toledo’s Produce Pop Up Market at Swayne Field Shopping Center. The market, a pilot program of the city which has a ribbon cutting this Friday, September 4, will exclusively feature food vendor Al Peake & Sons and Daughter Too.
While the location is in the heart of the community the prevailing outcry is that the produce is not.
The situation was relayed by a number of people on social media, including Alexicia Sims of Community United and community member Inflowwetrust.
Urban Wholistics Founder and Executive Director Sonia Flunder McNair has a urban farm located in the center city on 619 Woodland in the Art Tatum district. For 10 years she has championed urban farming within the community, cultivating local produce, educating youth and adults on farming and employing community members to work.
The concern has been raised that the request for proposal to become a vendor at the city’s new market was never received by Flunder McNair and other farmers. Additionally, the discourse is that while this initiative created by the city aims to support the Black community, it should also reflect the community in which is serves and circulate money within it.
“Don’t sleep on the people doing this work,” stated Flunder McNair. “Our supporters are residents. They are taxpayers. They are voters. Many of them are the same people who show up when government asks the community to support levies, initiatives and investments even when it means paying a little more because we believe it will strengthen our city. So when it is time to invest those public resources back into our neighborhoods, is it unreasonable for us to expect that same support? We support this city. We expect this city to support us,” she added.
To many, the situation at Swayne Field is not new, but a continuing jab to a community that has been overlooked, underserved and underrepresented for decades.
Members of the community have gathered to create an alternative Pop Up Market at Urban Wholistics’ Farm (619 Woodland) this Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5 from 10-3pm. The two days will feature the local farmer’s food for sale, bring awareness of the farm, educate the community about growing and cooking healthy produce and put black farming on display.
To learn more about Urban Wholistics and SOrganics visit her website urbanwholistics.org or social media pages.