Center for Regional Food Systems Racial Equity in the Food System Workgroup

Rachel Lindvall is a community activist, independent member of several food systems coalitions, and former Extension Education Specialist. She is a member of the Racial Equity in the Food Systems (REFS) workgroup. Learn more about her background and perspective in this reflective Q&A. 

Origin story: What is a moment in life that shaped your perspective on and approach to food systems?

Personally, my focused interest in Food Systems had a sort of back door entry. Initially, as a student of ecology and environmental systems in the 1970s, food was important as a mechanism of an ecological practice. I read Francis More Lappé’s, Diet for a Small Planet, and realized that the current food system would prove to be environmentally unsustainable. However, back then, though aware of the myriad of food-based concerns, I chose to focus on other more mainstream environmental issues. Food was important but clean air/water, nuclear proliferation, habitat destruction and conservation took center stage in my activism. My career trajectory reflected this focus. When life took my career in an unexpected direction, I found myself working as a Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program agent on the Rosebud (Sicangu) Reservation. My focal area was community development. My dramatically under-resourced community became interested in local food production as a means of improving their economic climate, their access to healthy food and their overall sovereignty. As local concerns led to further studies, I re-immersed myself in the centrality of food as a place where interests in justice, equity, history, culture, environment, healthcare and local pride could converge. Food is at the center of everything that is!

How do you practice race equity-centered food systems leadership?

Since my abiding interest in food systems has been shaped and centered on my work within Indigenous communities, my focus tends to draw into that perspective. As an educator and in my leadership endeavors, I encourage and foster opportunities for developing critical thinking.  People of all ages and at diverse levels can be coached to ponder their own logical viewpoints based on learning, thinking, discovery and assessment. Personally, I engage in Food Systems Leadership in the realms of policy advocacy at multiple governmental levels that impact land and natural resources, agriculture, education and equity. I have spent time working to protect public land resources for both conservation, and environmental quality as well as foraging and other cultural purposes. I have been expanding my role at my local Food Cooperative where we are actively engaged in supporting local growers and both primary and value added producers. Under my leadership, my Coop is growing its outreach to both producers and consumers in local Indigenous communities.I also enjoy providing mentorship outreach to students and early career professionals in both formally defined and less structured settings.

What is your personal challenge in race equity-centered work?

Sometimes, I find that one of my challenges is that I am a pretty outspoken person living in an area of the country where many very conservative viewpoints abound. However,  now that I am working independently, this challenge has become a source of privilege. I  can represent myself and not a specific employer or group. In this respect, this former challenge has flipped to an advantage. I have an essential awareness of what these opposing views are, what their origins are and how to more effectively rebut them. 

What hard question do we need to ask ourselves about food systems leadership and transformation?

I believe that the most difficult questions have to do with the intentions of systems leaders who choose to support the status quo. In some cases, existing systems and their leaders have little intention of supporting change despite words to the contrary.  

How do we bridge “gaps” between and among worldviews through language and action?

Studying and immersing in other cultures offers me the greatest hope of discovering our bridges. Realizing similarities and being realistic about differences is essential to creating durable relationships that withstand challenges. This takes time and patience.  It’s easy to do when you bond on the similar qualities but more challenging as you discover fundamentally different points of view. When you can get to that point however, you have really accomplished something meaningful.