The ACRES team believes that Food insecurity is not just a lack of food; it is an indication of material deprivation and a serious public health concern. In 2023, about 23 percent of households faced food insecurity, with Black-identifying households experiencing rates up to forty percent. Cultural food insecurity is a growing concern in immigrant communities.

 

To advance the conceptualization and measurement of cultural food security, ACRES investigates the indicators of cultural food security that are crucial to promoting healthy communities, supporting bio-cultural diversity, and improving population physical, social, and mental health. Our interdisciplinary projects—grounded in eco-social and intersectional frameworks—employ mixed-methods approaches, including community-based participatory research, surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups, and Afrocentric sharing circles to uncover socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural barriers.

 

Current projects include mapping Edmonton’s food security resources, amplifying refugee narratives through storytelling, and promoting urban agriculture for food sovereignty. In collaboration with settlement agencies, local food banks, and ethnocultural organizations, we co-develop interventions, such as culturally tailored food programs and community gardens, that promote access to healthy, nutritious, culturally relevant foods, aiming to create inclusive food systems that support the needs of diverse communities.