Inner City Fresh

Disadvantaged communities combat the climate crisis through urban farming

Jennifer Mack grew up in Compton and remembers shopping for groceries with her grandma. She couldn’t understand why they needed to go to three or more stores to find everything they needed. Now 41, she follows the same routine.

“It was the lack of quality,” Jennifer said. “Our grandparents knew that the local market had fresh produce from local farms, whereas the major grocery stores probably don’t handle their produce as well.”

The Food 4 Less in Compton sells tiny, often bruised fruits and vegetables and she fears that the Costco is too big to maintain the quality of all its meats.

Her husband, Simmie Mack Jr., grew up in the Jordan Downs projects in Watts, one of the poorest neighborhoods in L.A.

In Watts, the option for fresh produce is overwhelmed by corner stores and fast-food eateries. When the meats and produce are available two miles away from the projects, they’re often bruised or approaching expiration dates on the shelves of Food 4 Less.

Read the full story on USC Annenberg Media