IDEX's “Food for Thought” Convenes Food Justice Leaders

San Francisco, CA, May 31, 2013 --(PR.com)-- International Development Exchange (IDEX) is an organization that has worked for over 25 years to fight for food justice, environmental justice and social justice by partnering with grassroots organizations around the world. On June 7th at the San Francisco Film Centre in the Presidio, IDEX’s "Food for Thought" is bringing together thought leaders working at the intersection of food justice, agriculture and the environment for an intimate evening of critical conversations. Moderated by IDEX Executive Director Rajasvini Bhansali, the event will feature Ocean Robbins, Nikki Henderson, Y. Armando Nieto, and Katherine Zavala. The proceeds from Food for Thought will benefit IDEX and its ongoing work in food sovereignty, ecological rights and social justice around the world.

Ocean Robbins is the founder of YES! and co-founder, along with his father John Robbins, of the Food Revolution Network. The Food Revolution Network which launched in 2012 and now has a membership of 85,000, recently held their 2013 Food Revolution Summit. The Network’s mission is to inform, inspire, and empower people toward positive action for healthy, sustainable, humane and conscious food for all. Ocean Robbins and John Robbins recently published “Voices of the Food Revolution” featuring game-changing interviews with 21 food revolution leaders.

Nikki Henderson is the Director of Oakland's People's Grocery. People’s Grocery is operates at the intersection of public health, economic development, and food systems. Its mission is to improve the health and local economy of West Oakland, and then the nation, through investing in the local food system. Since 2003 People’s grocery has pursued positive community change and addressed social determinants of health through food to ensure that community self-determination plays a primary role in revitalizing historically underinvested neighborhoods.

Y. Armando Nieto is the Executive Director of the Community Food and Justice Coalition (CFJC). The Community Food and Justice Coalition promotes the basic human right to healthy food. By partnering with individuals and organizations at the local, state, and national level, CFJC works on grassroots initiatives to develop and support a food system that is equitable, healthy, environmentally sustainable, and community-driven.

Katherine Zavala is the Program Manager of Grassroots Alliance at IDEX. IDEX identifies, evaluates, and grows the best ideas from local leaders and organizations to alleviate poverty and injustice around the world. IDEX connects a passionate and engaged network of supporters to the visionary leaders and organizations creating lasting solutions to their communities’ most pressing challenges.

Since its founding in 1985, IDEX has supported more than 500 grassroots, community-led projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Annually, IDEX’s partners serve approximately 1.2 million people in impoverished communities, including marginalized women, small farmers, indigenous communities, low-income urban residents, sexual and ethnic minorities, and youth. For more information, www.idex.org