Resources for Diversity and Inclusion

The SEBS Governing Council aims to create a welcoming and inclusive space to represent the diverse student body of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Students of all identities are encouraged to pursue careers in the environmental and biological sciences.

General Resources

Here are some resources for education about BIPOC participation in agriculture:

1. Real Food Reads: A Black History Month Compilation – Real Food Media
   A list of books about fighting for an intersectional food system.
2. Publications – SOUL FIRE FARM
   Articles published by Soul Fire Farm, an organization “training the next generation of activist-farmers and strengthening the movements for food sovereignty and community self-determination.”
3. 4 Not-So-Easy Ways to Dismantle Racism in the Food System – YES! Magazine
   “Farm management is among the whitest professions, while farm labor is predominantly brown and exploited.” Read about the history of racism as it relates to international food systems.
4. Why diversity matters to the outdoor industry (outsidebusinessjournal.com)
   A first-hand account detailing the importance of diversity in outdoor recreation and profession.
5. Real Food Media: Farming While Black: Leah Penniman | Ep. 26 on Apple Podcasts
   A podcast with Leah Penniman, the author of the book “Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land.”
6. Indigenous Agriculture and Sustainable Food – Sustainable Food Center
   “In the words of one indigenous farmer, Vena A-dae Romero, ‘indigenous people are as much part of the land as the land is part of us. We cultivate the land while the land cultivates us. This relationship that has supported my people since time immemorial is remembered daily when we place our fingers in the dirt, pull the weeds from our fields, or plant our seeds with water, prayer, and hope, cook the food which we grow, and ingest the world with each bite of food we eat.”

If you have any concerns about diversity and inclusion at SEBS, we hope that we can voice your concerns. Additional resource submissions are welcome!