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How farmers markets provide an inclusive environment through increased language access and culturally responsive practices.

For many people, good food is their love language. For me, and many others who identify as a cultural or ethnic minority, food is a critical part of our identities.

One of the main reasons I originally applied for the Bilingual SNAP Facilitator role at the Union Square Farmers Market (USFM) is because I believe that language and culture should never be a barrier to good food.

USFM has been a community centerpiece and gathering space for over two decades. More importantly, thanks to the overwhelming support for the Good Food For All campaign, it has become an intersection for cultural foodways in the heart of our community.

For eight years, donations from our neighbors, local businesses, and market vendors have helped fund our impactful SNAP match program, which provides much-needed language access to our SNAP customers. On any given market day, you can find our staff translating in one of the five different languages we speak for SNAP customers.

In anthropology, “foodways” is the term used to specifically describe the cultural, social, and economic practices surrounding the production and consumption of food. What we eat, how we eat it, and who we eat with reveals a lot more about our identities and cultural background than you would expect.

Maintaining a connection to and practicing one’s cultural foodways has been proven to improve personal well-being through decreased stress, increased sense of belonging, and safety. In fact, accessing cultural foodways is often mentioned by immigrants as a way to feel connected to their home culture.

But, as you can imagine, this is easier said than done, particularly for low-income individuals who are already facing food insecurity. Many cultural dishes require specific, fresh ingredients that are typically expensive and difficult to find, and low-income minorities often face additional barriers when accessing food assistance programs such as SNAP.

I have become familiar with many of our SNAP customers as they introduce the joy of the market to friends and family. I have also noticed our vendors diversify their offerings to include culturally relevant produce such as okra, loofah, and bok choy.

One of my favorite moments last season was when I exchanged recipes for pea shoots with a customer and one of our farmers while waiting to check out. Good Food For All is the reason why this is all possible.

Now more than ever, we need your support. I have watched the market grow – and with it, our number of SNAP matches. Since 2019, we have weathered an astounding 455% increase in demand for the USFM match.

It is now on all of us to keep this program going to best serve our vulnerable neighbors.

— Claudia Chung

Union Square Farmers Market Bilingual SNAP Facilitator since 2022