Food, People, Power: New Healthy Food Co-op Opens in Oakland
What do you do if you find yourself in the middle of an urban healthy-food desert? Look for an oasis for sustenance. Oakland may be on the list of the top 10 Greenest Cities, but certain areas like West Oakland are nearly bereft of healthy, local food, which is an important element of sustainability. Fortunately, an oasis has just appeared in West Oakland in the form of a worker-owned grocery store with a focus on healthy, organic, local food and community.
Mandela Foods Cooperative finally opened its doors a few weeks ago and I was there to help celebrate. A project that has been many years in the making, Mandela made locals headlines this spring in anticipation of its opening because of its importance in the community.
