Bernadette Mitchell painting a child's face at our annual Childrens Harvest Festival.
Bernadette grew up in Brooklyn, with strong family roots in New Orleans, where she spent the first five years of her life. She has a passionate commitment to eating well and exercising. Here’s what she has to say about her formative experiences, and why she’s a passionate neighborhood activist for food justice.
Why is staying healthy important to you?
Health is the true wealth. I feel good, and by taking care of myself, I’m able to take care of my family and friends.
What were your influences?
I grew up in a time when there weren't computers. So we had to go outside and play every day. We lived on a family block, there were a lot of kids. We roller-skated, jumped rope, skelly, hide and go seek—there were games, all the time. I always wanted to be active.
As far as food, when I was 14 or 15, I started my own baby-sitting business. I had a lot of wealthy clients. They lived in these big houses, and they always had fresh vegetables and fruit in their refrigerator. Just seeing a different way of living, I’m sure subconsciously had an effect on how I wanted to eat and live.
My family, we ate everything out of the can. Fruits, vegetables, canned ravioli, franks and beans, sweet potatoes, and Vienna sausages, just to name a few. I got my first apartment when I was 26, and that’s when I started cooking fresh produce. I’ll never forget when I cooked my first sweet potato. I was like, I’ll be damned —it was so easy!
What does food justice mean to you?
When I think about food justice, I think about people in disenfranchised communities that don’t have access to fresh vegetables and fruits. It’s always poor people. When you go to the grocery store, everything is packaged. A lot of plastic. A lot of it is brown. It’s easier for people to just buy the Honey Buns and the Arizona teas. I also think that food justice means a lack of education. People aren’t being taught a different way to eat, a different way to cook.
What role does the garden play in your life?
The garden is my happy place! It’s relaxing, the energy is great and I’m always happy to see and talk with other gardeners. It’s where I can grow things. It’s where I can share food, share ideas, and I can learn from people. At the same time, there’s a green space. There’s flowers, butterflies, bees. I feel so fortunate that we even have such a big space right in Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Brooklyn.
Anything else you would like to say?
Our farm stand helps protect the environment. By sourcing hyper-locally and regionally, we’re cutting back on transportation resources—especially fossil fuels. And we’re cutting back on plastic, especially when people bring their own bags. It feels good to know that when I’m eating a zucchini, eating a tomato, eating some basil, I know exactly it comes from.