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"WANDA’s dedication to empowering women and girls through food leadership is positively impacting many communities in the United States and abroad. Providing the tools and resources to women to take back to their communities and educate their family and friends about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, as well as preventive methods to stay healthy, is ultimately saving lives. WANDA has proven to be a much-needed resource in promoting health and wellness in communities."

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• Mai Burnette, Cookbook author, Cooking with Mai 

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"WANDA's efforts to amplify Black women and girls in food leadership comes at a critical time as the pandemic has worsened food insecurity among Black Americans. Decades-long inequities are long overdue for mitigation, and WANDA is doing its part to position those most impacted to lead these efforts through its platform and training opportunities."

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• Ashley Hickson, MPH

      Senior Policy Associate, Center for Science in the Public Interest

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"At a time when disparities in preventable causes of death in Black communities are receiving special attention, we have no excuse but to wonder, "Where is WANDA ?" Representing the voice and actions of Black women and girls in the fight for better community health with nutrition as the foundation, WANDA is uniquely positioned to bring much-needed community-sourced advocacy and community-focused education to the food justice movement. Asking where WANDA is calling for a response, and also begs another question, "Will you listen to WANDA?" With so much at stake, it is time we did."

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• Pierre Vigilence, MD, MPH

      Founder/CEO, Health Up & former Director, DC Department of Health

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"Historically, Black women and girls have not been included in many areas of thought leadership and innovation in the global food industry. Furthermore, the food culture that disseminates from the African Diaspora has not been highlighted sufficiently in the movement for sustainable health and health equity in some of our most disenfranchised communities. WANDA has established itself as a catalyst for systemic change in the movement to institute health equity in some of our most underrepresented communities by creating pathways to combat health disparities through inclusive educational programming and community advocacy. By placing  Black women and girls at the center of the mission, WANDA creates a safe haven for learning and an incubator for the next generation of health advocates and community healers."   

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• Mary Blackford

      Founder, Market 7

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"Involving women and girls in the Ward helps to implement solutions that will slowly overturn food apartheid in communities where the devastation of systemic racism has assaulted the health of poor people of color. WANDA is "teaching women to fish"!"

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• Angela Chester-Johnson, MPA

      Owner, Plum Good 

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"WANDA is an organization that’s both ahead of the times and overdue. Women are largely responsible for preparing food around the world, and many girls and women are involved in agriculture. But women of color are often left out of critical pieces in the food chain that shape what we eat: policymaking, creating guidelines and narratives around nutrition, or shaping the markets. Women of color need to be leaders in these areas, too, if the world is going to create a future where everyone can be fed, be healthy, and care for our planet. This is why WANDA is so important." 

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• Shaun Chavis

      CEO, LVNG Book

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"WANDA has been bringing Black women together to share stories of food, family, and nutrition while raising awareness of critical issues from Black maternal health to food insecurity. This visionary program is also building a new generation of leaders through its fellowship program by ensuring Black women and girls have access to education on topics from farming and agriculture, to health and nutrition through mobile and social media platforms. This innovative approach to health advocacy shows the possibilities of community empowerment and sustainable programming."

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• Jamila Robinson

      Food Editor, Philadelphia Tribune and James Beard Foundation Awards Journalism Chair

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"WANDA educates, inspires, and empowers each of us to take action to improve our health, our life, our family, our community, and our world. WANDA shows us how to heal our bodies and help our communities with healthy foods. The world needs more WANDA women! They are essential for resilient and sustainable food systems, strong communities, and healthy families."

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• Keegan Kautzky

      Senior Director, World Food Prize Foundation 

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"In the world of food policy and food justice, WANDA and Little Wanda are shining lights of cultural sensitivity. Through networking, community outreach, leadership, mentoring, a fellowship program, and beautiful books for children, WANDA helps individual people lead healthier lives with a supported web that can transform communities."

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• Linda Civitello
  Cookbook Author and Food Historian

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"Globally women farmers make up 8% of the agricultural sector. The importance to WANDA is multifaceted when it comes to representation, educating, and encouraging women and girls to enter agriculture as a farmer, teacher, forester, or agricultural lawyer like me. Over my 20-year career, I have mentored women in agriculture and WANDA provides me with the resources to continue my efforts within F.A.R.M.S."

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• Jillian Hishaw, Esq.
  Founder/Director, F.A.R.M.S.

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"WANDA matters in amplifying Black women and girls in food leadership through its platform and building pipelines like its fellowship and academy because BIPOC are at the frontline of our communities and know our communities best especially when it comes to what is needed to advance nutrition access and health outcomes. In many communities, Black women are household leaders and decision-makers when it comes to what is purchased for and prepared for the family. Black women are leading urban farming and agricultural initiatives and reviving cultural food practices."

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• YaQuatallah Muhammad, RDN

 

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“I am more focused on self-care and using food to heal. I cook more healthy meals and I am more conscious of what I put in my body.”

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• WANDA Academy Participant

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“I'm excited about the WANDA course that instills pride and dignity in our native foods while building family bonds and promoting our collective heritage. It is a much-needed intervention.”

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• WANDA Academy Participant