Kingston Farmers Market welcomes community input

Dear Editor,

An open letter from the Kingston Farmers Market board and staff:

On Saturday, October 3,

2020, community members marched through the Kingston Farmers Market in protest of local gentrification and historical unjust treatment of Black and Brown people in our region.

Protesters paused inside the Market space for about 30 minutes to speak on systemic and experienced injustices to the crowd of vendors and shoppers.

To the protesters, we hear you. We see the gentrification of the city of Kingston, and acknowledge that our rapidly expanding customer base has been largely beneficial to sustaining the market, especially over the last year. We see the racial injustice, we see the rampant food insecurity, and we see the housing crisis currently upon us. We thank you for holding us accountable so that we may hold ourselves more accountable going forward.

Since this event, KFM board and staff members have grappled with how to best utilize our privilege and ensure people from historically marginalized populations in and around Kingston feel welcome at the market, and that our product offerings are accessible and appropriate.

In examining our position and reworking our mission, market leadership and staff have begun developing initiatives and partnerships to better support BIPOC and other marginalized peoples in our community, while keeping in step with our food and agriculturebased mission.

In 2021 and beyond, we invite the Kingston community to take a look at some of our new projects on the horizon:

• Vendor Mentorship Program, to provide a pathway to becoming a vendor at KFM, specifically focused on offering opportunities to those from marginalized communities that have faced obstacles to entering farmers market vendor communities.

• Growth of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) programs for those utilizing food assistance benefits.

• Making coolers available at the market for community and vendor food contributions to community fridges.

• Bilingual website and printed content, forthcoming.

• Recruitment of diverse entertainment and kids’ activities and crafts, COVID permitting.

• Invitating a broader range of community justice organizations to table at no cost.

The KFM board and staff invite all of Kingston to join us, not just on market days, but in the ongoing process of making the Market a place where vendors thrive and all customers can access healthy, high-quality local food. We also extend our partnership to other local organizations working to build equity and justice into our food system.

Send us an email at info@ kingstonfarmersmarket.org or reach us on Facebook or Instagram to share your ideal vision with us. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Kingston Farmers Market board and staff Kingston, N.Y.