Kitchen table justice: Co-developing Indigenous-informed food justice participatory action research strategy to support holistic health and redress health inequities with paroled women in BC

This grant will support research planning with women who have been recently incarcerated and will directly support future research guided by Indigenous approaches to holistic health and health equity through food-based program development. We will build relationships with paroled research users through the making and sharing of food, and the inclusion of research users, stakeholders and Indigenous Elders in all activities. Specifically, we will: (i) conduct a literature synthesis on the potentials of food justice to support holistic health equity for women on parole, and (ii) meet bi-weekly to: (a) collaboratively develop a terms of reference and governance structure that outlines team roles and responsibilities and decision-making processes; (b) engage in co-learning about food-related health and social inequities to develop a shared understanding of the potentials of food to support health; and (c) explore potential solutions and actions to redress overlapping health, prison and food inequities. Additionally, we will: (d) collaboratively plan and develop a grant application to support subsequent research to co-develop a food justice health intervention with and for women leaving prison in BC.

Team members: Angel Willard (Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver); Kelsey Timler (UBC); Lisa Bowden (Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver); Nyki Kish-Field (University of Fraser Valley); Lyana Patrick (Simon Fraser University); Valerie Napoleon (University of Victoria)