Exploring Food Justice Through Action and Literature

Summer Harrison is an Associate Professor of English and Environmental Studies & Sustainability at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey.
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In Fall 2023, Professor Harrison taught Food Justice and U.S. Literature, a course in which students learned about the intersection of food, justice, and contemporary U.S. literature. By analysing how literature shapes and reflects ideas about food, students deepened their understanding of systemic inequities in food access and production. A core component of the course involved hands-on engagement with local food justice efforts, which allowed students to connect scholarship with real-world action.

Through the Periclean Faculty Leadership (PFL) grant, Professor Harrison developed partnerships with three Morristown-based organizations: Neighborhood House, Grow it Green Morristown, and Table of Hope. Students committed 20 hours of community-based work with one of these partners, applying course concepts to tangible solutions for food insecurity. 

One of the course’s more significant outcomes was its role in strengthening collaboration among local food organizations. Professor Harrison served as a liaison between the partners, where she helped coordinate the efforts and streamline communication. By fostering resource-sharing and strategic cooperation, the course laid the groundwork for long-term community-driven solutions to food insecurity. 

Students played a key role in this work, often bridging efforts between organizations: 

• Students used their training and resources from Grow it Green Morristown to grow vegetable and herb seedlings, which they contributed to Neighborhood House’s child-center food education program, creating in-home growing kits for children. 
• Students also helped expand one of Grow it Green Morristown’s garden plots, growing fresh produce for Neighborhood House.
• The newest partner organization, Table of Hope, was able to strengthen its network within the local area, gaining access to resources, data, and partnerships that enhanced its ability to serve the community. 

The course also helped connect off-campus food justice efforts with Drew University’s newly established food pantry. One student served as a liaison, sharing resources and insights between campus and community organizations. Their work included creative outreach initiatives, such as Instagram takeovers for the pantry’s account, where they engaged the community in conversations about food justice and encouraged sustainable involvement. 

Student reflections demonstrated the transformative impact of building relationships with community partners. Beyond gaining research and service-learning experience, students developed justice-driven approaches to civic engagement. One student shared, “I realized that true service is not just about accomplishing certain tasks, but about actively integrating and being a part of a participating community…However, true service is based on equality and respect for the value and integrity of others.”

Reflecting on the impact of participation in the PFL program, Professor Harrison shared, “The grant allowed for innovative projects, expanded collaborations, and meaningful engagement with partners, students, and the wider community. By addressing pressing local food needs, fostering partnerships, and furthering research, the grant has laid the groundwork for more sustainable service learning practices, inter-organizational cooperation in our area, and knowledge creation around food justice pedagogies.”

Through Professor Harrison’s leadership, students in the Food Justice and U.S. Literature course moved beyond charity-based volunteering and committed to ethical, reciprocal, and justice-centered community engagement. This is a legacy that will continue to shape both campus and community partnerships in the years to come.