Projects
Imagining Future Food Systems
PROJECT TEAM: LISA IAB YAJ, JESSICA THOMPSON, HANNAH TRASSER, LEE VALENTYN
Imagining Future Food Systems was an initiative that engaged over 400 community members across 18 neighborhoods to shape a local food system that promotes social, economic, and environmental well-being.
Through 20 listening sessions over a 9-month period (October 2024 - June 2025), Milwaukee community members provided insights on food justice, community assets, and actionable steps toward a more equitable and sustainable food system.
The purpose of this initiative was to establish a long-term vision for the local food system grounded in community voice.
The following principles and objectives guided the listening sessions:
Those closest to the problem are in the best position to solve it
Communities drive the work of local food system change
Identify goals and possible actionable steps
Determine community capacity for long-term food system transformation
Milwaukee Food System Changemakers:
Cohort I 2024 & Cohort II 2025
PROJECT TEAM: Lee Valentyn (MFC & UW-Madison Extension FoodWIse), Tatiana Maida (healthTIDE & Rising in Community LLC), Hannah Trasser MFC, Jessie Thompson (MFC), Lisa Iab Yaj (MFC Graduate Assistant UWM)
The Milwaukee Food System Changemakers initiative was created to build the leadership and capacity of community members most affected by food insecurity and health inequities. Many efforts to improve the food system in Milwaukee are led by organizations or professionals who do not necessarily have lived experience with food insecurity. This initiative aimed to change that by convening community leaders and building on their knowledge, tools, and networks to influence change at multiple levels of the system.
The five-day capacity-building program, co-developed by Lee Valentyn and Tatiana Maida, combined systems thinking frameworks, local history, storytelling, and leadership development. This program created a community-centered, multicultural, and bilingual space where people felt heard, respected, and motivated.
Milwaukee Food Environment Maps:
This maps intends to aid service providers and community members in identifying where food can be accessed in Milwaukee County. This tool has two geographic maps and one network map. The first map displays the Emergency Food environment of Milwaukee County, including the food banks, pantries, and meal sites where individuals can seek food assistance. The second map displays the Food Access environment of Milwaukee County, including most establishments where food can be purchased such as grocery stores, farmers markets, convenience stores, and warehouses / supercenters. The Food Environment Network maps the relationships and connections between the various food actors of Milwaukee county.
