Black-Led.
Black-Mandated.
Black-Serving.
WHO WE ARE
Birthed out of conversations with the community in 2019, Black Food Sovereignty Alliance (BFSA) was established by The Afri-Can FoodBasket—a Toronto Non-profit organization that has been pushing the needle in Black Food Sovereignty since 1995—in partnership with the City of Toronto, to collectively help advance food issues impacting Black communities in the GTA while confronting anti-Black racism.
Under the umbrella of Black Food Sovereignty Alliance (BFSA), the Working Group and our partners represent Black farmers, restaurateurs, dieticians, nutritionists, importers and more to get resources for their communities, empowering them to become more food secure, and ultimately, more food sovereign.
The call for Black Food Sovereignty represents a new strategic phase in asserting our self- determination, addressing the structural roots of anti-Black racism, and promoting our health and wellbeing. This will be our collective effort.
MISSION
To advocate, educate and collectively dialogue and collaborate for Black Food Sovereignty for People of African Descent in GTA, embracing and honouring past wisdom and practice to ensure a sustainable and interconnected future for generations to come.
VISION
To live in a society where People of African Descent enjoy equitable access to food and are empowered to exercise their own stewardship of food systems driven by their own interest and for the benefit of all Black communities in the GTA.
VALUES
INCLUSIVE
“I am because we are” - ensuring that no one is left out by accepting and respecting our diversity.
HONOURING ANCESTRAL AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES
As a foundation for today’s solutions, we will utilize Afrocentric Principles and ancestral knowledge and practices by identifying, maintaining and centering them in our everyday activities to preserve and pass on to future generations.
SELF-DETERMINATION
We are the authors of our own lives and as such we are coauthors with the institutions that govern our lives. We have the right and competence to make our own decisions free from oppression.
RESPECT AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Our environment underpins our very existence hence, we are stewards of the environment and we embrace our responsibility to care for and protect it and respect it as the source of our existence.
COLLABORATION AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING
We work and learn together with our communities, various sectors, industries, and groups in authentic and trusting relationships with a shared vision and understanding to tackle the most complex issues to bring about food sovereignty for people of African Descent.
INTEGRITY
Integrity is a matter of one’s word and honouring our word is the foundation from which we work, and is the necessary condition and standard from which we operate with individuals, groups, and organizations.
46.7%
of Black Canadian children
are food insecure
Over a third of Black Canadian
children are food insecure compared
to 12% of white Canadian children
300,000
Black Torontonian children
are food insecure
More than one-quarter of Black households in Toronto are food insecure, representing about 300,000 children alone
1995
The Afri-Can FoodBasket started as a community cooperative that was volunteer driven.
2019
Black Food Sovereignty Toronto was established by The Afri-Can FoodBasket in partnership with the City of Toronto.
2021
The Black Food Sovereignty plan was released by the City of Toronto with input from the community conversations that BFST hosted.
2023
Launched Black Food Sovereignty Policy Paper and hosted Food Sovereignty In Black Communities.
2024
Black Food Sovereignty Alliance incorporated as a Non Profit Organization.
2025
BFSA continues its advocacy and community work through support from various partners and funders.
OUR SUPPORTERS
