Bennett College Students Tackle Food Justice

Greensboro HBCU's class challenges students to address food insecurity in their community.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina features a class that teaches students about food insecurity and its disproportionate impact on minority communities. The class, created by Dr. Anne Hayes, has students volunteer at local food banks, tend to the college's own garden, and learn from community advocates about "food apartheid" - the deliberate mapping of food scarcity onto Black and low-income neighborhoods. Students like Jordan Harris-King and Tyrica Flair say the class has opened their eyes to systemic issues around food access and inspired them to take action, whether through their future careers or by declaring minors in related fields.

Why it matters

Food insecurity is a major issue that disproportionately affects minority and low-income communities, often due to a lack of access to fresh, affordable produce. By educating students on these disparities and empowering them to be part of the solution, Bennett College's class aims to create the next generation of food justice advocates and community leaders.

The details

The Gardening and Food Justice class at Bennett College has students volunteer at local food banks, tend to the college's own garden, and learn from community advocates about "food apartheid" - the deliberate mapping of food scarcity onto Black and low-income neighborhoods. This means grocery stores are often far away and fresh produce is hard to find nearby. The class challenges students to be part of the solution, whether through their future careers or by taking on related minors like Environmental Justice and Sustainability.

  • The class was created in 2025 by Dr. Anne Hayes.
  • In 2025, the college's garden served as a resource for students and staff to access fresh produce.
  • The new crop of Gardening and Food Justice students will be planting the garden this spring semester.

The players

Dr. Anne Hayes

The creator of the Gardening and Food Justice class at Bennett College.

Jordan Harris-King

A psychology major at Bennett College who took the Gardening and Food Justice class and saw it as an opportunity to learn more about food insecurity and how to address it.

Tyrica Flair

A Bennett College student who declared a minor in Environmental Justice and Sustainability after taking the Gardening and Food Justice class, which made her realize the extent of marginalization in her community.

Hajar Bamoussa

A Fulbright scholar and Arabic Instructor at Bennett College, visiting from Morocco, who took the Gardening and Food Justice class to connect with her family's farming roots.

Out of the Box Garden Project

A local charity that the Gardening and Food Justice class students volunteered with, teaching them about food waste management.

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What they’re saying

“I designed this class, Gardening and Food Justice for two reasons. One, to get students out into the community and to experience food justice and food insecurity firsthand, and then second, to connect students with change makers, with leaders, with activists, with farmers who can bring hope to this situation.”

— Dr. Anne Hayes, Creator of the Gardening and Food Justice class

“I already had experience with dealing with food troubles and stuff, but actually, like going in and learning about it, that's when I was, like, really opening my mind to the subject.”

— Jordan Harris-King, Bennett College student

“This course actually made me realize just how marginalized communities are, how this impacts the children, how this impacts families, and I want to learn more about what my part looks like and how I can be a voice.”

— Tyrica Flair, Bennett College student

“The major surprise for me is the amount of food waste that the U.S. has to deal with every day. Coming from a country where food is a very valuable asset to have, it made me realize that there is a chance given that we went to different charities, including Out of the Box Garden Project that was a personal favorite for me and taught me nothing really goes to waste if you manage it correctly.”

— Hajar Bamoussa, Fulbright scholar and Arabic Instructor at Bennett College

“As we're able to scale up, we hope that we're able to supply food for our community, to connect with our neighbors, you know, maybe we can knock on doors and surprise community members with fresh, fresh veggies this summer.”

— Dr. Anne Hayes, Creator of the Gardening and Food Justice class

What’s next

The new crop of Bennet College Gardening and Food Justice students will be planting the college's garden this spring semester, with hopes to expand the program's ability to supply fresh produce to the surrounding community.

The takeaway

By educating students on food insecurity and empowering them to take action, Bennett College's Gardening and Food Justice class is cultivating the next generation of food justice advocates who are committed to addressing systemic inequities and bringing fresh, affordable food to underserved communities.