Connecting the Food System to Health Equity in D.C.'s Wards 7 and 8
About the Project
Our project brings together residents and community leaders to better understand how access to healthy, portable food impacts everyday health, and to identify policies, partnerships, and investments that can make a lasting difference in Washington, DC’s Wards 7 and 8.
A community-academic partnership, co-led by a Ward 7 & 8 Community Advisory Board and the Center for Community Resilience, Global Food Institute, and Institute for Socioeconomic Opportunity, this project provides a comprehensive look at how residents in Wards 7 and 8 experience food access as it relates to their health and well-being.
What We're Doing
Bring together residents and community leaders from Wards 7 and 8 to shape the project's overall direction.
Engage with community members and organizations to assess where food access efforts are most valued and needed
Identify and pursue food-related policies and funding opportunities that respond to residents’ most pressing needs
Develop community-driven measures to improve food access and well-being for residents in Wards 7 & 8
Our Approach
Data
We collect data through surveys, interviews, and focus groups to understand how people access healthy food and to show what changes could make the biggest difference.
Storytelling
We gather personal stories and share real experiences from the community so others can understand what food access looks like in everyday life.
Group Model Building
We use a collaborative process to create a picture of what helps or gets in the way of accessing healthy food, so we can better understand existing problems and decide on next steps together.
Community Advisory Board (CAB)
The community advisory board is a group of residents and public servant leaders committed to learning from one another, strengthening partnerships, supporting existing efforts, and creating new opportunities to advance health equity in Wards 7 and 8.
Through community-driven systems change, the board works to strengthen the local food system, promote and enact food sovereignty, and advance equitable improvements in health, opportunity, and wellbeing across both wards.
Spotlight Series
Through this series, we share CAB members' personal stories and highlight how they use their expertise to build a fairer food system for their neighbors.
Q&A with Community Advisory Board Member Cinquan Umar Muhammad
June 11, 2026
Cinquan Umar Muhammad discusses the intersection between food justice and the criminal justice system.
Q&A with Community Advisory Board Member Tamisa Brooks
June 11, 2026
Darcy Cherlin talks with Tamisa Brooks about her work in Wards 7 and 8, highlighting the need for affordable grocery stores, nutrition, and health messaging.
Q&A with Community Advisory Board Member Dana Simpson
June 11, 2026
GFI’s Darcy Cherlin sat down with Dana Simpson, a lifelong public servant, community advocate, and change agent in Wards 7 and 8.
Building Connections Across Wards 7 & 8
CAB Members
Alphonso Coles
Vice President, Urban Sea Corp.
Andre Towner
Faith-based Community Leader, Aya Solutions
Britnee Bailey
Green Infrastructure & Ecosystem Engineering Leader, Hey Life's A Garden (HLG)
Carlos Coleman
Resident
Cinquan Umar Muhammad
Social Justice Advocate and Community Outreach Specialist, Dreaming Out Loud/ Synergy Ad. Group
Dana Simpson
Director of Community Partnerships and Growth, DC Central Kitchen
Michael Settles
Student, Virginia Union University
Randall Baylor
Program Manager of Community Mental Health, Children's National Hospital/Early Childhood Innovation Network
Tamisa Brooks
Family Engagement Manager, Educare DC
Yve' (Anna) Gilmore
Community Navigator, Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative
