By: Ariama C. Long
With food expenses rising and groceries costing more for families across the state, access to fresh food is even more of a necessity than ever. Queens State Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson is responding after being appointed as the new chair of the State Assembly’s food and farming task force, and his passion for healthy food is evident as he tours the state’s farms.
“We have a growing — pun intended — food ecosystem here on the peninsula,” said Anderson about his district in Far Rockaway, Queens.
He is “beyond excited” to be named chair of the Task Force on Farm, Food, and Nutrition Policy for the New York State Assembly. His journey to this position began more than 12 years ago as a high school student, when Superstorm Sandy devastated his community in the Rockaways in 2012. He dedicated himself to addressing the systemic barriers that create food apartheid in low-income and underserved communities with limited access to healthy and affordable food.
His position fulfills a goal that dates to his election. “When I first got in office, I brought out the chair of this same task force to the farm that I helped build,” said Anderson. “I was thinking that maybe one day, I could lead some of that work for the state.”
