Twin Cities farmers markets owned and operated by people of color offer food, culture, community

For Destiny Jones, an Indigenous-owned farmers market is key to preserving cultural traditions — especially in a city, she says, that can sometimes be hostile and isolating to the community.

"It's really exciting to be at the market, and to see all of these people that know each other or meeting up and looking around together," Jones said.

She operates the Four Sisters Farmers Market in Minneapolis' East Phillips neighborhood, which aims to preserve Indigenous traditions with Native vendors selling goods such as traditional pine cone jelly, jewelry and fresh fruits and vegetables.

While the market caters to Indigenous people, Jones also wants it to serve as an educational opportunity for others.

"When you're working with Indigenous spaces, there are people that may already know what Ojibwe art looks like in comparison to Dakota art," Jones said. "Vendors have to be prepared to answer those questions and facilitate a conversation."

Four Sisters is one of several local farmers markets owned or operated by people who are Indigenous or people of color. BIPOC owners and operators say they aim to create a safe space for people to connect with one another and to share cultural experiences.

"People wanted to see each other, say hi to each other and really connect with folks even if people aren't there for a market event," said Mo Hanson, director of the Midtown Farmers Market.

The Midtown market, founded by the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, wants to make food accessible for the community, Hanson said. It's located near the Lake Street/Midtown light-rail station in Minneapolis, which provides visibility and accessibility in an area experiencing high rates of poverty. "We need a space that has alternative pricing and modes of commerce," she said.

Hanson said a person-centered approach to food access is an important part of the market's philosophy, which encourages customers to interact with vendors and neighbors.

"We invite people to come take a load off, and hang out and share space with their neighbor," Hanson said. "That's not something you get from a store that's based off of purely commerce."

The market serves as a space for people who may not feel comfortable going to a grocery store due to accessibility needs or other factors, she said.

"We are really filling in a space for folks that have sensory needs that are not accommodated in a big box store," Hanson said. "We try to fill in every niche we can for our community members because food is necessary for survival."

One way the market makes food accessible is through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefits Transfer (SNAP EBT) matching program. The market provides monetary assistance for people to purchase food, said Macy-Chau Tran, program and communications director for the Midtown Farmers Market. For example, if someone spends $10 of their SNAP EBT benefits at the market, they will receive $20 from the market for additional purchases there.

The SNAP program, also known as food stamps, is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides people from low-income backgrounds a debit card preloaded with a set amount of funds to purchase nutritious food. In 2006, the Midtown farmers market became the first in Minnesota to accept SNAP EBT, Tran said.

The Midtown market vets vendors based on their needs and motivations, Hanson said. "We, like many other markets, are hoping for a well-rounded space with many different options," she said.

Four Sisters Farmers Market was launched in 2014 by the Native American Community Development Institute to educate residents about the Indigenous community.

"We make sure that early entrepreneurs have space to get their businesses off the ground by facilitating a space at the market and helping them connect with resources that can help them further their business," Jones said.

DeVon Nolen manages the People's Market in north Minneapolis, a Black-owned market that kicked off its second season on June 22. Nolen said her previous job as a food justice consultant with the Northside Fresh Coalition helped her understand the issues surrounding food insecurity on the North Side, including a lack of access to grocery stores after Walgreens and Aldi closed locations last year and Walmart closed a store in nearby Brooklyn Center.

"It is structural and institutional racism," Nolen said. "There's a long history of divestment and disinvestment in north Minneapolis. It wasn't that these stores weren't profitable, it wasn't that there was so much theft. Gentrification is already happening. You collapse the food markets, the schools, and the community is no longer in value and then the businesses leave."

After losing the three stores, Nolen felt compelled to provide food access to people in the area, so she founded the People's Market. She hopes it will rewrite narratives that others have about the Black community.

"My goal is to always serve the invisible people, because there is a lot of classism and elitism that happens in our city, and I'm a victim of it," Nolen said. "We really don't have a place in Minneapolis to celebrate our culture."

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This story comes to you from Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering Minnesota's immigrants and communities of color. Sign up for a free newsletter to receive Sahan's stories in your inbox.