Why He’s a Food Hero: As Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams has been a strong supporter of food access for all New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adams’s aspirations for an equitable and sustainable food system in NYC can be found in his main talking points about food. He is especially passionate about urban rooftop farming and engaging students in NYC public schools with gardening, as well as expanding SNAP and WIC access. He also used his position as Brooklyn Borough President to honor more than 100 residents doing incredible work through the COVID-19 pandemic, called “COVID-19 Heroes.” The list included healthcare workers, grassroots organizations, small businesses, and more.
Background: Adams is a former policeman and public servant who has made food and access to nutritious foods priority issues. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when he was 56 years old, but reversed his diagnosis through a more health-conscious approach to diet and exercise. He is now a vegan and a strong supporter of plant-based eating, and has published a book about his experience. Adams also participated as a guest chef in the Aspen Brain Institute’s Food as Medicine series.
Work: Adams was among the politicians leading the charge to bring Meatless Mondays to all NYC public schools, which brings vegetarian meals for breakfast and lunch to students every Monday. He has also pushed for the expansion and accelerated implementation of NYC’s Good Food Purchasing Program, which aims to improve food sovereignty in NYC.
Location: Brooklyn and throughout New York City
Resources and References:
- Report: Eric Adams’ The New Agrarian Economy (Food Politics)
- In the Kitchen with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams (Edible Brooklyn)
- Food as Medicine: A Plant-Based Approach to Preventing Chronic Illness (Aspen Brain Institute)
- A Leading NYC Mayoral Candidate Thinks Roof Farms Can Save America’s Cities (Eater)
- By Switching to a Plant-Based Diet, Eric Adams Is ‘Healthy at Last’ (Civil Eats)
- Eric Adams On New Book, True Origins of Soul Food (Forks Over Knives)
- Eric Adams, Mayoral Candidate 2021 Food Policy Interview (Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center)
- NYC Mayoral Candidate Eric Adams Wants a New Food Policy (Tenderly)
