Empower Her Plate:
Centering Diverse Voices at the Intersection of Food Justice and Environmental Equity
Friday, November 7th
12:00 — 1:00pm
Hosted on Zoom
Hosted by The Conservation Foundation’s Inclusion Council, speaker Dr. Vidya Bommi presents Empower Her Plate, a dissertation proposal that addresses food insecurity through the lens of gender, sustainability, and social capital. Rooted in a community garden model, this initiative empowers women by increasing access to fresh food, cultivating practical skills, and fostering strong social networks that build resilience and collective agency. The project uplifts diverse voices often marginalized in environmental spaces, positioning food justice as a pathway to equity and inclusion.
Dr. Vidya Bommi is a social work educator, practitioner, and researcher with extensive experience in field education, curriculum development, and community-based practice. She has been in private practice in Naperville for nearly 20 years, bringing a strong background in community health to her work with individuals and families. Her scholarship, including her dissertation Empower Her Plate, focuses on food insecurity, empowerment, and social capital among women. In addition to her academic and clinical work, Dr. Bommi serves on the Inclusion Council at The Conservation Foundation, where she advances equity and inclusion in environmental and community initiatives.