Women and Girls Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture (WANDA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on women and girls of African descent in the food system. WANDA has launched a national survey to help shape a new U.S. food bill of rights, aiming to address racial and gender inequalities by advocating for representation and equity across the food system to ensure healthy production and consumption. Less than 3% of nutritionists and only 1.5% of U.S. food producers are Black, with far fewer being women, largely due to discriminatory policies. WANDA’s initiatives include national surveys, support for “food sheroes,” and Sisterhood Suppers that foster dialogue and build community. Founder Tambra Raye Stevenson emphasizes the importance of Black women’s inclusion in policymaking for a sustainable food future. The organization also advocates for addressing food apartheid and sees the fight for food justice as deeply intertwined with the fight for racial justice. WANDA collaborates with organizations like the NAACP to elevate these issues in policy discussions and celebrates WANDA Week, beginning on Juneteenth, to honor Black women’s contributions to the food system.
