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

For Destiny Jones, a Native-owned farmers market is essential 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 see all these people who know each other or meet each other and watch together,” Jones said.

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

Although the market is aimed at indigenous populations, Jones also wants it to serve as an educational opportunity for others.

“When you’re working with Indigenous spaces, some people may already know what Ojibwe art looks like versus Dakota art,” Jones said. “Vendors need to be prepared to answer those questions and facilitate a conversation.”

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

“People wanted to see each other, say hello and really connect with people, even if people weren’t there for a market event,” said Mo Hanson, manager of the Midtown Farmers Market.

Midtown Market, founded by the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, wants to make food accessible to the community, Hanson said. It is located near the Lake Street/Midtown light rail station in Minneapolis, providing visibility and accessibility in an area with high poverty rates. “We need a space that offers 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 relax, hang out and share a space with their neighbor,” Hanson said. “That’s not something you get in a retail-only store.”

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

“We’re really filling a space for people who have sensory needs that aren’t being met in a big box store,” Hanson said. “We’re trying to fill every niche that we can for people in our community because food is necessary for survival.”

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

The SNAP program, also known as food stamps, is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides people from disadvantaged backgrounds with a debit card preloaded with a set amount to buy nutritious food. In 2006, the Midtown Farmers Market became the first in Minnesota to accept SNAP EBT, Tran said.

Midtown Market selects vendors based on their needs and motivations, Hanson said. “Like many other markets, we’re hoping for a full space with a lot of different options,” she said.

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

“We ensure that early-stage entrepreneurs have a space to start their business by facilitating space in the marketplace and helping them access resources that can help them grow their business,” Jones said.

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

“This is structural and institutional racism,” Nolen said. “There’s a long history of disinvestment in north Minneapolis. It’s not that these stores weren’t profitable, it’s not that there was so much theft. Gentrification is already happening. Food markets, schools are falling apart, the community is no longer valuable, and businesses are leaving.”

After losing all three stores, Nolen felt compelled to provide food to the people in the area and so founded the People’s Market. She hopes it will rewrite the narratives others have about the black community.

“My goal is to always serve the invisible people, because there is a lot of classism and elitism in our city, and I am a victim of that,” 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’s Diarya nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota. Subscribe to free newsletter to receive Sahan’s stories in your inbox.