About me

Hello, and welcome to Edible Autonomy! I’m Jordan, a senior at Drexel University majoring in Journalism and living in Philadelphia, PA.  During my free time, you can catch me playing with my kitten Chia or taking in the sights at Wissahickon Valley Park. 

Over the past year, I’ve become keenly aware of the importance of consuming quality food and the debilitating effects of improper nutrition on the body. One day, I stumbled across a video of a person detailing the impact of moving to America on their health. I was astonished that, though their diet didn’t drastically change, they believed their health declined due to the chemicals in American food. Hearing their story sent me down a rabbit hole, piquing my interest in the American food system and how inundated with chemicals most of our food is.

Furthermore, major health crises in the food industry have made me think deeply about where my food originates. In the summer of 2024, a massive bird flu outbreak affected several food products, and in November, Butterball Turkey came under fire for improper handling of their turkeys. These events made me realize how disconnected most Americans are from how our food is processed, and how much we are at the mercy of corporations regarding the quality of what we consume. With billion-dollar companies controlling vast portions of our food system, they dictate not only the nutritional value of our food but also the sustainability and ethics of its production. This raised a critical question for me: How can we create a more just and sustainable food system that prioritizes people over profit?

That question led me to Edible Autonomy, a blog dedicated to educating college students like myself on the importance of food sovereignty. I will use this blog to dig into the structural obstacles holding communities from taking charge of land and food production. I also plan to explore strategies organic urban gardeners in Philadelphia attempted to combat these problems. From Edible Autonomy, I want to build a bridge between awareness and action. Ultimately, I want to get more students thinking about where their food comes from and what actions they can take to achieve food independence.

So, come along with me, and let’s discover the power of food sovereignty together!