Sheela Bhongir

GFI Fellow - Class of 2015

Graduate Student, Urban and Regional Planning
UCLA

Project

Turn Things Around: Obesity Prevention at the Grassroots

Description

Turn Things Around: Obesity Prevention at the Grassroots is a short documentary about the effects of food marketing in early childhood obesity. The film follows Stefani Gilmore, a member of the Pasadena Parent Action Group, a resource for parents with infant children to learn nutrition and develop healthy food policies for the city of Pasadena. Gilmore invites the audience into her home as she prepares dinner for her children and shares her challenges to preparing healthy food on a budget.

Goals

The major goal is awareness on the role food marketing has on early childhood obesity as well as the awareness of the significant impact grassroots action groups, such as the Pasadena Parent Action Group, can have for the community and city at large. The outcomes of this project are increased collaboration and partnership between the Pasadena Parent Action Group with local politicians, activists, neighbors and concerned citizens about the nutritional well-being of a community.

Future Plans

Using this film to bridge connections between grassroots groups, the city of Pasadena, the Los Angeles Unified School District, local politicians, food vendors and the food system at large.

Mentors

Academy for Social Purpose in Responsible Entertainment (ASPIRE), Pasadena Department of Public Health, and UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs' Department of Urban and Regional Planning