Daniel Shen

GFI Fellow - Class of 2017

Undergraduate Student, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
UCLA

PROJECT

Sunset Canyon Recreation Center Edible Amphitheater Garden

DESCRIPTION

Daniel and Jacob will be helping the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center Edible Amphitheater Garden to become a living, thriving space for the growing of healthy fruits, vegetables and human spirits. It will serve as an important component and influential symbol within the food justice and food security movement at UCLA, initiated by the Global Food Initiative and the EatWell pod of the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative. The garden provides a space to grow crops that can be processed into cottage foods such as jam, dried fruit and dried soup mix. These products can be donated to needs-based food providers on campus such as the CPO Food Closet and Cafe 580, which can then distribute them to food insecure students. Lastly, empowerment is the key to its success: the Edible Amphitheater will empower individuals to learn about sustainable food systems and production, to become knowledgeable of food nutrition and health, and to connect the goals of the Edible Amphitheater to the broader concerns facing the planet. As part of the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative and the UC Global Food Initiative, the Edible Amphitheater will be a space of education, awareness and empowerment.