by Ashanté M. Reese
W.W. Norton and Company
4/14/2026, hardcover
SKU: 9781324076469
Food justice is defined as the understanding that our food system is unequal and that something needs to be done about it. But how can we create a world where everyone has enough? What does it mean to truly nourish ourselves and our communities?
In Gather, anthropologist Ashanté M. Reese argues for a vibrant new vision of food justice that places Black communities at the center and offers us a visionary, delicious path forward. Reese reveals that to truly create equity in our food systems, we must embrace the abundance that already exists around us--and recognize that the social body is as important as our individual health
Gather presents rich, on-the-ground stories of gathering around food in four spaces--gardens, family reunions, repasts, and protests. Blending rich storytelling with analysis, these chapters argue for the political power of food and invite us to learn from the tactics Black communities have long used to create sustainable, systemic change.
There are no simple solutions to the problems of acute need. But by recognizing that food justice is already all around us, we can start working together to create a more nourishing, joyful world. Gather is an intimate and urgent invitation to embrace local power, build better food systems, and nourish ourselves, body and soul.
Reviews:
"With an anthropologist's keen eye for vivid detail and a knack for noticing ancestral ritual in everyday practices, Ashanté M. Reese expertly reveals the deep meaning of nourishment--togetherness in celebration and suffering." -- Tiya Miles, National Book Award winner and author of Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of A Free People and Wild Girls
"Dr. Ashanté M. Reese serves us a warm plate of berry pie while reminding us that the food justice we seek is among us already." -- Leah Penniman, cofounder of Soul Fire Farm, and author of Farming While Black and Black Earth Wisdom
"In this phenomenal meditation on food's role in Black history and culture, anthropologist Reese (Black Food Matters) shares guiding principles gleaned from Black social gatherings that can help combat hunger and food insecurity... It's a delicacy for the heart, mind, and soul." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
About the Author:
Ashanté M. Reese is a writer, anthropologist, and associate professor of African and African diaspora studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Raised in Cooper Settlement, Texas, she lives in Austin and is involved in food justice movements nationwide.