Vision
The West Bench Farmers Market is a vibrant, seasonal marketplace that brings together diverse cultures and culinary traditions, offering locally grown food and global agricultural products. It serves as a dynamic space for the community to explore, connect with, and learn about sustainable food systems, fostering a deeper understanding of food sovereignty and cross-cultural exchange.
Mission
The West Bench Farmers Market fosters a regenerative, inclusive food system by providing a vibrant marketplace that celebrates both locally sourced and globally inspired agricultural products. We support sustainable farming practices, promote cultural diversity, and offer the community access to healthy, fresh foods while empowering local farmers, artisans, and food producers. Through this dynamic space, we aim to strengthen connections, educate, and inspire a more resilient and interconnected community, city, and food culture.
Values
- Access: We strive to create an inclusive marketplace where everyone, regardless of background or means, has equal opportunity to participate and benefit from the market’s offerings.
- Inclusivity: We embrace diversity, fostering an environment where people from all cultures, identities, and backgrounds feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to engage with the market and its offerings.
- Community: We believe food is a powerful connector, bringing people together across cultures and backgrounds to share, learn, and celebrate. We work to create a sense of belonging and build stronger relationships within our community and city.
- Education: We are dedicated to cultivating a deeper understanding of global and local food systems by providing opportunities for learning that engage people of all ages in exploring food, sustainability, and cultural exchange.
- Sustainability: We are committed to environmental stewardship, supporting practices that protect the earth’s resources, honor the labor behind food production, and promote resilience in local and global food systems.
Equity Statement
The West Bench Farmers Market recognizes that the agricultural and food systems are deeply intertwined with historical injustices, including exclusion, racism, and inequitable access to land, resources, and opportunities. We acknowledge that these systemic barriers have disproportionately affected marginalized communities, particularly in realms such as land ownership, agricultural funding, immigration, and housing policy.
We are committed to promoting racial and social equity within our market and the broader food system. Our goal is to create a space where diverse voices and cultural traditions are uplifted and where all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, or immigration or refugee status, have access to opportunities for economic, social, and cultural empowerment.
The West Bench Farmers Market actively works to break down barriers and foster a welcoming, inclusive environment where people from all walks of life can engage with and benefit from our marketplace. We hold ourselves and each other accountable to these values, continuously striving to advance equity through our policies, practices, and partnerships, particularly in relation to strengthening local and regional food systems.
We are committed to promoting racial and social equity within our market and the broader food system. Our goal is to create a space where diverse voices and cultural traditions are uplifted and where all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, or immigration or refugee status, have access to opportunities for economic, social, and cultural empowerment.
The West Bench Farmers Market actively works to break down barriers and foster a welcoming, inclusive environment where people from all walks of life can engage with and benefit from our marketplace. We hold ourselves and each other accountable to these values, continuously striving to advance equity through our policies, practices, and partnerships, particularly in relation to strengthening local and regional food systems.