This is reposted from Leonard Zheng’s original LinkedIn post with permission.

Earlier in March, I had the opportunity to participate in the Rise Up! Provincial Retreat hosted by the Public Health Association of BC on Vancouver Island.

Over four days, we explored food systems, environmental stewardship, leadership, and community through a mix of indoor workshops, group activities, and local site visits.

One part I especially enjoyed was working with others to imagine what a stronger food system could look like. Our discussions went far beyond food itself — we talked about relationships, justice, equity, collaboration, intergenerational knowledge, local communities, and the values that shape the way food systems function.

The local farm visits were probably one of the most memorable parts for me. They felt almost like real-world case studies. We had the opportunity to visit the sites, hear directly from the owners about the challenges they were facing, understand the context behind those challenges, and then work together to analyze the situation and come up with possible recommendations.

The local farm visits were probably one of the most memorable parts for me. They felt almost like real-world case studies… made the learning much more tangible.

That experience made the learning much more tangible. Instead of only talking about food systems in theory, we were able to see how different social, environmental, operational, and community factors come together in a real setting.

With a background in food systems, this experience felt especially meaningful to me. It pushed me to think more deeply about how food connects with people, communities, the environment, and the systems around us — and how building a stronger food system often requires looking at the whole picture rather than just one part of it.

It was also a great opportunity to meet people from across BC with different experiences and perspectives, and to learn through those conversations.

A little late to post, but definitely an experience I’m grateful for.

It pushed me to think more deeply about… how building a stronger food system often requires looking at the whole picture rather than just one part of it.