Malik Yakini was named a 2012 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award Honoree. The James Beard Foundation hopes to shed light on the “complex realms of sustainability, food access, and public health” by “celebrating the visionaries responsible for creating a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food world.” The 2012 Honorees were chosen by an advisory board of a dozen experts committed to advancing food quality and healthful, sustainable practices.
Malik is being recognized specifically for his “work to ensure social justice, food equity, and food security to the people of urban Detroit.” He is being honored alongside author and farmer Wendell Berry and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, among others, and joins the ranks of First Lady Michelle Obama, Growing Power CEO Will Allen, and IATP Food and Community Fellow Deb Eschmeyer, among others, who were honored in 2011.
The 2012 honorees will be honored at a dinner ceremony that will take place during the James Beard Foundation Food Conference on October 17 in New York City.
