Knowledge Exchange Session: Food is Medicine Brings Researchers and Community Together

The Community and Engagement Outreach (CEO) Core of the Louisville Clinical & Translational Research Center recently gathered residents, researchers, and local organizations at the Baxter Community Center for a Knowledge Exchange Session. 

Knowledge Exchange Sessions create collaborative spaces where community has a voice directly informing academic research. The Food is Medicine event highlighted the intersection of nutrition and systemic food access challenges across Kentuckiana.

Local chef Davonte Bolden opened the event by introducing participants to recipes featuring miso tofu and broccoli. Bolden noted that for many attendees, his demonstrations provide their very first experience tasting miso and tofu, bridging the gap between nutritional education and approachable, everyday cooking.

After the cooking demonstration, attendees split into interactive breakout discussions tailored to grassroots action and regional strategy. The Introduction to Grant Writing for Community Members session, led by Monica Thompson, offered practical guidance on transforming local ideas into fundable projects, emphasizing purpose, personal passion, and the core questions needed to establish a food-is-medicine focus. Concurrently, the Feed America / Food Access Meetup examined systemic gaps within West Louisville's food ecosystem while highlighting community-led innovations such as Feed Louisville’s Fresh program.

These breakout conversations created a broader dialogue among healthcare professionals, researchers, and residents regarding rising food insecurity across Kentuckiana, where more than 200,000 individuals rely on food assistance. Collaborating alongside University of Louisville researchers, participants noted striking parallels between West Louisville's access hurdles and those found in rural communities. Throughout the gathering, community voices remained front and center.

Ultimately, the insights gathered will support ongoing initiatives like the West Louisville Healthy Cookbook Initiative, reinforcing the CEO Core's dedication to elevating community expertise and building equitable, community-informed food systems.

Read the Spectrum News Article about the Knowledge Exchange: West Louisville residents help shape solutions for food access.