So Nishitani

Documentary Filmmaker / Photojournalist
sonishitani.com
Harvesting Hope
Projects (2)
Clients: NHK, NHK World, Yahoo!Japan News Media Mettle
School: Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications, City, University of London, Department of Journalism Kobe University, Faculty of Intercultural Studies
    Harvesting Hope by So Nishitani 
Public Project
Harvesting Hope
Copyright So Nishitani 2025
Updated Apr 2025
Location Array
Topics Feature, News
Summary
There are many areas in the US categorized as “food deserts.” The Southside of Syracuse faces the problem and some organizations now open stands and markets to challenge the situation.
I try to visualize the current “food desert” situation in Syracuse and report the story of how local people try to solve their situation by themselves.
The major areas of the south side of Syracuse are categorized as “food deserts.” Compared with the north and east side of Syracuse, there are few supermarkets and a lack of access to fresh food. Valley, a central district of south Syracuse, has no supermarkets after Tops closed two years ago.
Rhonda Vesey, a founder of FAHNN (Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now) runs a farmer's stand at Valley Plaza where Tops used to be. She cooperates with other local organizations including SOFSA (Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance) and Brady Farm.
On October 28th 2024,  they held the first food justice event in Syracuse. Their glass-rooted challenge now involves more and more people, and it is becoming a “movement.”
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