Meet food equity director Sara Draper-Zivetz

Housing Policy with Carolina Reid and Carol Galante.

I loved the community we built in the student lounge. It was kind of like a dive bar without the drinks (usually) — old, worn, comfortable, welcoming, and a place you could just “be,” away from the stress of our classes and other responsibilities.

The faculty is well-versed in both the academic theory and ideas that inform the planning profession and the current people, issues, policies, and realities that shape it outside of academia. This balance of aspirational and theoretical thinking about the future of planning, combined with a concrete tie to its realities, was a good foundation from which to step into the professional world.

I’m working for a community-based organization that takes a multifaceted approach to building a more equitable food system in Oakland. Urban food systems are a reflection of broader planning dynamics and injustices, and I was drawn to work in food as a tool for greater health and equity in cities.

I’ve been enjoying East Bay Yesterday, which is both an Instagram account and podcast that dives into the lesser known sides of Oakland and East Bay history.