The higher prevalence of diabetes and obesity in low-income and Black communities in the United States is a critical health disparity that's directly linked to "food apartheid." Research reveals that predominantly Black neighborhoods tend to have a higher concentration of fast-food establishments and show increased consumption of unhealthy, processed diets.

"Food apartheid," a term coined by Bronx-based community activist Karen Washington, describes a form of modern-day segregation to divide communities with ample access to healthy, affordable food and deny others such access due to systemic racism and classism. Washington emphasizes that the origin of food insecurity is not based solely on location, but is deeply rooted in historical, political, and social inequities. The food apartheid we are experiencing today is not coincidental but the residue of the slavery African Americans endured in this country.

Inglewood podiatric surgeon Dr. Bill Releford has stood on the front lines of diabetic limb prevention and wound care for over thirty years in Los Angeles County. He can attest to the harmful reality of food apartheid firsthand in the South Los Angeles area. The faces of his patients, often reminding him of his own family, deepened his heartache as he witnessed his community suffer from diabetes, cancer, etc. Dr. Releford identifies the easily accessible, 99-cent hamburgers and the aggressive expansion of fast-food chains in Black neighborhoods as the actual weapons of mass destruction plaguing his patients' health. 

"When I think about food apartheid, the systemic and institutional barriers that have limited the access to fresh fruits and vegetables in our community, [I think about] how our communities are designed," says Dr. Releford. "Transportation, safety, all those things culminate into not being able to access the most nutritional [foods] that you need to survive."

After spending decades healing the sick through preventive and holistic care, Dr. Releford began the "5 Colors a Day to Better Health" movement. He wrote a book about it nearly 15 years ago, drastically improving his patients' lives. The movement involves incorporating five vibrant colors of fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily diet, and you'll see your health transform before your eyes. This discovery materialized after documenting how his 80 to 100-year-old patients remained in good health versus his younger patients under 60 years old who experienced kidney failure and other ailments.

“After about a decade of me formally documenting what I was seeing, I said [my older patients] are eating five colors, versus those patients that were 30 and 40 and 50 years old on dialysis, wounds everywhere…they were eating out of garbage cans essentially," expresses Dr. Releford.

Even with the success of the "5 Colors a Day to Better Health" movement, Dr. Releford felt compelled to do more to amplify his fight for Black health and wellness beyond the clinic. Thus prompting his acquisition of Bloom Ranch in 2023. Bloom Ranch is a 250-acre farmland in Acton, California, 55 miles from Los Angeles. The 127-year-old property now stands as Southern California's largest Black-owned farm, a testament to Dr. Releford's unwavering commitment to cultivating true community well-being. It was a seamless transition from doctor to farmer, as he had his Oklahoma roots and ancestral intelligence to rely on. He discovered the meaning of hard work in a small town called Wagner, situated five miles outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

"As a people, we should really lean into the resilience and the hard work of our ancestors; everyone here today that are descendants of slaves, you are the crown jewel of what our people have suffered for," Dr. Releford states. "For me, that has been my clarion call to do something meaningful with those lessons that I learned as a young boy in the country, in the cotton fields of Oklahoma." 

As the proud third owner of Bloom Ranch, Dr. Releford takes great joy in producing the best fruits and vegetables for the residents of Los Angeles County and his patients. He ensures his farm is constantly growing fruits and vegetables that combat illnesses, boost immune systems, and revitalize the mind, body, and spirit to keep you at your best. Bloom Ranch cultivates a variety of crops on its grounds, including kale, onions, apples, and cucumbers, among others. However, Dr. Releford's favorite vegetable growing on the farm is their famous collard greens, which are culturally relevant in Black culture and packed with fiber and vitamins. 

"Collard greens represents community, cultural preservation and resilience, but nutritionally, the collard green is loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, and all the fiber there," shares Dr. Releford. "The collard green is good for your immune system… and the antioxidants and anti-aging qualities are in collard greens." 

Bloom Ranch actively tackles food apartheid in Los Angeles County with its produce subscription box service, a project that Dr. Releford and his team conceived. This initiative delivers around 60 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables daily to the community, ensuring that even his Inglewood patients receive a monthly supply. As a key component of Bloom Ranch's "Food Is Medicine" program, these produce boxes directly contribute to tangible health benefits among Dr. Releford's patients. He has observed remarkable improvements in patients who incorporate vegetables into their diets, including improved blood sugar control, healing of chronic wounds, and decreased blood pressure. Dr. Releford aims to continue addressing healthcare challenges by designing tailor-made vegetable boxes to treat various ailments, rather than relying on medication.

"We will be customizing boxes based upon clinical importance, and we're going to have a [blood] pressure box," says Dr. Releford. "There's vegetables that bring down blood pressure naturally — beets are great, garlics are great, turnips are great and dill is great for bringing the blood pressure down." 

Dr. Releford urgently calls for the Black community to reclaim their health by understanding the origins of their food, demanding higher nutritional standards, and prioritizing nourishment. He envisions Bloom Ranch's Inglewood presence as an essential next step, directly bringing the farm's organic produce, flowers, honey, and artisanal goods to a community that has long been denied access. His ultimate goal is to empower Black farmers nationwide to adopt Bloom Ranch's model, partnering with local healthcare and organizations to control the supply chain and cultivate healthier communities from the ground up.

"Black farmers can have a voice in addressing health disparities in our community from a nutritional perspective, and I believe that Black farmers…can be that one element that takes the place of some of the low-quality foods," Dr. Releford states. "You may pay a little bit more [for fresh food]…But I think that's a great investment for the future of our people and our community."

To learn more about how nutritious fruits and vegetables can help you control your health and wellness, visit Bloom Ranch of Acton and stay tuned for their Bloom & Co. Inglewood location, which will open soon.