Food for Thought: Spotlighting Baltimore's Frontline Food Service Workers

ABSTRACT This article outlines a collaboration between staff from the Baltimore City Public School district Food and Nutrition Services and the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The Food for Thought project honors the frontline food service workers who nourished Baltimore students throughout the pandemic and inspires action to address food insecurity. A temporary exhibition at the museum is complemented by a permanent installation at the school district headquarters. This project was more than its end product. This partnership required active listening, remaining open to new models of thinking, and evolving expectations. Its structure demanded that we all respect varied expertise within and outside our institutions. While not perfect, this partnership aimed to move beyond collaboration to co-creation by offering multiple opportunities for participants to make decisions. The effort to support community well-being starts with engaging with partners in true collaboration based on mutual respect, shared goals, and building off each other’s strengths.