WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The City of Bloomington may be shoring up diversity programming at its Saturday Farmers Market to create a sense of inclusion and safety. That comes at the recommendation of a Farmer Market Advisory Council subcommittee, which met last night.
Farmer Market Coordinator Marcia Veldman says the market is possibly the most diverse space in Bloomington, but there is always more that can be done. She said the Broadening Inclusion subcommittee will be recommending changes to the structure and programming of the market, to improve inclusion.
The “broadening inclusion” subcommittee was formed in response to community concerns over a market vendor with alleged ties to a white supremacist group. Schooner Creek Farm proprietors Sarah Dye and Doug Mackey are alleged to be aligned with Identity Europa, which now goes by the name American Identity Movement. Dye and Mackey have not incited violence at the market, or distributed threatening materials there. Still, many community members of color say the Farmers Market feels unsafe to them now.
But increasing diversity programming doesn’t address the request by some community members to oust Schooner Creek Farms from the market. Veldman says the city is trying to work within given legal parameters to address the situation compassionately.
Velmand said the City’s legal department is planning a community forum for July 11th , where legal staff can take questions about the city’s response to the situation.
Velmand could not provide any more specifics. City Attorney Philippa Guthrie is coordinating the event, but was unavailable for comment.
