Chicago Rapper Common Touts Selfie Campaign Against Food Deserts

CHICAGO, IL - Finding affordable healthy food in the neighborhoods near where Chicago musician, actor and activist Common grew up at 89th and Bennett on the South Side was never easy.

“It wasn’t part of our psyche,” Common remembers growing up in the 1970s and 1980s in Chatham and Avalon Park. “We didn’t have healthy grocery stores, and I think the situation has gotten even worse.”

In the United States, some 30 million Americans live in food deserts, where finding fresh fruits and vegetables isn’t an option. What’s even more stunning is a study that showed about half of the residents of Chicago is not even aware that problem exists.

Common is more than aware, he’s part of the solution by serving as the Chicago campaign ambassador for the #DrinkGoodDoGood effort by Naked Juice, the popular California-based healthy drink company that will donate ten pounds of produce to communities in need for every fruit and vegetable selfie posted with the campaign hashtag.

Droppin beets & doing good. Take a veg selfie w/ #DrinkGoodDoGood
& @NakedJuice donates 10lbs of produce #sponsored pic.twitter.com/WaRSVy3OuP
— COMMON (@common) August 23, 2016

“The campaign is really important,” said Common, a proud native of the South Side and alum of Luther South High School. “I noticed a transition in myself, going from eating just about anything to being aware and taking care of my body through a healthy lifestyle and diet. It was helpful to my whole person.”

He says he hopes the #DrinkGoodDoGood campaign will go “beyond” his expectations.

Most importantly, seeing success in raising awareness.

“We need to talk about it,” Common said. “It helps that the first lady has always been about health awareness and people like Beyonce and other artists. People need to know healthy living is cool and good for your life.”

Photos: Getty Images, used with permission.