How Racism Feeds the Hunger Crisis

Aspen Ideas to Go

In this pandemic recession, millions of Americans are going hungry, and Black and Hispanic households are hit harder than white ones. Throughout US history, hunger and health have been tied to race. Slave owners gave slaves just enough food to survive. “To be enslaved was to experience hunger,” says food historian Fred Opie. Now, Covid-19 is affecting low-income, communities of color disproportionately. Poor access to healthcare, bias in clinical settings, underfunded educational and health institutions, housing segregation, chronic stress, and a lack of access to clean water, air, and nutritious food converge to shape the health of children and families of color. Fred Opie, author of Southern Food and Civil Rights: Feeding the Revolution, joins Tamearra Dyson, executive chef and owner of Souley Vegan LLC for a conversation about food justice. Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Trust for America’s Health, moderates the conversation.

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