The Impact of Structural Racism on Access to Healthy Foods

By Emma Vinella-Brusher, Angles Managing Editor Access to good, nutritious food is essential to our ability to survive and thrive as human beings, but this is not a right afforded to all Americans. Despite being a nation of abundance, the U.S. is plagued by food insecurity and poor diet, though these impacts are disproportionally felt by lower-income families and communities of color. For example, an … Continue reading The Impact of Structural Racism on Access to Healthy Foods

REPOST: It’s a SNAP: Addressing Food Insecurity in the Face of COVID-19

This post was originally published on February 12, 2021. Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the largest single increase to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to date. Beginning October 1, SNAP benefits will permanently increase by 21%, or an average of $36.24 per person. This historic move by the Biden administration will help feed the more than 42 million Americans participating … Continue reading REPOST: It’s a SNAP: Addressing Food Insecurity in the Face of COVID-19

It’s a SNAP: Addressing Food Insecurity in the Face of COVID-19

By Emma Vinella-Brusher Of all of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, one that has been at the top of my mind is the exacerbation of the already severe food insecurity problem we have here in the U.S. Food insecurity, or a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, was a health concern already affecting 35 million Americans, including … Continue reading It’s a SNAP: Addressing Food Insecurity in the Face of COVID-19

How Immigrants Can Revitalize Rural Communities

For much of its history, Siler City, North Carolina was mostly white; now, due to jobs in poultry processing, the town is 40% Latinx. Driving through downtown, the demographic change is marked by the tiendas, beauty salons, and evangelical churches with signs en español that line the streets. Like many towns across the state, Siler City suffered when the furniture and textile industries moved elsewhere. … Continue reading How Immigrants Can Revitalize Rural Communities

DCRP Students Work on Interdisciplinary Research at the Nexus of Climate Change and Health

Two DCRP students, Emily Paul and Leah Campbell, are working on a group project examining stunting in children under the age of 5 in Peru, a project at the nexus of climate change and health. Continue reading DCRP Students Work on Interdisciplinary Research at the Nexus of Climate Change and Health

REPOST: What Exactly Is “Local Food”? Ten Answers for North Carolina and Beyond

We all need to eat. Each of us deserves access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate nourishment. But food influences more than just individual health.The way in which food is grown (such as the use of pesticides, how animal waste is managed, and the type of crops grown) affect soil, air, and water quality, which in turn affect the health of the environment and people … Continue reading REPOST: What Exactly Is “Local Food”? Ten Answers for North Carolina and Beyond

Pass the Turkey: Why Cricket Farming is a Better Choice

This Thanksgiving, North Carolina (NC) continued its yearly tradition of feeding the country. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, NC remains the nation’s second largest producer of turkey in addition to being a top producer of pork and chicken. In other words, the state is responsible for producing some of the most unhealthy, land intensive, and environmentally polluting proteins in the country. Hog farming, … Continue reading Pass the Turkey: Why Cricket Farming is a Better Choice

Reclaiming the Historic Market Square

The restaurant industry is big, particularly in the growing cities of the Triangle region. Unfortunately, restaurant rents in a city like Raleigh are relatively high compared to a decade ago and continue to rise at a fast pace [1]. This creates a disparity in the types of food entrepreneurs that have the ability to enter the market. Typically, only those who have more prominence at … Continue reading Reclaiming the Historic Market Square

Learning from Leaders: Food Systems and Community Voices in the Carolinas

Brownbag with Gini Knight and Jared Cates from Community Food Strategies As professionals working at the intersection of community development, land use, transportation, and economic development, planners are uniquely situated to help their communities address food systems issues. In fact, the American Planning Association recognizes food systems work as an opportunity for leadership in the field and the North Carolina chapter recently announced “food” as … Continue reading Learning from Leaders: Food Systems and Community Voices in the Carolinas