We are pleased to announce the latest class of Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows and their field placements. These 18 young leaders will spend the next year supporting anti-hunger and anti-poverty work at the local and national level and developing … Read more
Action and Healing: Looking at Agricultural Extension in Indian Country
Above: Lexie Holden, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. When indicating my field placement preferences last summer, serving Native American communities was at the top of my list for two reasons. First, I am a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of … Read more
Hunger Fellows Present Briefing on “The State of Hunger in America”
On Friday, March 5, the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows presented findings from their field placements in a briefing entitled “The State of Hunger in America.” The briefing drew an online audience of over 100 policymakers, nonprofit and corporate leaders, … Read more
Vital Programs for Unprecedented Times: Investigating Pandemic-EBT in California
Above: Rocio Perez, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. As a first-generation Latina from the Westlake/McArthur Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, I grew up in a low-income area with a predominantly immigrant community where I had to learn how to navigate legal, … Read more
Cultivating Tribal Sovereignty: Agriculture Departments in Indian Country
Above: Joel Anderson, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. When I first learned that I’d been placed with the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) in Fayetteville, Arkansas, I was eager to learn more about the work being done to promote tribal … Read more
First-Day Feeling: Emergency Food Distribution in Oregon’s Migrant Communities
Above: Ally Hardebeck, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. On December 9, I found myself on apple duty: open bag, fill with 15 apples, tie it off. The methodical simplicity of this task was comforting. Months of remote work had left me … Read more
Join us for “The State of Hunger” on March 5
“The State of Hunger in America,” a briefing featuring field work presentations from the 27th Class of Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows, will be held online on Friday, March 5, 2021. This is a great opportunity to learn about the … Read more
Persistence and Pandemic Response: Getting the Word Out in Montgomery, Alabama
Above: Curtis Hills, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. Years ago, a buddy of mine and I worked as youth organizers with the Nollie Jenkins Family Center (NJFC), a social advocacy organization, in Lexington, Mississippi. We were the new kids on the … Read more
Laying Pathways for Success: Grantmaking and Native Agriculture in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Above: Sara Maillacheruvu, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. In a typical Emerson field placement blog, fellows often begin with a reflection that compares where they’ve come from—their hometown, where they went to school, where they’ve worked—and where they are now, or … Read more
Collaboration, Trust, and Agency: Community-Based Food Systems in Chicago
Above: Riani Carr, 27th Class Emerson Fellow. When I received the long-awaited email that contained my field placement, my eyes quickly found the part that read, “…your field placement is with the Chicago Food Policy Action Council!” In my excitement, … Read more
Serve the Line and Shorten the Line: Emergency Food and Equity in Houston
Above: Leslie Rios, 27th Class Emerson National Hunger Fellow, at her placement with the Houston Food Bank. I had only been to Houston a handful of times before I learned my field placement assignment would be the Houston Food Bank (HFB). … Read more
Space for Connection: Midfield Retreat with the Emerson Hunger Fellows
Each year, halfway through their field placements, Emerson Hunger Fellows gather from around country to a central point in the U.S. to participate in the annual Midfield Retreat. During this time fellows spend a week in rest, connection, laughter, and … Read more