Above: Morgan McKinney, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. I had prior research experience before becoming an Emerson Fellow, and when it came time for the matching process for policy placements, I found myself longing to do research again. My desire for research … Read more
Fighting Poverty With the Tax Code: EITC, CTC, and Building Financial Stability
Above: Blake Turpin, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. In my policy placement I helped to develop a long-term housing and tax policy campaign with RESULTS Educational Fund. The content, size, and scope of my workplan was ambitious, but I knew I was … Read more
Finding the Community Connection: Breakfast After the Bell in Massachusetts
In 2022, Massachusetts required many schools to serve breakfast after the start of the instructional day to reach more students. Emerson Fellow Nathan Garcia, working with Project Bread in Boston, created a guide for policymakers in other states, outlining challenges and keys to success.
Reclaiming Self-Sufficiency for Black Farmers: Co-Creating Policy Solutions with Lived Experience in Kentucky
Black people make up 8.5% of the population of Kentucky, but only 0.5% of its farmers. Emerson Fellow Amira Iwuala’s work in Berea, Kentucky, focused on compiling resources to support the needs of under-resourced Black farmers in the state.
No One Develops Equitable Policies Alone: Researching Senior Hunger in Washington, D.C.
Above: Fleurian Filkins, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. When I first learned that I would be working with the DC Office of Planning Food Policy Division and DC Food Policy Council for my field placement, I was excited and nervous. For … Read more
Recognizing an Overlooked Population: CalFresh Outreach at UC Irvine
Above: Michelle Fausto (left), 28th Class Emerson Fellow, with Sandra Cuyuch, CalFresh Manager at the FRESH Basic Needs Hub. The day that field placements were announced, I remember opening my email to see “University of California Irvine – FRESH Basic … Read more
Centering the Human Experience: Creating a Storytelling Program in Cortland County, New York
Above: Elaine Zhang, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. As a California native, I have witnessed devastating droughts that lasted for years and raging wildfires that have increased in severity and frequency–scenes that are manifestations of climate change. In California there is … Read more
Assessing Community Needs: Food and Gardening School Programs in Washington, D.C.
While placed with Kid Power in Washington, D.C., Emerson Fellow Robbie Economou assessed how its popular food and gardening youth education program was able to meet the needs and expectations of the communities it serves.
Moving Toward Radical Inclusivity: Participants as Partners in Decision-Making in Colorado
Above: Alexandrea Wilson, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. As a first-generation college student I sought out academia as a way to legitimize my experiences with food insecurity and growing up in a low-income household. I recall sharing my personal stories in … Read more
Aren’t We All Eaters?: Creating an Equitable Food Policy Agenda in Central New York
Above: Paige Clay, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. Being a true Coloradoan I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I found out I’d be moving to Syracuse, New York, for my field placement. Having never been to Syracuse or New … Read more
Fruitful Yields: Mapping and Re-Shaping Chicago’s Food Landscape
Above: Artis Trice, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. As my father and I drove through the last tollbooth between northwest Indiana and northeast Illinois, the expansive Chicago skyline appeared before us. An eleven-hour drive led us up to that point: arriving … Read more
Hunger and the Homelessness Crisis: Researching Affordable Housing in Oregon
Above: Nitan Shanas, 28th Class Emerson Fellow. I remember how it felt when I heard that I would be working with the Welcome Home Coalition in Portland, Oregon. I alternated between being nervous about being so far away from my … Read more
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