Inshira Bediako is from Knoxville, Tennessee, and recently graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor's in Global Studies and a minor in Africana Studies. Growing up in the heavily segregated area of East Tennesse, Inshira saw first-hand how poverty and hunger were manufactured conditions to maintain racial and class subjugation. This was further made clear to her in her role as a refugee case manager, where obtaining basic necessities for newly arrived refugees proved to be a constant hardship. These life experiences fuel Inshira's passion for advocating for and advancing housing, food and economic justice. As an Emerson Fellow, Inshira hopes to learn from experts in the field of anti-hunger and poverty and use this knowledge to organize more effectively for better health and economic outcomes for marginalized groups.
Field placement: Hunger Free Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Inshira's work at Hunger Free Oklahoma in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is focused on supporting the implementation of HFO’s first lived-experience cohort that centers Oklahomans who have navigated food insecurity. She develops curriculum, facilitates portions of the cohort meetings, and manages communications with the participants. Inshira is also assisting with efforts to increase the 2025 Summer Meal program participation in rural communities across Oklahoma.