Emerson Fellow
Isabelle Sohn
28th Class, 2021-2022
Born in Philadelphia, Isabelle graduated from the University of Chicago in 2020 with a degree in History and a minor in Human Rights. While at school, she wrote her B.A. Honors thesis on the insularity of Korean food within the U.S. as connected to U.S. perception of the Korean "Forgotten" War and in broader conversation with factors of imperialism, racism, and food scarcity. Last summer, Isabelle interned with the organization Real Food Media, where she helped run digital communications across multiple platforms to highlight the work of partners of the Good Food Purchasing Programming combating food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. She previously worked at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, and at the International Rescue Committee; experiences that emphasized the necessity of situating those on the periphery as partners in community-building, research, writing, and considerations about policy.
Field placement: Oregon Food Bank
Portland, Oregon
Isabelle completed her field work at the Oregon Food Bank (OFB) in Portland, Oregon. Her work centered on developing a strategic plan for a coalition of farmer and food systems leader training programs in the Portland metro and adjoining areas focused on Black, Indigenous and People of Color growers. The strategic plan aimed to detail both existing programming and resource gaps, as well as opportunities for collaboration and growth within the coalition. Isabelle's efforts in Portland were supported by Zenger Farm, Mudbone Grown, and Ecotrust, among others.
Policy placement: FoodCorps
Isabelle Sohn is working with FoodCorps to map out the current landscape regarding the implementation of Education State Plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) across FoodCorps' state network. Through this research, Isabelle and FoodCorps aim to strengthen Food Corps' goal of holding schools accountable to food education targets by identifying opportunities for FoodCorps to engage in state-level policy work around incorporating food education into ESSA Education State Plans.