Emerson Fellow
Margaux Johnson-Green
26th Class, 2019-2020
Originally from Laurel, Maryland where she now resides, Margaux was raised in Stockbridge, Georgia where she was first exposed to issues surrounding food insecurity. From there, Margaux attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she majored in health policy and management and minored in social and economic justice. During her time at UNC, Margaux was involved in a multitude of health-related organizations such as the Student Health Action Coalition, where she served as a founding member and Co-Director of SHACtivism, a health advocacy organization. Her interests in the social determinants of health and food security grew as she served as the communications and social media assistant for the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, where she worked alongside members of the No Kid Hungry team, and as the social media assistant for the Carolina Campus Community Garden.
Field placement: Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Margaux worked with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, an organization that collaborates with over 490 partner agencies to provide food for people in 46 counties throughout middle and western Tennessee. Her project focused on Senior hunger initiatives, working closely with the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a monthly food box provided to residents of Davidson County aged 60 or older, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With both programs, Margaux conducted outreach to increase participation and retention, in addition to creating traditional and non-traditional partnerships to expand access to CSFP and SNAP.
Policy placement: National Women’s Law Center
Washington, D.C.
At the National Women's Law Center, Margaux worked with the Income Security team on family support programs that benefit women, children, and their families. She has provided capacity to their racial and gender justice advocacy agenda through collaborating on administrative comments and fact sheets on topics such as SNAP, child nutrition programs, and poverty measures. During her policy placement, she also authored of a brief outlining eligibility, access, and benefit gaps in SNAP for women and special populations.