Reviving Roots: Indigenous Communities Leading the Fight for Food Sovereignty By: Brealynn Lee In a world that grapples with climate change, economic instability, and the erosion of cultural identities, Indigenous communities are reclaiming control over their food systems, championing a movement that sustains and revives their cultural heritage and environmental stewardship. Food sovereignty—the right for people to define their food […]
Black Maternal Health: A Fight for Change by Kanika A Harris, PhD, MPH
What if the US treated every birth in this country as if the success of the nation depended on it? What if Black mothers and birthing people knew what it felt like to be loved by the country, they spent over 400 hundred years nurturing and building? Tori Bowie, an Olympian athlete, would still be with us to win more […]
Maternal Health Disparities: An Epidemic by Meena Shikes
More attention must be paid to a major epidemic in the United States. There are a lot of problems with maternal health in this country, and its racial disparities disproportionately harms women of color. Despite the US being a relatively wealthier nation, America has the highest maternal mortality rate of all developed countries in the world. More specifically, Black and […]
Bringing Mindfulness to Dinner Menus
Bringing Mindfulness to Dinner Menus By Roger Anderson *Originally posted on NNLM Chef Alex Askew knew that food insecurity often meant fresh vegetables weren’t on the daily menu of those he was about to serve. “We decided to buy an air fryer and make okra,” he recalled. The problem was, I only got the chance to eat a single piece, […]
Mind-Body Empowerment: How Can Employers Help?
Mind-Body Empowerment: How Can Employers Help? By Marci Kenon Mind-body empowerment is the belief that we have the power to control our mental health and well-being through our lifestyle choices. This means eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and managing stress in healthy ways. Employers can play a role in helping their employees achieve mind-body empowerment by providing resources […]
Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Food Deserts to Improve Equity and Mental Health
Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Food Deserts to Improve Equity and Mental Health By Kristina Serova In the heart of a bustling city lies a forgotten neighborhood, its streets lined with vibrant murals and the echoes of a vibrant past. But beneath the surface, the community is trapped in a food desert, where the absence of fresh, nourishing food has become a […]
You Need Black Joy: Journeys to Mental Wellness by Healing Environments and Practices
You Need Black Joy: Journeys to Mental Wellness by Healing Environments and Practices By Lela M. Winston A 2019 study found that toxic stress ages black children causing negative developmental effects. That work was expanded in a 2023 Harvard University report revealing MRI evidence of psychological damage caused by racism. Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, a psychologist in the field of […]
Mind and Body Empowerment as a Tool for Change
Mind and Body Empowerment as a Tool for Change By Zuania Capó We often hear the importance of the mind and body connection from the perspective of individual well-being. However, little is said about how it provides individuals with more than just wellness; it also increases empowerment and, ultimately, change. Mind and body empowerment go beyond the process of developing […]
Food, Environmental, and Climate Justice
Food, Environmental, and Climate Justice By Aundre’ Blasingame Q: Why is food, environmental and climate justice important? A: Food and environmental justice are crucial because they ensure that everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, has access to safe and healthy food and a clean environment to live in. Climate justice, on the other hand, focuses on ensuring that the most vulnerable […]
Food, environment and climate change and how it is processed in the brain
Food, Environment and Climate Change and How it’s Processed in the Brain By Njathi Kabui Food, environment and climate change are important to each and every single creature living on this planet as it is the one thing that we all share together. Every living creature has to eat, it has to live somewhere and the climate affects both the availability […]