Reducing Food Insecurity

Webinar Description

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates and commands attention to our country’s racial health disparities and the critical role social determinants of health have (i.e., socio-economic and environmental conditions) on health risks and outcomes. Obesity prevalence emerged to be a contributor to severe cases of COVID-19 infection in addition to other debilitating chronic conditions. We know that healthy food access is critical for obesity prevention. We also know that the economic fallout from COVID-19 makes it challenging for many families to afford a healthy diet. We must seek to understand how external forces contribute to the greater crisis of low access to healthy foods and how we can use this knowledge to advance racial and health equity.

In this one-hour webinar, you will learn:

• To define social determinants of health and its impact on childhood obesity.
• To reevaluate our traditional approaches of tackling food insecurity by understanding the compounded effect of other barriers to prosperous health, including COVID-19.
• How these key learnings can be used to implement solutions to increase access to nutritious foods for your local communities with a focus on eliminating racial health disparities.

Panelists

Julian Agyeman, Ph.D. FRSA FRGS, is a Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University. He is the originator of the increasingly influential concept of just sustainabilities, which explores the intersecting goals of social justice and environmental sustainability, defined as:

the need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now, and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, whilst living within the limits of supporting ecosystems.

Julie Ralston Aoki, JD, works on public policy for the public good.  She directs the Healthy Eating and Active Living team at the Public Health Law Center. She supports Tribal, state, and local communities in developing laws and policies to support healthy food systems, healthy eating, and physical activity in ways that advance health equity. She is the past president and current member of the Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance Board, a volunteer member of the Robbinsdale Human Rights Commission, and the parent of three kids.

Pamela Taylor is the Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing for Share our Strength/No Kid Hungry, where she leads all internal and external communications functions for the Share our Strength and its No Kid Hungry campaign. She brings 20 years of experience in developing and leading national initiatives, including behavior-change and public health campaigns for government and private sector clients, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at NIH, US Department of Agriculture, Merck, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. Pamela was formerly a Senior Director of Strategy at the Partnership for a Healthier America, the non-profit supporting former First Lady, Mrs. Obama’s Let’s Move campaign. She has also served a consultant for many organizations to lead clients through diversity, inclusion and equity strategies; and organizational transformation. A graduate of Hampton University, today Pamela lives in Washington DC.