Mae DesTroismaisons
Race & Culture in Natural Resources
November 6, 2012
Professor Clare Ginger
Patricia Allen, Golden Cage & Jessie Mazar
This week’s readings and speaker centered on the topic of social justice in food systems, or rather the lack thereof. We learned that both hunger and obesity are most prevalent in low-income populations because families either cannot afford to buy enough food or they can only afford the cheapest, poorest-quality foods. The reason that social justice is such a huge problem is obvious: people have to eat to stay alive. But as is described in Patricia Allen’s Mining for justice in the food system: Perceptions, practices, and possibilities and as Jessie Mazar said: “social justice [is] a much bigger and systemic issue.” Due to enormous factory farms, small farmers have been exploited. In order to cut labor costs, they have had to employ migrant workers who then live on the farms in poverty. I had no idea that in Vermont there are about 1,500 refugees working on farms.
What really inspired me about Jessie Mazar’s presentation was that she was not merely talking about things people should do to help fix issues regarding justice in the food system. She spoke of things she had actually done to make an impact, both in the United States and abroad. Through her work with at-risk youth and the Huertas Migrant Farm Worker Garden Project, Jessie helped improve the lives of people of all ages suffering from injustice in the food system.
I think that one of main reasons why this week’s presentation was so engaging to so many students had to do with Jessie’s age. She was so young, yet she had accomplished so much. What was even better was that she was informing us how to get involved now. For me, this was a really positive experience, because now instead of feeling depressed and helpless when it comes to socio-environmental problems, I now feel as though I can take part in making changes for the good.
Jessie Mazar is an extremely positive role model, for she showed that it is possible for young people like me to make a difference. Despite the fact that I am from a relatively low-income household, I am lucky in that I have always been able to eat foods that are fresh, healthy, and wholesome. Since the beginning of Natural Resources 006, I have been wondering how I can share some of my privilege with others. Because of Jessie’s presentation, I now realize that there are ways for me to do that right here in Vermont.
Race & Culture in Natural Resources
November 6, 2012
Professor Clare Ginger
Patricia Allen, Golden Cage & Jessie Mazar
This week’s readings and speaker centered on the topic of social justice in food systems, or rather the lack thereof. We learned that both hunger and obesity are most prevalent in low-income populations because families either cannot afford to buy enough food or they can only afford the cheapest, poorest-quality foods. The reason that social justice is such a huge problem is obvious: people have to eat to stay alive. But as is described in Patricia Allen’s Mining for justice in the food system: Perceptions, practices, and possibilities and as Jessie Mazar said: “social justice [is] a much bigger and systemic issue.” Due to enormous factory farms, small farmers have been exploited. In order to cut labor costs, they have had to employ migrant workers who then live on the farms in poverty. I had no idea that in Vermont there are about 1,500 refugees working on farms.
What really inspired me about Jessie Mazar’s presentation was that she was not merely talking about things people should do to help fix issues regarding justice in the food system. She spoke of things she had actually done to make an impact, both in the United States and abroad. Through her work with at-risk youth and the Huertas Migrant Farm Worker Garden Project, Jessie helped improve the lives of people of all ages suffering from injustice in the food system.
I think that one of main reasons why this week’s presentation was so engaging to so many students had to do with Jessie’s age. She was so young, yet she had accomplished so much. What was even better was that she was informing us how to get involved now. For me, this was a really positive experience, because now instead of feeling depressed and helpless when it comes to socio-environmental problems, I now feel as though I can take part in making changes for the good.
Jessie Mazar is an extremely positive role model, for she showed that it is possible for young people like me to make a difference. Despite the fact that I am from a relatively low-income household, I am lucky in that I have always been able to eat foods that are fresh, healthy, and wholesome. Since the beginning of Natural Resources 006, I have been wondering how I can share some of my privilege with others. Because of Jessie’s presentation, I now realize that there are ways for me to do that right here in Vermont.