Elements of a healthy, equitable community — such as affordable housing, parks, quality schools, a thriving economy, environmental quality, access to healthy food, and connected transportation systems — provide cumulative health and equity benefits.
To learn more on how access to food is impacted by discrimination, read this article about food apartheid and its impacts on communities. The article discusses why the term “food apartheid” is a more accurate term than “food desert,” as well as its root causes.
For many college students, access to healthy food can be a struggle, especially for those without a meal plan. This access is more limited for students attending colleges in areas that experience food apartheid, which often affects Historically Black Colleges or Universities. Check out this Forbes article on why access to healthy foods is limited and how we can be proactive on addressing this issue!
In addition to access to food, access to housing also varies between communities. Take a look at this video by ABC News that discusses how housing is often separated by race and the obstacles people face when attempting to find housing in different communities.
Self- Reflective Questions:
- What efforts are being made to address food apartheid and improve food access in underrepresented areas?
- How does the availability of healthy food correlate with health outcomes in different communities?
- How do factors like race, class, gender, and disability intersect with food apartheid in specific communities?