Race, Hunger, Hardship, and Guidance for Lasting Solutions
Eric Mitchell | Executive Director | Alliance to End Hunger
The global pandemic, the rising cost of living, and rising levels of food insecurity demonstrate that the world is experiencing hardship. We have seen unprecedented shifts in U.S. Federal policy in response to the continued crisis. That has me thinking, imagining, and hoping for the same energy towards creating sustainable policy solutions for hunger, housing, employment, and health. Solutions that can be transformational only if they push our society toward a racially equitable future.
The racial wealth gap predated the COVID-19 pandemic. By wealth, I mean the value of the physical and immaterial assets accumulated over time. That includes income, land, livestock, retirement funds, businesses, saving accounts, and other economic resources. When our total assets are greater than our total liabilities (like debt and loans), the positive balance we accumulate over time is wealth. Racism in the United States has resulted in many Americans not being able to acquire assets, avoid excessive liabilities, and build wealth. That is why in 2019, the median net worth of a white household was 8 times the median net worth of a Black household at $188,200 and $24,100. White households had 5 times the median net worth of Latino households at $36,100.
“Racism in the United States has resulted in many Americans not being able to acquire assets, avoid excessive liabilities, and build wealth.”
That is where we were before COVID-19. The pandemic has significantly impacted hunger, housing, employment, and health. It has a compounding effect on Black, Indigenous, Latino, and other People of Color who already face systemic oppression. We have seen the start of recovery; however, that recovery is disproportionate. When the federal government enacted relief and rescue measures, households reporting hardship in affording food fell from 14% in December 2020 to 9% in fall 2021. Still, Black and Latino households were twice as likely as white households to report that they did not have enough to eat. Other People of Color — including Indigenous, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Multiracial adults — were three times as likely to report that they did not have enough to eat compared to white households.
The same pattern persists in housing, employment, and living expenses. Households reporting difficulty paying rent and covering living expenses fell in 2021. Still, Black, Latino, and other People of Color reported disproportionately high rates of hardship in affording housing and living expenses. At 59%, industries that pay low wages — like tip-based and food service jobs — saw the largest percentage of job loss during the pandemic. Those numbers have a racialized impact because People of Color make up a disproportionate amount of the workforce in these industries. Parallel to the pandemic is rising rates of inflation. Between June 2021 and June 2022, inflation rates skyrocketed to 9.1%, the largest increase in 40 years. That reality impacts all consumers; however, Black and Brown folk experience inflation more acutely because of existing structural inequality.
This is our current reality. At the Alliance to End Hunger, we want to approach that reality with all the tools and assets we have at our disposal. The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provides a great opportunity to facilitate a racially equitable recovery. It is a chance for the federal government to be responsive to the specific needs of the public. With that, we hope to see the White House prioritize working towards racial equity in the proposed pillars.
“The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provides a great opportunity to facilitate a racially equitable recovery.”
Everyone in this country deserves a federal government that prioritizes hunger, nutrition, and health. However, consistent racial disparities in outcomes underscore that Black, Indigenous, Latino, and other People of Color must inform these efforts. We recommend that the White House ensures the meaningful inclusion of people with lived experiences of hunger, poverty, and racial oppression. Meaningful inclusion means shared power in decision making, design, and implementation of the policies and programs that come from these efforts — and then compensation for that work. It also requires that the White House be intentional and creative when seeking insight and information. This means reaching out to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Mosques, Civil Rights and Housing organizations, and Black churches, just to name a few. In other words, places that are not primarily anti-hunger focused, but house and represent a variety of cultures and perspectives.
Additionally, we know that hunger in the United States is not just about food scarcity. Recovery and progress require that we address how housing, education, healthcare, the climate crisis, and economic conditions intersect with hunger. People experiencing hunger at these intersections need to advise the policy solutions resulting from this conference. We are talking about the person that got a job and is no longer eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) but still cannot afford to feed their kids a balanced diet. The person who spends 60% of their income on rent and cannot afford to stock their fridge. The person living in their car who cannot store groceries, cook meals, or afford the cost of daily hot meals. The White House should consider the current economic context in any policy solution. In other words — pay people a livable wage, increase federal benefits, and adjust eligibility requirements to meet that new standard.
“The White House should consider the current economic context in any policy solution. In other words — pay people a livable wage, increase federal benefits, and adjust eligibility requirements to meet that new standard.”
When we focus on communities most impacted by hardship, we see consistent patterns of disproportionately worse outcomes for Black and Brown people. By naming and addressing how structural inequalities exacerbated that impact, we can work towards transformational change in policy and practice. That would lead to better and sustainable solutions for all communities, regardless of a state of emergency. The White House’s effort to listen to what the masses of people are saying is exciting. We are eager to see how our experiences, insight, and expertise become recommendations and actionable items that benefit everyone in the United States.
