Why Your Food Insecurity Coverage Is Important
The media plays a crucial role in shaping public perception and awareness of social justice issues.
Journalists have the power to amplify marginalized voices and hold those in power accountable for their actions or inaction.
Reporters can challenge prevailing narratives that perpetuate social injustices by providing accurate and unbiased information that counters stereotypes and misconceptions.
By reporting on poverty and food insecurity, journalists foster public discussion that can lead to positive change.
As such, news reporting is a valuable tool in the effort to ensure that all Oklahomans have enough food every day. Hunger Free Oklahoma is eager to assist media professionals cover topics related to hunger, food insecurity, and poverty. If you are a member of the media interested in a story, please contact Melissa Marshall at 405-850-0467 or via email. We hope this page helps you prepare for your story.
Definitions
Food insecurity is defined as a “lack of consistent access to enough food for a healthy, active life.” Food insecurity is a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.
“Hunger is an individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity and in this context refers to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, because of prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation.“ Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the National Academies
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly and commonly referred to as food stamps, provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being. Given the associated stigma of the term “food stamps,” Hunger Free Oklahoma and other food security mission-driven organizations prefer to publicly use “SNAP” to refer to these benefits.
Bias-free Language
Hunger Free Oklahoma values the use of respectful, bias-free language in reference to people and communities experiencing poverty and/or food insecurity. We find the APA Style Guide for writing about socioeconomic status to be a helpful tool in this effort.
Systems & Policy
Hunger Free Oklahoma’s approach to food insecurity is grounded in systems and policy. When writing about poverty or food insecurity, we encourage the media to ask deep questions and draw attention to systemic injustice and policy solutions. “Feel good stories” are nice, but there is a long history of journalism paving the way for systemic change. We want to encourage that.
Data
We hope that these links to relevant data will enhance your story. Feel free to ask clarifying questions:
- Map the Meal Gap
- Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC) mapping tools
- Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s county data PDFs (central and western OK counties)
- USDA’s SNAP Community Characteristics Dashboard Congressional District Explorer
Lived Experience
An often overlooked, but critical information resource is individuals who have lived experience with poverty or food insecurity. We recommend that anyone writing about these issues talk directly with a lived experience expert to ensure a robust, complete, and accurate story. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in OKC collaborates with a group of lived experience experts who make themselves available for media interviews. To connect with them, email Lauren Brockman, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy.
Additional Resources
Additional resources that we find helpful:
- Harvard Kennedy School; Covering poverty: What to avoid and how to get it right
- Beyond Heroes: A Guide for the Media
- The Washington Post, Five myths about poverty
Acronyms
Our field uses a lot of acronyms. This document may help you navigate some of them. If you come across others, please let us know so we can add them to our list.
Journalism Award
The Hunger Free Oklahoma Journalism Award recognizes investigative journalism and reporting that highlights social and economic injustice in Oklahoma. The award is presented to an individual or organization that has a demonstrated history of highlighting food insecurity, as well as other issues related to poverty including economic inequality, lack of access to healthcare, education, and shelter. To nominate yourself or another individual or organization, email Doug McDurham, Director of Strategic Advancement at Hunger Free Oklahoma.