by Marquelle Ogletree, Emerson National Hunger Fellow
There are many misconceptions and stigmas surrounding public assistance and federal nutrition programs, often perpetuated by the media and politicians, as well as by everyday people. My parents, hardworking and staunchly independent, made sacrifices to ensure our family’s basic needs were met, a privilege for which I am grateful. Yet, when I was younger, our family relied on the help of two federal nutrition programs: the Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to provide food we needed while my mom stayed at home and my dad worked. In the last few years, my family moved from renting to buying our first home. However, it’s often overlooked by policymakers that families like mine, who eventually achieved economic mobility, benefited from public assistance that helped lay a foundation for us. Federal nutrition programs like WIC and SNAP provide an economic cushion, but their full value as the long-term investment they can have in people’s lives may not always be clear to decision-makers.
Elected officials often fail to recognize the complex realities of life for low-income individuals. During my time in Oklahoma as an Emerson Fellow, I have had new reflections and understandings about what it means to be food insecure and living in poverty. Through my work with Hunger Free Oklahoma’s Lived Experience and Resource Network (LEARN) workshop, I’ve heard from people whose lack of food access led to harmful coping mechanisms. Addressing hunger not only fulfills a basic need but also strengthens families, preventing unnecessary disruptions to family life.
I began advocating to address social issues like gun violence, environmental justice, and voter registration in high school. In my Florida community, I saw the effects of economic injustice, but didn’t know how to take meaningful action. The Emerson National Hunger Fellowship allowed me to focus on fighting food insecurity and poverty, connecting the dots between these and other pressing issues to create communities where people can thrive, which is what drives me to advocate.
My early experiences with advocacy as a young adult led me to feel a culture of elitism among elected officials, making it difficult for ordinary people to engage in conversations with their representatives. However, policymakers are challenged with addressing a wide array of issues before them and are often disconnected from the realities their constituents face, leading to limited understanding about the complexities of issues at hand. This presents an opportunity for individuals with lived experience of poverty or food insecurity, referred to as lived experts, to inform policymakers about the realities of food insecurity and economic strain to have it on their radar. Otherwise, they may not consider the value of expanding public benefit programs like SNAP to help address it. Empowering people with lived experience is key to creating change, and it’s essential that decision makers cultivate spaces for lived experts to equitably engage. Allowing those at the forefront of food insecurity and poverty to share their stories can help reveal the true impact of these issues.
Despite low unemployment in Oklahoma, food insecurity remains high since many people do not qualify for assistance. We have the power to advocate and decide how our government funding – which every person in this country contributes to through the form of state and federal taxes – should be used to invest in the people of our communities. With a cohort of legislators entering office after the 2024 elections, this is an opportunity to educate them. In October, I attended the Decreasing Poverty interim study at the Capitol, sponsored by Senator Julia Kirt and the General Government Committee, and led by the Poor People’s Campaign of Oklahoma. Many strategies were proposed to reduce poverty, one of which was Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) to increase SNAP eligibility to the maximum level at 200% of the federal poverty level. During our LEARN workshop, cohort members supported raising the income requirement to the maximum level. When our elected officials choose to increase access to SNAP by raising the income eligibility threshold, it is investing in our communities. It allows more people to achieve food security and support financial independence, alleviating a factor of stress that can affect mental health when it comes to figuring out how to afford food.
From my advocacy experience, policymakers can be informed, but still not be urged to act. Through my work with LEARN, I realize policymakers often distance hunger and poverty from other important issues such as mental health, strong families, harm-reduction, and decreasing incarceration. These are issues people care about; anti-hunger and anti-poverty policies like SNAP can be framed to show legislators how the program supports people’s overall well-being.
A common concern among lawmakers is the fiscal impact of such policies. However, SNAP’s harm-reduction benefits extend beyond food access. It alleviates stress related to mental health, promotes physical health with nourished bodies, leading to better long-term outcomes, such as improved health and reduced incarceration rates from substance usage. By addressing these issues, the state saves money in the long run, creating stronger, healthier Oklahomans.
While SNAP is a vital tool, it is important to address the underlying systemic issues related to food insecurity – a symptom of economic injustice – such as housing affordability, inefficient public transportation, and low minimum wages that have not kept up with inflation. The historical effects of past racial discrimination also play a significant role in worsening economic inequality. To create meaningful change, we need transformational reforms that address these issues.
Cultivating strong partnerships with legislators and agencies like Oklahoma Human Services is essential for making lasting progress. As advocates, we must empower those with lived experience of poverty and food insecurity to share their stories and engage equitably with decision-makers to improve federal nutrition programs. Collaboration between public assistance recipients and policymakers is key to driving meaningful change and ensuring programs are effective. Together, we can work toward a future where food insecurity is eliminated, and every Oklahoman can thrive.