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Black woman smiling at camera in outdoor setting

Resilient Roots: The Legacy and Future of Black Farmers in Oklahoma

Forty acres and a mule. That was the promise made by General William Sherman to former enslaved Africans during the Civil War as a form of reparations for their centuries of forced labor. This promise was soon rescinded by President Andrew Johnson. However, just as Black people had emancipated themselves from slavery, they took the fate of their free futures into their own hands. No group emphasized this liberatory spirit more than the Black people who raced to Oklahoma to claim land after the Civil War, built strong communities in this new land, and blazed a path forward for Black economic and political autonomy, including the freedom to feed themselves.

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Woman smiling at camera in outdoors setting.

SNAP is More Than Food Security: Advocating for Greater Access

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.

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A group of diverse people stand on the front steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol building.

Politics Take a Back Seat to Hunger at Anti-Hunger Day at the Capitol

“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

This quote hangs in my office as a daily reminder to myself and others. A reminder that true advocacy is not just about fighting for what matters to you – it is about inspiring others to join the conversation. Justice Ginsburg’s words are especially important in reflection of Anti-Hunger Day at the Capitol.

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Portrait of Alfred Gary smiling at the camera in an outdoor setting

Collaborative Progress: Navigating the Nonlinear Path to End Hunger in Oklahoma

Just eight months ago, I received an email which said the following: “Hunger and poverty exist EVERYWHERE.” The reminder came a few weeks after accepting an invitation to join the Congressional Hunger Center’s 30th class of Emerson Fellows. For those not familiar with the program, the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States. Fellows gain vital first-hand experience through placements with community-based organizations across the country coupled with policy-focused organizations in Washington, D.C.

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Portrait of John Hoang in front of a green park-like background

“Peace is a form of generational wealth.” – Dr. Monifa, M.D.

In the movie Barbie, as Ruth Handler walks with Barbie, she says, “We mothers stand still, so our daughters can look back to see how far they’ve come.” As I reminisce about my six-month tenure in Oklahoma as a Bill Emerson Hunger Fellow, I think about the generations of my Vietnamese ancestors that longed for a future of joy, stability, and imagination beyond the atrocities of colonization, war, and poverty.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma’s Chief Program Officer Richard Comeau is Awarded an Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellowship

Richard Comeau, Chief Program Officer for Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO), was recently welcomed to Aspen, Colorado, where he began his tenure as a Food Leaders Fellow of the Aspen Institute. The 2023 Food Leaders Fellows include entrepreneurs, investors, and civic and nonprofit leaders dedicated to changing the food system to eradicate food and nutrition insecurity, support entrepreneurs and farmers, and push forward sustainable solutions.

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Working together for a hunger free Oklahoma.

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