On April 22, 2021 Come to the Table (CTTT) hosted the fourth session of our 2021 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling (SFJFS). Faith leaders from across North Carolina participated in this virtual session.
CTTT staff members Michelle Osborne and Jarred White led participants through the Racial Wealth Gap Simulation, an interactive tool developed by Bread for the World that helps people understand the connections among racial equity, hunger, poverty, and wealth. It is a good first step for people unaware of structural inequality, a support tool for those who want a deeper understanding of structural inequality, and a source of information for experts who want to know the quantifiable economic impact of each policy that has widened today’s racial hunger, income, and wealth divides.
After learning about the history of unjust policies, Margaret Krome-Lukens, RAFI-USA’s Policy Team Chair, led a session on policy. She started by sharing RAFI-USA’s policy priorities for 2021, and then gave some examples of how to increase the effectiveness of their advocacy through being specific, telling stories, bringing in more people, and paying attention to the timing of campaigns.
The 2021 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling cohort will continue to meet virtually once a month through July 2021. Future SFJFS sessions will focus on issues that contract growers and farmers of color face, theological considerations around agriculture, and creative solutions that churches can undertake regarding hunger.
Applications are closed for the 2021 SFJFS. Stay tuned for information about future cohorts and join the RAFI-USA email list to learn about upcoming application rounds. If you are interested in learning more about the SFJFS, contact Michelle Osborne at [email protected].