The issue I am most passionate about is food insecurity. In its simplest form, food insecurity is concerned with people having access to enough food to live an active and healthy life.  

 

Although hunger and food insecurity are closely related, they are two distinct concepts. Hunger refers to a personal, physical sensation of discomfort, while food insecurity refers to a lack of available financial resources for food at the household level. In 2020 the USDA estimated that one in every eight Americans were food insecure. The COVID pandemic and the recent downturn in the economy have only exacerbated food insecurity in the U.S.  Food insecurity is an issue that can happen to anyone and it occurs everywhere --- in cities, rural areas and even the suburbs. Food insecurity is a complex problem.  It does not exist in isolation, as low income families are affected by multiple overlapping issues like a lack of affordable housing, social isolation, economic and social disadvantages, health issues and low wages. Taken together, these issues can bring about food insecurity.

Food insecurity is an issue where if everyone did a little bit, we could make a big difference. Whether it be volunteering at a food assistance or homeless shelter, or just donating some food, these things can have a big impact on people’s lives. I want to call attention to this issue, which happens everywhere and ask that people get involved to address it. I am only one person, but I want to do my part to address this issue and help others.  

 

 

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Environmental Stewardship

 

Environmental stewardship is concerned with the responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices to enhance ecosystem resilience and human well-being.

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On an individual level, environmental stewardship can take many different forms. We can reduce our own footprint with greenhouse gas emissions, make an effort to reduce plastic waste, or support companies which practice sound environmental practices.  It is necessary that we all do our part to protect the deteriorating health of our earth and serve as good role models for stewardship.

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This issue is very important to me and it has been for a long time. I think that my passion regarding the environment stems from the experiences I had as a young child. When I was in elementary school, I used to pick up litter at a place we called “the ducky show” with my mom. This was an area near the Potomac River which, unsurprising, always had a lot of ducks. This helped me understand how humans can negatively or positively impact wildlife. It taught me that humans can choose to make a difference and that our actions have consequences on nature. This experience had such a big impact on me that I even ended up writing one of my Stanford college essays about it. Although I became rather busy as life progressed, COVID gave me the gift of time to do things like this again. My junior year during the pandemic, I would sometimes pick up trash near the Potomac with one of my friends. This served as a reminder of what my mother first taught me about respecting the environment and not taking its health for granted. 

 

Environmental stewardship is another issue where if everyone did a little bit, we could have a great impact. I want to call attention to this issue, serve as an example, and do my part to address this issue by being a steward of the environment. Although I still haven’t decided on a major, I am considering pursuing something environmentally related. I want to make a difference and I want to have a positive impact on our shared planet.