Categories
Uncategorized

Essay #4: Mini-Ethnography of Chosen Subculture

First Draft:

Mini-Ethnography: New York City Food Insecurity Crisis

Times have changed for the majority of the population since COVID-19 has been in effect. Our old ways of living and lifestyle have become a dream to most, considering we as a collective are struggling in disagreeable ways economically and environmentally now than we did before. Because of these defects, how has COVID impacted the decrease in food production, and has this limited the access to security? If so have these restrictions affected Unauthorized immigrants in any way?

When I was brainstorming for my ethnography, I wanted to touch base on a situation that was relevant to my community and not really talked about enough or represented enough in media. As someone who has been actively involved across the boroughs of New York City volunteering in afterschool programs, pantries/soup kitchens, homeless shelters, community parks, etc. I’ve noticed there is a need for easily accessible resources across all boroughs of New York City. There have been and still are rallies, and petitions being held to combat and shine a light on these problematic fractures. Although In my opinion, New York state officials haven’t done enough and aren’t doing enough to resolve these issues. Which really can be solved.

According to As Food Pantries Close, Immigrant Communities’ Needs Grow (paragraph 3, lines 1-6) “elderly and low-income immigrants have used pantries throughout the pandemic to put food on their tables. However, a combination of lack of funding, shortage of volunteers, and increase in food prices, have led to pantries ceasing operations across the City. The closures have made it difficult for residents to access food and the demand has put a strain on nearby pantries that continue to operate”. The result of unemployment and low-wage income can really damage a household in many ways than expected. “A report on food insecurity released last year by the Center for Women’s welfare showed that the pandemic aggravated food insecurity among communities of color. It also noted that non-citizens, especially those who do not have an immigration status, face higher levels of food insecurity due to their level of income”, according to As Food Pantries Close, Immigrant Communities’ Needs Grow on Closures of Pantries That Were Active During the Pandemic (paragraph 8 lines 1-5). Yes, there are beneficial programs that are in place for individuals and families going through financial hardships that prevent them to provide fully for themselves and their loved ones. However, these benefits don’t always last and aren’t forever. 

It’s May 4, 2022, on a mild and busy day in Midtown Central Manhattan. It was my first volunteering session at the, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Nonprofit Food Rescue Organization and I was quite nervous. It has been a while since I’ve stepped out and done something out of my comfort zone since the pandemic. As I was waiting at the designated destination in a busy crowd, I was pleasantly greeted by Kali who is a rescue leader at Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, she goes by she/her and is 32 years old. She had a shopping cart with her stuffed with endless amounts of shopping bags. I felt unprepared since I didn’t bring anything to place the food in, but my backpack. With how prepared Kali was I surprisingly enough didn’t need to worry. Kali and I headed into the Nike New York Headquarters to pick up the food that was going to be donated. To my surprise, the food handed to us wasn’t just any foods you would see in pantries (in my past experience) such as canned foods, raw vegetables, or bagged rice. No, the food was fully cooked and some sealed in fancy containers ready to serve. Food such as sandwiches, salads, rice, shrimp, chicken, etc. As Kali and I were heading to donate the food to the assigned location, we got to know each other and I got the opportunity to hear as well as understand her view on feeding the homeless and food insecurity. “I’m happy God is involved, people ask why they’re so much homeless? I say in New York City it shouldn’t even be like this. I feel that society is in its own form of delusion, cause if we really wanted to feed people we really could. It shouldn’t be coming only at a certain time. If we wanted to feed people we would be able to do it. I don’t know maybe it will just get better. People need to understand that you really can feed everybody” Kali said. 

Credited Cite:

Xu April, and Ojeda H. Rommel, As Food Pantries Close, Immigrant Communities’ Needs Grow, https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/4/18/23031114/food-pantries-close-immigrant-need-grows,

The City Newsletters, April 18, 2022.

Final Draft:

Mini-Ethnography: New York City Food Insecurity Crisis

Times have changed for the majority of the population since COVID-19 has been in effect. Our old ways of living and lifestyle have become a dream to most, considering we as a collective are struggling in disagreeable ways economically and environmentally more now than we did before. Because of these defects, how has COVID impacted the decrease in food production, and has this limited the access to security? If so have these restrictions affected Unauthorized immigrants in any way?

When I was brainstorming for my ethnography, I wanted to touch base on a situation that was relevant to my community and not really talked about enough or represented enough in media. As someone who has been actively involved across the boroughs of New York City volunteering in afterschool programs, pantries/soup kitchens, homeless shelters, community parks, etc. I’ve noticed there is a need for easily accessible resources across all boroughs of New York City. There have been and still are rallies, and petitions being held to combat and shine a light on these problematic fractures. Although In my opinion, New York state officials haven’t done enough and aren’t doing enough to resolve these issues. Which can really be solved.

According to As Food Pantries Close, Immigrant Communities’ Needs Grow (paragraph 3, lines 1-6) “elderly and low-income immigrants have used pantries throughout the pandemic to put food on their tables. However, a combination of lack of funding, shortage of volunteers, and increase in food prices, have led to pantries ceasing operations across the City. The closures have made it difficult for residents to access food and the demand has put a strain on nearby pantries that continue to operate”. The result of unemployment and low-wage income can really damage a household in many ways than expected. “A report on food insecurity released last year by the Center for Women’s welfare showed that the pandemic aggravated food insecurity among communities of color. It also noted that non-citizens, especially those who do not have immigration status, face higher levels of food insecurity due to their level of income”, according to As Food Pantries Close, Immigrant Communities’ Needs Grow on Closures of Pantries That Were Active During the Pandemic (paragraph 8 lines 1-5). Yes, there are beneficial programs that are in place for individuals and families going through financial hardships that prevent them to provide fully for themselves and their loved ones. However, these benefits don’t always last and aren’t forever. 

It’s May 4, 2022, on a mild and busy day in Midtown Central Manhattan. It was my first volunteering session at the, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Nonprofit Food Rescue Organization and I was quite nervous. It has been a while since I’ve stepped out and done something out of my comfort zone since the pandemic. As I was waiting at the designated destination in a busy crowd, I was pleasantly greeted by Kali who is a rescue leader at Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, she goes by she/her and is 32 years old. She had a shopping cart with her stuffed with endless amounts of shopping bags. I felt unprepared since I didn’t bring anything to place the food in, but my backpack. With how prepared Kali was I surprisingly enough didn’t need to worry. Kali and I headed into the Nike New York Headquarters to pick up the food that was going to be donated. To my surprise, the food handed to us wasn’t just any foods you would see in pantries (in my past experience) such as canned foods, raw vegetables, or bagged rice. No, the food was fully cooked and some sealed in fancy containers ready to serve. Food such as sandwiches, salads, rice, shrimp, chicken, etc. As Kali and I were heading to donate the food to the assigned location, we got to know each other and I got the opportunity to hear as well as understand her view on feeding the homeless and food insecurity. Why did you choose to be a leader/job? “I like any organization that is affiliated with helping humanity either be 5%, 10%, or 100%. I’m happy God is involved, people ask why they’re so much homeless? I say in New York City it shouldn’t even be like this. I feel that society is in its own form of delusion, cause if we really wanted to feed people we really could. It shouldn’t be coming only at a certain time. If we wanted to feed people we would be able to do it. I don’t know maybe it will just get better. People need to understand that you really can feed everybody” Kali said. 

When affording food becomes an issue so do rent and bills. According to The other twin pandemic: homelessness and hunger by Cyril Josh Barker (paragraph 16, lines 1-4), “Unemployment rates reached nearly 17% among Blacks in April. About 25% of Black and Latino families reported not being able to pay their rent in May and half of the Black tenant households in New York State fell behind on their rent as of late May/early June. Black New Yorkers make up 57% of the city’s homeless population”. Even though there have been supporting packages distributed to households that desperately need the money for utilities, rent, and food doesn’t mean it will last long enough. “We have about 80,000 homeless people in New York City and I can see that doubling or tripling over the next five years. I don’t think we have a handle on how bad it really is. You’ve got families that are single parents and they don’t have a job or affordable housing and they get stuck being placed in homeless shelters. Fortunately, people are not being forced out on the street but eventually, it’s going to happen”, according to The other twin pandemic: homelessness and hunger by Cyril Josh Barker (paragraph 19, lines 2-7). Inflation has played a massive role in hunger, unemployment, and homelessness for both people and businesses. When it came to using and receiving the extra money and benefits given by congress, businesses like local markets and landlords started to increase their prices. Which can be unaffordable to large households struggling with low-wage income, assistance, and unemployment.

It’s May 5, 2022, on a sunny cool day, and I’m on my way to my second volunteering event. I felt more prepared with my approach and questions since I had my first event experience to help me prepare. I was running pretty late considering the location changes depending on the people or organization we were going to deliver to. I spotted my leader and a volunteer. I was nicely greeted and asked to help distribute the food to the shopping cart. The food was an equal amount and similar to the ones I did at my first event. As we were heading to our designated area, I asked Nathan, 43 years old, pronouns he/him (the leader) some questions. What is a typical day like for you at your job? “I like walking which my job provides. It’s something simple to do and give back, especially to people who need it more. You notice it throughout the city when you really get involved. The little things matter most and go a long way. People are starving, there is way too much food in the world for anyone to be going hungry, especially children. This is a big issue in the city, and we as a community should address that. This is a great way to do it because we can,  bring someone along like a friend and a stranger to tag along like my friend Jason”(volunteer). Why this job? “Cause it’s close to home”. I 100% agree, as someone who has volunteered for 9 years in my community you become more comfortable and needed because of your hard work and contribution to the community, and peers. “My favorite part of this job is meeting like-minded people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. That’s what brings us together. The best thing is dropping off the food, you get a genuine smile from those who need it the most”. What do think about the food quality being distributed in your experience? “I’m health conscience I like eating healthy, but sometimes picking up some foods that aren’t the healthiest triggers me, but it’s still food and that’s what matters. I live in the Bronx and I believe the Bronx needs this type of help “high knee” because there hasn’t been these type of organizations ready to help”. What is your take on food insecurity? “We need more people to show up and care because there are too many children in single-parent homes struggling with food insecurity”. I’ve also taken the time to interview a volunteer from the organization. Jason, 32 age, pronouns he/him. Why did you choose to volunteer? “I want to give back to the community and those less fortunate suffering from food insecurity. The impact on the response and gratitude for the service that we provide is why I serve. My favorite part of the event is meeting new people, my least favorite is the traffic. Based on what I’ve seen, people in the Bronx have been the ones struggling with affording to buy food. I’ve always been volunteering since High School cleaning up the flushing Meadows Corona park after baseball games until now (11 years of volunteering), but we need to continue to monitor and continue to do research helping those who need it. We are making progress with making the efforts of giving back, but we need to also tackle the areas in our city that aren’t being seen”.

The Bronx has been the borough that’s been overseen and not acknowledged as much as it should be. With a high population of Hispanics and immigrant populations, there hasn’t been much done to help them. According to Food insecurity among Hispanics and immigrants in the U.S.: selected analyses by Devin Power, “In 2014, 14.0 percent of all U.S. households were food insecure, versus 22.4 percent of Hispanic households. Data also demonstrate how food insecurity varies among Hispanic subpopulations by origin, immigration status, household composition, State of residence, and metropolitan status. Food insecurity was more prevalent among Hispanic adults who were noncitizens (24.4 percent) than among those who were U.S. citizens (18.9 percent), and more prevalent among Hispanic citizens who were born in the United States (19.1 percent) than among immigrants who became naturalized citizens (16.6 percent)”. What is the cause? Due to a lack of resources and difficulty securing employment, many immigrants won’t be able to provide for themselves let alone their families. “Hispanics represent one of the most diverse and fastest-growing ethnic groups in the United States. According to the Census Bureau, Hispanics made up 17 percent of the U.S. population, or some 55 million people, in 2014. Yet, little is known about the food security conditions among Hispanic subpopulations as distinguished by origin, immigration status, time in the United States, household composition, income, metropolitan residence, and the region”, according to Food insecurity among Hispanics and immigrants in the U.S.: selected analyses by Devin Power. What do officials know and have to say about these issues? According to A look at food insecurity in America: hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, first session, The opening statement of Hon. Glenn Thompson, a representative in Congress from Pennsylvania,  “this pandemic has infiltrated our lives in every sense possible. Unfortunately, the brunt of it was borne on our communities, and in particular, families already living paycheck to paycheck. In too many instances, arrogant career politicians issued statewide indiscriminate edicts forcing businesses and schools to shut their doors, plummeting our communities into a deep recession. As the end of the pandemic nears, I hope we can use today to discuss what worked, what needs improvement, and ways to provide these families with more holistic services, particularly as they engage in a post-pandemic economy that will look somewhat wildly different”.  Now, what has been done to combat these situations? “The Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program, or SNAP, currently provides nutrition assistance to 43 million individuals, with an average individual benefit of $183. Total SNAP-related spending in the Fiscal Year 2020 was $78.9 billion, which includes benefits, administration, nutrition education, employment and training, and program integrity. And of the $78.9 billion, $74.2 billion was solely for benefits. By way of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, more than $37.8 billion has been appropriated to respond to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance needs of our communities. This monumental response is in addition to the more than $7.7 billion per month in standard SNAP benefits. Now, beyond direct funding from Congress, the former and the current Administrations have issued more than 4,000 administrative waivers to states. These waivers impact operations related to the program eligibility, distribution of benefits, employment and training, and more”, according to A look at food insecurity in America: hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, first session, The opening statement of Hon. Glenn Thompson, a representative in Congress from Pennsylvania.

These strategies have helped many individuals and families during the unprecedented times and struggles, but with these great advantages come great disadvantages. Food banks and pantries have been forced to close down, and given a limited amount of food due to health procedures, which makes things worse. Yes, it’s great to receive a bonus check from the government but you have to know that it comes with a price. 

Credited Cite:

Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office, A look at food insecurity in America: hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, first session, March 11, 2021, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-117hhrg44672/pdf/CHRG-117hhrg44672.pdf,

CCNY Libraries Catalog, 2021.

Powers, Devin, Food insecurity among Hispanics and immigrants in the U.S.: selected analyses, https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/ZTAwMHhuYV9fMTM4NTMxNl9fQU41?sid=c46378ac-2cba-48d8-868a-26808a67a302@redis&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_1&rid=0, CCNY Libraries Catalog, 2016.

Barker Josh Cyril, The other twin pandemic: homelessness and hunger, https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2020/11/19/other-twin-pandemic-homelessness-and-hunger/, New York Amsterdam News, November 19, 2020.

Xu April, and Ojeda H. Rommel, As Food Pantries Close, Immigrant Communities’ Needs Grow, https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/4/18/23031114/food-pantries-close-immigrant-need-grows,

The City Newsletters, April 18, 2022.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *