In New York City an area where diversity and culture diffusion is very common you would expect a better understanding and representation when it comes to supporting the people that live there. Well, that isn’t always the case. New York City’s demographic according to the 2021 census states that New York City consists of  42.7% White, 24.3% Black, 14.1% Asian, and 29.1% Hispanic or Latino residents, and yet people of color are still struggling with poverty, homelessness, resources, the list can go on. 

The NYCHA program (New York City Housing) has helped give homes to many residents in New York City since 1934, considering many of those residents are 88% percent people of color. But remains to put those residents in apartments that aren’t pleasant to live in and never or rarely ever get renovated. Essentially putting families in danger. According to The $40 Billion Housing Headache Facing New York’s Next Mayor by Martin Z Braun (paragraph 1-5), “NYCHA needs $40 billion to renovate apartment buildings built mostly between 1945 and 1970 and now plagued by mold, lead paint, vermin and elevator, and heat outages”. During the 1970s when the NYCHA program was fairly still fresh, white flight migration (the migration of white people from an area) was common in The Bronx due to the financial burden the community was facing. Because of this the push and pull dynamic in urban and rural areas eventually negatively impacted people of color. While white people were migrating into urban areas people of color had to adjust and eventually find new places to afford to live, due to the new funding that they couldn’t obtain. Now that our society has found ways to allow people who can’t fully afford the “New York lifestyle” programs like NYCHA have supported the people who need it the most. Due to the increase in funding this program and finally repairing and renovating the homes that desperately need it. Joe Biden proposed a 1.7 trillion dollar plan “To help rebuild the country after the pandemic has $40 billion allotted for all U.S. public housing, not just New York, and its passage is far from certain. Putting off the repairs not only boosts the repairs not only boost their cost, but it also increases the chances that NYCHA apartments will be declared uninhabitable, potentially pushing thousands more residents onto the streets” says Martin. 

Compared to a fieldwork’s question a journalist’s question on this matter would be if officials are giving so much why isn’t the work being done? what pockets is the money filling? And who is in charge? Information that the fieldworker would want to gather to answer their questions is to go to the situation. What I mean by “going to the situation” is, go where the problem is (the residents who live in NYCHA buildings) and interview or ask those residents, what situations have they faced living in their apartment? And what challenges have they faced in resolving their situation? When using the internet to solve or better understand the situation the fieldworker would want to, research the main cause of why New York City low-income residents get residential help from the NYCHA program but residents still face a rising rate of homelessness. Other sources of information that the fieldworker might use to penetrate the insider perspective are, databases so the situation can be broadcasted statewide/internationally so that others are aware of what’s going on and hopefully motivates officials to resolve it better, magazine articles to create a better visual representation of the issue, and newspaper so that locals can state up to date on the situation that is happening in their community. The cultural information the article includes is laws and social norms. But to sum up the situation as a fieldworker I would ask, why are New York state officials not doing enough and pretending to be doing more than there asking? 

What intrigued me about the essay was the similarities that I have managed to construct during my reading. I’ve learned that The Nacirema has put strong importance on having good oral hygiene and moral characteristics as a symbol of a good relationship with friends, family, or lover and without it according to (page 10, lines 6-9), “Were it not for the rituals of the mouth, they believe that their teeth would fall out, their gums bleed, their jaws shrink, their friends desert them, and their lovers reject them. They also believe that a strong relationship exists between oral and moral characteristics”. To prevent this from happening they would seek for a holy-mouth man and he would use a variety of tools such as augers, awls, probes, and prods as objects in their ritual to cast out evil “spirits” out of their mouth by digging holes in their mouth leaving the patient excruciating pain. Even with the experience the patients never stop visiting. What disturbed me about The Nacirema body ritual is the latipso ceremony. Described as a ceremony to treat very sick patients it is not a ceremony that natives say is pleasant. According to (Page 11, lines 3-6), “The latipso ceremonies are so harsh that it is phenomenal that a fair proportion of the sick natives who enter the temple ever recover. Small children whose indoctrination is still incomplete have been known to resist attempts to take them to the temple because “that is where you go to die.” Even if you are severally ill and need urgent care “ many temples will not admit a client if he cannot give a rich gift to the custodian”. Which to me seems inhumane. What Shocked me was, how the females described their naked bodies as a distraction or negative influence on the medicine men while performing The latipso ceremony. According to (page 11, lines 22-24), “Female clients, on the other hand, find their naked bodies are subjected to the scrutiny, manipulation, and prodding of the medicine men”. I would have thought a women’s natural unclothed body would be normalized and accepted, but it’s seen as a negative image. These rituals and ceremonies have harmed many people, such as force-feeding substances that will “heal” them but will only cause harm to their internal organs or even death. “Mothers are particularly suspected of putting a curse on children while teaching them the secret body rituals”. Though looking from an outside perspective I can have my critical opinion towards a culture that I am unfamiliar with. I have to accept that many people won’t see or have the same reaction to my culture/tradition as I do to theirs.

Response: What comes to mind when I hear the word culture is, belonging. When it comes to identifying myself I often think about the traditions that I practice, my ethnic background, and the values that I hold. Burundi culture has different appetites, clothing, and interests than American culture. For example, Burundi foods consist of beans, bananas, yuca, plantain, spinach, etc. And rarely ever served with dessert on the side like America. While in America the food is generally fried and greasy for example fried chicken, hot dogs, burgers, fries, nuggets and are served with a side of apple pie. In America Football is a sport that many families gather together and watch every year while in Burundi soccer is a staple in every home. Clothing in Burundi consists of bright colors and cool artistic designs with animals or plants on them. While in America many clothing does come in different designs and neutral, and dark-colored clothes are very common to have. I believe culture was built on the foundation of our ancestors. Leading us to practice or include those same traditions in our lives. In America a place where diversity is more common than in other countries (Melting Pot) so many different cultures are represented in schools, on television, on posters, in a public setting, etc. People will find interest in exploring those cultures, and that’s the beauty of it.

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.

First Draft:

Research Paper: Food insecurity 

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? Food insecurity is defined as, a position someone is in where they are not able to access and/or afford food. Some people may misinterpret food insecurity as, a negative relationship someone goes through with food either through traumatic experiences or the influence of others. Which is false. During the pandemic, many people across the world we’re dealing with a loss one way or another, and to make it worse unemployment rates were increasing by the minute. Because of this the mandatory need for food storage in households increased drastically, this easily caused accessible everyday food and toiletry products harder to get or access. While the world was going through emergency locked down and frightening panic, the security and concern of unauthorized immigrants weren’t taken into account. Resulting in many consequences for those affected.

In New York City in recent years COVID cases have been skyrocketing by the millions. Because of this the availability and need for resourceful nutritional foods have been scarce. According to the NYC food policy article “Testomony on the status of Hunger in NYC and the impact of COVID” paragraph 4 on Desperties In The Food System Among New York City Communities, lines 1-3, “Communities affected by food apartheid are those in which nutritious food is unavailable and unhealthy fast-food provides a disproportionately high percentage of people’s diet. The lack of healthy food options in underserved communities is a systemic issue  that will require innovative, community-driven interventions to correct”. Healthier alternatives along with fresh produce haven’t always been the first choice when it came to putting food on the table for low-income-wage individuals and families. Because of the increase in inflations for fresh consumable products, according to FMI, “92% of shoppers have changed their shopping habits as a result of noticing higher prices for fresh produce”. Leading consumers to increase their spending on affordable shelf-life canned foods. statically the demographics that have been greatly affected by this in New York City, are Black (African-Americans/Africans), and Hispanics. “12 percent of Black adults reported that their households accessed free meals or groceries, compared to 8 percent of Asian adults and 4 percent of White adults in March 2021” according to the NYC Food Policy article.

From those affected, unauthorized immigrants aren’t treated and supported at the rate as those who are documented. According to the Health Affairs article “Maximizing Food Security For Unauthorized Immigrants During COVID-19” paragraph 5, lines1-3, “ Unauthorized immigrants have limited options to access food assistance and other social safety-net programs because of their immigration status, and thus rely heavily on emergency food organizations, such as food banks and food pantries”. Although during the pandemic the government has been providing funding to citizens and non-citizens by distributing stimulus packages, this still isn’t enough to sustain. Considering rent bills, household bills such as water, heating, and internet bills, etc. While the distribution of stimulus checks may sound amazing and a step in the right direction, there are still many unauthorized immigrants who still haven’t received or aren’t eligible to receive their stimulus checks. For the simple reason of not having a social security number, and valid documentation. Yes, there are food assistance programs that make it their job to provide nutritional meals and needed food emergencies regardless of your immigration status, but in some cases, not everyone is eligible for this assistance. That’s why Increasing access to food banks across America is important.

Final Draft:

Research Paper: Food Insecurity 

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? Food insecurity is defined as, a position someone is in where they are not able to access and/or afford food. Some people may misinterpret food insecurity as, a negative relationship someone goes through with food either through traumatic experiences or the influence of others. Which is false. During the pandemic, many people across the world were dealing with a loss one way or another, and to make it worse unemployment rates were increasing by the minute. Because of this the mandatory need for food storage in households increased drastically, this easily caused accessible everyday food and toiletry products harder to get or access. While the world was going through emergency locked downs and frightening panics, the security and concern of unauthorized immigrants weren’t taken into account. Resulting in many consequences for those affected.

In recent years New York City COVID-19 cases have been skyrocketing by the millions. Because of this the availability and need for resourceful nutritional foods have been scarce. According to the NYC food policy article “Testimony on the status of Hunger in NYC and the impact of COVID” paragraph 4 on Desperties In The Food System Among New York City Communities, lines 1-3, “Communities affected by food apartheid are those in which nutritious food is unavailable and unhealthy fast-food provides a disproportionately high percentage of people’s diet. The lack of healthy food options in underserved communities is a systemic issue that will require innovative, community-driven interventions to correct”. Healthier alternatives along with fresh produce haven’t always been the first choice when it came to putting food on the table, for low-income-wage individuals and families. Because of the great increase in inflations for fresh consumable products, according to FMI, “92% of shoppers have changed their shopping habits as a result of noticing higher prices for fresh produce”. Leading consumers to increase their spending on affordable shelf-life canned foods. Statistically, the demographics that have been greatly affected by this in New York City, are Black (African-Americans/Africans). “Due to the pandemic, food insecurity in the Black community increased. An estimated 24% of the Black community experienced food insecurity in 2020. Black children are almost three times more likely to live in a food-insecure household than white children. While the United States has an overall poverty rate of 11.4%, within the Black community, the poverty rate is 19.5%. Meanwhile, poverty in the non-Hispanic, white community is 10.1%”. According to Feeding America.

Unauthorized immigrants have also been tremendously affected by these situations and aren’t treated and supported at the rate as those who are documented. According to the Health Affairs article “Maximizing Food Security For Unauthorized Immigrants During COVID-19” paragraph 5, lines1-3, “ Unauthorized immigrants have limited options to access food assistance and other social safety-net programs because of their immigration status, and thus rely heavily on emergency food organizations, such as food banks and food pantries”. Although during the pandemic the government has been providing funding to citizens and non-citizens by distributing stimulus packages, this still isn’t enough to sustain. Considering rent bills, household bills such as water, heating, and internet bills, etc. While the distribution of stimulus checks may sound amazing and a step in the right direction, there are still many unauthorized immigrants who still haven’t received or aren’t eligible to receive their stimulus checks. For the simple reason of not having a social security number, and valid documentation. These defects can jeopardize the proper living conditions that should be prioritized for all people. Not everyone is eligible for government assistance. That’s why Increasing access to food banks across America is important.

Because the majority of unauthorized immigrants and low-income families have access to little or no income, the chances of living a long substantial life aren’t high. According to Food Insecurity and Food Resource Utilization in an Urban Immigrant Community (paragraph3, lines 2-6), “ Food insecurity has been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and depression. Researchers have found an elevated risk of food insecurity among low-income individuals, families with children in the household, residents of “food deserts,” migrants, and other socially and economically disadvantaged people”.  Because of these unfortunate health problems that devlope due to their incapablities, “Evidence from the United States (U.S.) and Canada has found, on average, health care use and costs to be substantially higher among adults living with food insecurity compared to others”, according to The Early Food Insecurity Impacts of COVID-19. Some people may ask, “well aren’t their resourceful programs available for these types of state of affairs?”. Yes, there are food assistance programs that make it their job to provide nutritional meals and needed food emergencies regardless of your immigration status. Such as SNAP “ (formerly “food stamps”), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and food pantries (free food outlets typically operated by churches and other community non-profits), according to Food Insecurity and Food Resource Utilization in an Urban Immigrant Community (paragraph 4, lines 2-5). Unfortunately in some cases, some families don’t take advantage of these great opportunities. According to  Food Insecurity and Food Resource Utilization in an Urban Immigrant Community (paragraph 4, lines  5-7), “Many food-insecure families do not participate in such programs, one study reporting that only 39.6 % of the food insecure received SNAP benefits”. These concerning actions could have been stimulated by, the want for better status amongst peers and the negative perception people who don’t rely on or aren’t qualified have of those who receive it. In all fairness, some people don’t understand that programs like these are put in place for people like them.

Students across the boroughs of  New York City and all over the world have had to deal with nutrition crises during the pandemic. College students have undoubtedly become the new face of food insecurity. According to College Students and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States (paragraph, lines 1-5), “Over the last decade, multiple studies of food insecurity among college students have found rates ranging from 20% to more than 50%, depending on the population studied, sampling methods, and measures used to define food insecurity. These rates are considerably higher than the 12% food insecurity rate that US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported for the general US population in 2017”. As a recent undergraduate student, this isn’t surprising at all. There have been famous debates that Nissin Top ramen noodle soup has gotten lots of students through college. Some believe that adding any type of poultry, meat, or fish into your ramen noodle soup meant you were “fancy”, considering those items aren’t always affordable for students. Depending on the traditional beliefs parents hold toward their children. “In the past, traditional college students enrolled in college full-time immediately after high school, depended on parents for financial support, and worked part-time or not at all during the school year. Now, such students account for less than a third of college enrollment. undergraduate students were financially independent of their parents. One-third attended public 2-year colleges, also known as community colleges. More than a fifth had dependent children themselves, and 14% were single parents. A quarter worked full-time. Overall, 71% of college students had at least 1 of the characteristics of “nontraditional” students, showing that the more diverse populations that have entered college in higher numbers have now become the new collegiate norm” according to College Students and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States (paragraph 5). Living expenses for (in-house) campus college students have undoubtedly increased due to inflation, which has made it hard to afford rent, food, transportation, books, and supplies. There should be solutions when it comes to matters like these. SNAP has been one of those solutions for suffering college students but unluckily not for every student. According to College Students and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States (paragraph 12  lines 17-27), “Congress declared that full-time students, defined as students attending classes at least half-time, were ineligible for food stamps unless they were working 20 hours a week or more or qualified for 1 of several possible exemptions. Four-fifths of the 250,000 students in the program lost their benefits”.  Because of this “even when students believe they are eligible for SNAP, stigma and the daunting process of application and enrollment may deter them from applying”, according to College Students and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States (paragraph 16, lines 1-5).

The pandemic has played a major role in the many losses that many people have had to deal with. Hunger and unemployment crisis have increased at an alarming rate, especially in New York City. Considering it’s a highly populated city. The death rate has been increasing by millions every day. Even before COVID-19 these events happened but not on an everyday basis. Low-income students from all over the world had and even still have to rely on accessing lunch in their households and that isn’t promised every day. Of course, these problems should come with solutions, but those solutions aren’t built for everyone sometimes. While there are programs that specifically specialize in helping individuals who face everything I’ve stated, not everyone authorize or unauthorized (immigrants) can or are eligible to receive them. That’s why there should be better regulations taken to allow access across the board, and beneficial resources regardless of the economic status of the individual(s).

Credited Cite:

Catherine Douglas Moran, Amid inflation, price plays a bigger role in the produce aisle, https://www.grocerydive.com/news/amid-inflation-price-plays-a-bigger-role-in-the-produce-aisle/620026/#:~:text=FMI’s%20report%2C%20which%20used%20data,volume%20sales%20were%20down%202%25, Grocery Dive News, March 9, 2022.

Freudenberg Nicholas, Goldrick-Rab Sara, Poppendieck Janet, College Students, and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States, https://academicworks.cuny.edu/sph_pubs/266/, CUNY Academic Works, January 2019.

David Velasquez, Jordan Kondo, Sarah Downer, Emily Broad Leib, Maximizing Food Security For Unauthorized Immigrants During COVID-19, https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20200724.40740/full/#:~:text=Unauthorized%20immigrants%2C%20who%20are%20usually,children%20reported%20being%20food%20insecure, Health Affairs Journal, July 28, 2020.

Niles T. Meredith, Bertman Farryl, Belarmino H. Emily, Wentworth Thomas, Biehl Erin, Neff Roni, The Early Food Insecurity Impacts of COVID-19, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400862/,

PMC PubMed Central, July 15, 2020.

Greenwald P. Howard & Zajfen Vanessa, Food Insecurity and Food Resource Utilization in an Urban Immigrant Community, https://link-springer-com.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/article/10.1007/s10903-015-0331-9,

Springer Link, December 21, 2015.

Hunger Hits Black Communities Harder, https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/african-american 

First Draft:

Subculture: PC Enthusiast/Graphics Card

When interviewing Wander I had the opportunity to, touch base on what he finds most important when it comes to his subculture. Being someone who prefers to learn from others and is open to maybe finding interest in other fields rather than excluding myself from different opportunities. I was able to be more open about my personal experiences, establish my own thoughts based on the subculture, and ask questions that really dug deep into what someone’s lifestyle can look like in the subculture.

I started off the interview by asking him simple questions like what is your name? Wander: “Wander”. Where were you born? And do you speak your native language? Wander: “I was born in the Dominican Republic, and yes I do speak my native language Spanish”. I then went on and asked a question that touched based on the topic of the pandemic, and if his academic or personal life was positively or negatively affected. Was your academic and personal life negatively or positively affected during the pandemic? If so how? Wander: “My academic was negatively affected because I’m not really an online type of learner when it comes to observing and distinguishing information. I’m the type of learner who wants to be in person and physically engaged with the teacher. My personal life actually got better through the pandemic. I was able to pick up new hobbies and a job. I started to be more appreciative of money and family. I also started to value the little things in life”.

Now that I had constructed a better overview of who he is inside and outside of school, I wanted to know what his career path could look like after graduating college and what he’s planning or doing to get there. What is your major? Do your future goals pertain/relate to your major? If not what are they? (personal goals). Wander: “I am majoring in business and economics and considering minoring in management and/or computer science. Preferably my career doesn’t have to be in relation to business. Really my only goal is getting through college successfully, gaining knowledge, and being better at financial accountability”. 

When it came to discussing Wander’s subculture I noticed that he was really passionate about his topic. I was able to listen in on how his passion came to be. As a kid around the age of 12 or 15, Wander’s step-father had offered him to fix his computer in exchange for $200. Which to him was an amazing deal “just to fix a computer” Wander said. This experience allowed him to use his talent to help others and gain from it financially. Those opportunities lead him to become a PC Enthusiast (subculture). I asked him if he could briefly describe what PC Enthusiast is. Wander: “It’s a hobby that I’ve been doing for 2 years. I pretty much build a PC, then plan out how it’s gonna look, and sell it for a better price. First I process the sources I need and the physical terms, then I determine how much I’m gonna sell it for. It’s all about going through the process of trials and tribulation to reach your success”. These choices of words were very inspiring since I was able to understand how it all started. 

Final Draft:

Subculture: PC Enthusiast/Graphics Cards

When interviewing Wander I had the opportunity to, touch base on what he found most important when it came to his subculture. Being someone who prefers to learn from others and is open to maybe finding interest in other fields. Rather than excluding myself from different opportunities. I was able to be more open about my personal experiences, establish my own thoughts based on the subculture, and ask questions that really dug deep into what someone’s lifestyle can look like in the subculture.

 On March 17, 2022, at 10 am on a rainy day, Wander and I were in a well-lit, empty, spacious class conducting our interview. The first thing I noticed about him was, that he was taller than me, maybe around 6 to 7 inches, and brawny built considering I’m 5’3. He was wearing grey sweats, a hoodie with black, grey, and or red colors on them I can’t really vividly remember. His hair was in a quiff style with tapered sides and he had a heavy stubble beard. His eyes were almond-shaped, his eye color was dark brown. He had full lips and had medium-toned skin. And his voice was husky and a bit louder than I expected. I started off the interview by asking simple questions to get to know him better, “My name is Wander, and I was born in the Dominican Republic, and I speak both English and Spanish” he said loudly. Knowing how hectic the pandemic has been for the past three years from the different changes and adapting that everyone had to face, I wanted to know how he handled the drastic change. “My experience was in-between, because of the unusual changes my academic wasn’t doing as well as I would’ve liked it too. But my personal life did get better since I developed a better bond with my family and build a better PC reconstructing business for myself”.

When Wander and I were discussing his subculture I noticed that he was really passionate about his topic. I was able to listen in on how his passion came to be. As a kid around the age of 12, Wander’s step-father had offered him to fix his computer in exchange for $200. Which to him was an amazing deal. “Just to fix a computer” Wander said with a questionable tone. This experience allowed him to use his talent to help others and gain from it financially. Opportunities like that lead him to become a PC Enthusiast. In the process of listening to his childhood story, I saw that he had a smile on his face, his voice getting lighter, and he was using his hands more often when talking. I thought to myself, he really seemed appreciative towards his step-father.  

It takes a lot of determination, dedication, and patience to step into the field of Tech. There are many challenges and competitions that you go through until you reach your level of comfortability. There are some restrictions that Wander had to overcome to obtain these graphic chips in order to continue his personal business. “ To even get your hands on the latest graphic chips you need to know people not just anyone”. With a humorous tone Wander explained to me that he would ask his friends and/or family to wait in long lines and even stay overnight for him. Exactly at the location where the graphic chips were available to hold his spot when they had the chance to. “And even then, not everyone would get them. Theirs really was only a limited amount”. So you can really only hope you are one of the lucky people. I was astonished when I heard this. People really dedicate their time just to own “the latest” gadgets or materials. I really wanted to know why these graphic chips were so important that people, would even stay on the line for ten-plus hours. “Well, it’s more than that” Wander said hysterically. A GPU (Graphics processing unit)/ graphic chip is the most important part for gamers, engineers, and PC users. A graphic card allows your computer to process amazing hardware, gaming, and picture display. “Knowing this, I can see why my brothers love gaming” I laughed. With a respectful tone, I expressed my own opinion, “I’ve always had my own biases towards the idea of taking gaming as a serious career”. Now understanding that that’s how some people make money and that there are people who are professionalized to help others, does sway my opinion more. 

“I’ve had my days of imperfection and weariness”. Wander explained the emotions that would run through his head when he is in the process of fixing or installing the graphic chip on the GPU computer. It’s like your doing a surgical procedure and your client depends on you to fix their computer. In a nervous tone, “once you get to the most important part you have to be delicate,” he said. Even to this day, that’s the scariest part of his job, and he dreads to fail ever fail in it. 

Wander has noticed that, many of his clients aren’t as impressed with the work he’s doing/done. “Anyone can go into the work I’m doing, especially the ones who can benefit from it, but they just choose to have professionals do it for them”. When it’s time to pay, in Wander’s experience he gains financial revenue from it but for the clients, they lose their funds. “They kinda see me as the bad guy and I feel them, but it’s my job at the end of the day,” he said with a soft tone. But I don’t blame him. It isn’t easy getting the required products. 

Conducting this interview was, a new experience for me but it was fun. I actually felt relevance towards Wander’s subculture. Even though I had my own mixed feelings when it came to uncovering the importance that people should hold on graphic cards, and tech-related occupations or products. I was able to conduct a similar experience that I’ve fallen custom to when it came to, “price is what you pay and value is what you get”-Arthur Schopenhauer.

First Draft:

East African Agaseke basket

Cultural artifacts are objects that are used for a significant purpose, either to gain a spiritual connection, celebrate someone, or personal/economic gain. These objects can seem odd or ordinary to others, but play a big role in other cultures. A cultural artifact that is important to me is, agaseke or igiseke basket. To me, agaseke basket is a symbol of home because of my childhood and how I’ve always seen it as an important display in my home. Agaseke baskets are used to hold dry foods such as cassava flour (fufu), dry fish, raw meat, eggplant, etc. These goods would be gifted to a family member, close friend, and significant other in celebration to them. 

The agaseke basket top is shaped like a cone and the bottom is shaped like an upward oval with white as the base color and blue going around the basket-like a zig-zag. The materials used to make these baskets are sisal plants or papyrus trees. The material feels very similar to wheat baskets which have a rough feel to the pattern of the basket. Many of these baskets are handcrafted by women to show the meaning of peace and blessings. If I were to show others my agaseke basket, they would seem fascinated by the design and intrigued to know how it was made. The agaseke basket is connected to my family because it is a part of our native home, even if we aren’t physically there we are able to have something like the basket to remind us of it. The agaseke basket has been passed down for generations and will continue to be with our family as a symbol of our heritage. In Kirundi, agaseke basket is described as kugemura which is a basket with plenty of food or “bring food”. Many people look forward to being gifted toys, money, games, and clothes. While in my culture (Burundi), we gift people large amounts of food either be alive, dry, or raw it shows signs of respect, love, and blessing.

Final Draft:

The East African Agaseke Basket

Cultural artifacts are objects that are used for significant purposes, either to gain spiritual connections, celebrate someone, or personal/economic gain. These objects can seem odd or unordinary to others, but play a big role in other cultures. A cultural artifact that is important to me is, the agaseke or uduseke basket. To me, agaseke basket is a symbol of home because of my childhood and how I’ve always seen it as an important display in my home. This importance allows me to recognize the artifact in different places giving me a sense of comfort, trust, and feeling “at home”. The agaseke basket comes in one while the uduseke basket comes in packs of five with different or similar colors and different sizes very similar to the Russian Matryoshka doll. The agaseke baskets are commonly used to hold dry foods such as cassava flour (fufu), dry fish, raw meat, vegetables, etc. These goods would be gifted to a family member, close friend, and significant other in celebration to them. 

 The agaseke baskets are very popular in East African countries but aren’t shied in other parts of Africa. Originally the Agaseke basket is commonly considered a traditional Rwandese woven basket breaking down the meaning aga (singularity) and seke (the object). This artifact can surprisingly be seen globally as a necessity in other people’s households, considering the historical event of enslavement that people in all parts of Africa have faced. This tragic change forced many people to eventually be distant from their native culture and forced to adjust to a new one, this pressure didn’t completely change the fundamental traditions, rituals, and identity that the slaves held but allowed them to pass on their heritage even after gaining their freedom. 

Many of these baskets are weaved by women to symbolize peace, blessings, and feminine power. These baskets are sometimes used as an object to dance with, for example, women would have the basket balancing on top of their head while performing a traditional dance (depending on which tribe they belonged to) to greet others, and to show self-confidence and pride. Though the value that the agaseke baskets hold is inspiring it also plays critical importance towards the survival of the people/villagers. Many villagers would weave their baskets and sell them to others to financially provide for themselves or their families. 

My mother received her agaseke basket from her mutual family on her wedding day, she receive the agaseke baskets stocked with many goodies in them but had to send them back except for one. Why? Well, because in our culture unless the agaseke basket is gifted to you brand new ideally from your father, mother, or sibling it is only respectable for you to give it back to those who aren’t. Though there aren’t any negative consequences if one doesn’t return the agaseke basket it is still advised that you give it back useless otherwise. 

As I’ve grown to familiarize myself with the agaseke basket, my visual description of how my family’s agaseke basket is structured, feels like, and looks like when I hold it is, I notice that the top is shaped like a cone and the bottom is shaped like an upward oval with white as the base color and blue going around the basket-like a zig-zag. The materials used to make these baskets are sisal plants or papyrus trees. The material feels very similar to wheat baskets which have a rough feel to the pattern of the basket. If I were to show others my agaseke basket, they would seem fascinated by the design, intrigued to know how it was made, and want to know where I bought it. Some people might question its importance like, how can a basket that is used to hold objects be so important to someone’s belief, life, and happiness? 

Even though I have been so used to the “American culture”,  I’ll definitely continue my cultural agaseke basket tradition just like my mother and her ancestors. When I receive my gifted agaseke basket from my mother, I will make sure to keep it as long as I can so that I may pass down my culture and agaseke basket to my children. Even though my family and I aren’t physically in our native country the agaseke basket is a part of it, and continues to remind us where we come from.

The agaseke basket has been passed down for generations and will continue to be with our family as a symbol of our heritage. In Kirundi, agaseke basket is described as kugemura which is a basket with plenty of food or “bring food”. Many people look forward to being gifted toys, money, games, and clothes. While in my culture (Burundi), we gift people large amounts of food either be alive, dry, or raw. To simply show signs of respect, love, and blessings to others. 

Credited Cite:

Agaseke, Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia, September 4, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaseke#:~:text=Agaseke%20is%20a%20type%20of,a%20sloped%20conical%20fitted%20lid

Senthian Mugisha

Professor Joseph Furlong 

 English 21002

12 May 2022

Self-Assessment Reflection

During my first semester back in person, I would say I had to academically and socially adapt quickly to the new environment. I was so used to relying on the web when I had difficulties understanding the materials assigned to me, that when it came to being original and doing assignments related to self-interest and experience I flopped. What I’ve done to combat this issue is, go over the material more than once. I would pace myself when reading over the material. Because of this, I would notice my anxiety slow down, and my understanding would deepen.

 An essay that resonated with these difficulties was the peer interview essay. Besides the essay requiring to be 3-4 pages long, the most challenging part for me was organizing my thoughts and knowing when and where I should place my interactions. What I’ve done to combat my lack of understanding is, write a rough draft just so I can have a better understanding and idea of what the introduction and body paragraphs would look like. I would then go over my notes and look over my past essays as an example of how I should organize my work. The professor’s requirements and question ideas helped me understand the key elements that are required for the writing process, so I would use that as a reference. I’ve also noticed that I tend to elaborate more than asked for, which sometimes trickles at me here and there. This causes me to go out of topic and lose myself in my writing. So, what I’ve done to improve my analysis and summary is, to make sure I write more effectively; accurately, concise, and creative with my writing. 

When it came to writing my personal artifact essay, I was conflicted. It took me a while to come up with an artifact to write about because so many of my cultural artifacts weren’t in America. Before hopping into the essay, I was inspired to write about the agaseke basket which is very important to me and my family. Because it was a basket only used on special occasions, which I didn’t have much to write about. I did have the advantage of including the history and meaning that’s behind the agaseke basket and personal experience which helped out my essay. While it was challenging peacing up a good explanation for my artifact, my knowledge and limited personal experience with the artifact helped me finalize the essay together. 

My research essay was surprisingly the best I’ve personally done compared to all the writing I’ve done in all my years. What made the process easier was, before starting the essay, and relating to the timeline of the topic I wanted to talk about. I wanted the subject to be personal, dated, and relatable because it was easier to write. My research, both scholarly and through media wasn’t so hard to find, giving me a variety of information and ideas I can use in my writing. It was long though and did take me longer than expected to finish, but I got through it.

The mini-ethnography essay was really fun to make. Because my research essay: How has COVID impacted the decrease in food production and has this limited security access security? If so have these restrictions affected Unauthorized immigrants in any way? Was heavily based on my mini-ethnography: food insecurity in New York City. Thanks to this I had a more broader and academic perspective before starting my essay. I did have difficulties coming my way when prepping for to interview and starting my essay. My main focus was to recognize the subculture’s advantages and disadvantages when it came to accessing food and how this impacted New York City residents during the pandemic and in our present reality. The field site I went with did relate to past experiences (volunteering) that I’ve done, which didn’t confuse me as much when it came to the rituals, group identity, and behaviors. We relied on digital updates when came to navigating to our destination to drop off the food to the assigned location/companies/people/shelters, that needed it the most. Which was fun. Because of the helpful class reading and discussion I was able to peace out what to expect, take note of, and question when observing the field site/event. By peacing, observing the information, and doing some research, I was able to prep for my interview and at least get an informative essay.

The mini-assignments helped me brainstorm ideas, outline important information and build up a good summary. The small homework submissions helped me improve on analyzing evidence, paraphrasing, and writing a good thesis. The peer-review instructor feedback and the class discussion helped me get used to and incorporate more free writing either when I get stuck or have ideas that can contribute to my future writing. It has also helped me know when to quote, give feedback, and revise my drafts. I’ve also peer-reviewed and edit my classmate’s work, which allowed me to take the time to edit my work instead of rushing through it.

The Course Learning Outcomes allowed me to progress as a writer, by expanding my way of thinking, reading, and writing. I’ve been able to explore the topics that I’m most invested in, but in a different way. When it came to reading and locating the academic journals, magazines, and newspapers I made sure to thoroughly read them. I’ll also make sure that the tone and message of both the author and the reading would improve and support my claims. The thinking and writing were mainly in effect when it came to typing the essay. In this process, I would 99.9% have an idea of what I wanted to write about thanks to the class-based assignments and research. While I did have a good picture my draft wasn’t as organized as it should be. So, I would compose edit, and revise my draft, making sure I include at least an introduction, background information, a knowledgeable argument, and a summary. So, when it comes to a final essay I can fill in the essay with more important information and facts.