On a week that starts with honoring one of the world’s most recognized figures of peace, protest and civil disobedience, it seems fitting to close it out with a march.

MARCHING TO MY OWN BLEAT

Condensed

Motorcycle accidents, keyboard activism and my trip to the White House.

Will The Real Optimists Please Stand Up?

Y’all, it’s about to be #GivingTuesday. A global day of giving, fueled by the power of social media and collaboration, this next Tuesday is your time to jump online, check out some charities gettin’ it done and head out to join them.

#52Causes: Time To Go Volunteer

Y’all, it’s about to be #GivingTuesday. A global day of giving, fueled by the power of social media and collaboration, this next Tuesday is your time to jump online, check out some charities gettin’ it done and head out to join them.  

Outside Perspectives: Whether You Know It or Not

This blog post is a part of a series—an experiment of sorts. You see, I’m reading a book about forming better habits, and I invited the entire agency to participate.

Creatures of Habit: A Black Sheep Experiment (Part III)

This blog post is a part of a series—an experiment of sorts. You see, I’m reading a book about forming better habits, and I invited the entire agency to participate. I also invited YOU to play along—and it’s not too late. It’s never too late. This is the third post of the series. Read the first two here and here.

Better Make Room July PSA

It’s been nine months—NINE—since the launch of our Better Make Room campaign at the White House.

Beating The Odds. ALL OF THE ODDS.

It’s been nine months—NINE—since the launch of our Better Make Room campaign at the White House. How is that possible, you ask? It’s crazy. We know.

In those nine months we’ve been working on rolling out the campaign as a part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher Initiative, created with the purpose of connecting Gen-Z with the resources and guidance they need to continue their education after high school. This campaign is all about shining the spotlight on students—WHERE IT BELONGS.

When Hashtags Lose Steam

It’s been two years. TWO. YEARS. Think about how many experiences you’ve had. How many people you’ve met. How many things you’ve accomplished in the two years years since the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls erupted across the world, spurring on the attention of celebrities with millions of followers and social media newbies alike. The world was engulfed in a social media wildfire and people were tweeting that shit out with a vengeance.

#HOPEtag: It's Time To Release The Butterflies

Regular

Better Make Room Campaign!

#BetterMakeRoom for Kim

#BetterMakeRoom for Ignacio

#BetterMakeRoom for Tyrie

Better Make Room For Tyrie, Kim and Ignacio

Debate the merits of a candidate, not to mention the importance of doing your civic duty

Did Someone Say Caucus?

Taking the opportunity each day to make a difference for others

Use The Force. For Good.

Get Your Ass To The Polls: November 3rd is the Day to #VoteHOU

Voting for a chance to make a change in your community

#VoteHOU

Using your voice and the confidence to cast your ballot for people and policies that you believe in

We Want HOU to Vote!

Taking a stand on your beliefs and values

‘Murica, the Beautiful (And Inspiring)

#EndAbuse: Do Your Part to Break the Cycle

BikeHouston: Making The City Safer and More Accessible

Making Houston safer for bikers and putting an end to collisions between bikes and cars

The State of the Arts: 3 Ways to Build The Arts in Your Community

3 Ways Government Uses Technology To Make An Impact

How does the government use technology to connect and activate communities for the better

ThankHOU: We Flocking Love These Local Nonprofits

Supporting local nonprofits in the Houston area

Instead of leaving public institutions out of your big plans, we encourage you to jump onto your city’s website, scope out the scene and GET INVOLVED.

Why Civic Engagement Matters

No matter your impact space, the last few years have taught us that our causes are interconnected. Researchers are now dealing with what the White House calls “converging crises” across industries. As a purpose-driven organization, we’ve spent years discussing everything from environmental racism and climate change to education and housing. But until recently, we hadn’t yet looked into an issue that’s affected by all of the above: food insecurity.

Food insecurity affects millions of all ages and backgrounds across America, particularly impacting the BIPOC community and hitting kids especially hard after millions have lost access to free school lunches. 

The pandemic has only exacerbated the fragility of the inequitable American food system. In 2022, the Census Bureau reported a 41% increase in households saying they did not have enough to eat after Congress stopped pandemic relief programs. 

That's over 40 million people who are experiencing hunger—or the fear of hunger—on a regular basis. With rising food and housing costs, that number is only expected to grow. 

Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life. This can include not having enough money to buy food, living in an area without access to healthy food options or experiencing disruptions in food supply due to natural disasters or other crises.

According to Feeding America, the causes of food insecurity are complex and include:

Systemic racism and racial discrimination

The devastating effects of food insecurity

Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human need and a social determinant of health and wellness. Without equitable access, we see an impact on:

Health: Without nutritious foods, people are at an increased risk for chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and mental health disorders—particularly as many turn to cheap, caloric-rich foods in lieu of fresh, prepared meals.

Education: Children who experience food insecurity are more likely to have lower academic achievement, be suspended or expelled and suffer from behavioral and emotional problems. 

Financial wellness: Food-insecure households often spend over 25% of their income on food, making it challenging to budget other expenses like housing, healthcare, education and utilities. This is more harrowing given that food-insecure households also spend more on healthcare due to their poor diet.

Words matter. Food deserts and food apartheid are related terms you have probably heard but are distinct concepts.

Food deserts refer to geographic areas where residents lack access to affordable, healthy and fresh food, often due to a lack of grocery stores or other food retailers. These food deserts can occur in both urban and rural areas and affect people of all races and income levels.

Food apartheid, on the other hand, refers to a systemic and intentional form of discrimination in the food system that leads to unequal access to healthy food based on race and income. This terminology recognizes that food access is not simply a matter of geography but a result of historical and ongoing inequities in the food system, including racism, poverty, and systemic inequality. 

There are organizations across most major cities to fight these issues, namely urban farms and dedicated neighborhood markets. However, given the multiple converging crises, issues like food insecurity are often overlooked in favor of more hot-button issues. That’s where all of us can step in.

What can social justice-minded people do to help solve food insecurity?

While food insecurity offers no easy solutions, there are many ways to get involved.

Poverty USA offers some smart systemic change recommendations:

Reduce food waste - we throw away 30% of the food we produce

Here are a few ideas you can engage with at the individual level:

Find your nearest co-op (like Plant It Forward) and volunteer and shop there

Call your representative to advocate for policies that support access to healthy, affordable food.

Support local farmers and community gardens

Educate yourself and others about the causes and consequences of food insecurity

Donate to organizations that are working to address food insecurity, such as Feeding America or the World Food Programme

Food insecurity is incredibly complex, but it’s one area we can actually make great progress on as individuals. Supporting these local, fresh food sources improves the entire community’s health—AND it means more delicious, interesting meals on your plate. That’s a win for everyone. 

What is food insecurity and what can we do about it?

Food insecurity is a complex issue affecting millions of Americans, with systemic factors like poverty, racism, and geography playing a major role, but there are steps we can take to combat it.

The Black Sheep blog is turning up the volume on community engagement, social media strategy, Houston happenings and what it means to lead a purpose-driven life.

The Black Sheep Agency | Social impact and nonprofit blog

We like to type as much as we like to listen.

We're not shy.

The Politics of Food Access