Let’s look ahead to a world run by Gen Z.

The Generation of Forward Thinking

Regular

Understanding the vibrant lifestyles of a new generation.

Gen Z on Exploring Identity

What to know about the next generation of social change.

The Activism of Generation Z

Giving Tuesday: A Day of Global & Digital Giving

A guide and history of Giving Tuesday, the world's largest generosity day.

Balancing mourning with collective ritual and celebration

Acknowledging the violent history behind the Thanksgiving celebration we've come to know and expect is critical, and in an age where preserving tiem for family and friends is increasingly important, it might be time to incorporate new traditions to your Thanksgiving repertoire. Here are a few things you can explore this year to embrace the preservation and memory of the indigenous people affected by imperialism in the history of the United States.

Now is a great time to incorporate new traditions to your Thanksgiving celebration.

A roast worthy of a turkey, but instead focused on what makes us truly grateful this season.

Here's to the American Tradition

Let's give it up for turkeys, football and violent misunderstandings

What the heck does it mean to be a ‘B Corp’?

People over profits: the B Corp Series

Or, “What the heck does it mean to be a ‘B Corp’?”

Top 5 Takeaways from our November Workshop

Get the Workshop recap on 2022 nonprofit planning (and see what's to come!). 

The Top 5 Takeaways from our November Workshop 

Don't Succumb to Inevitability

Here's a playlist curated by the Haus of Hoodoo with some certified bangers.

Homesick with Hoodoo

Knowing when to leave and start over is a superpower.

The Quitter's Guide to Boundaries

The Metaverse is a term to describe something that isn't good, so why are Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Sweeny so interested in making it a reality? Let's take a consequences based look at the Metaverse, and discuss whether it's a new digital playground, or an inevitable dystopian capitalist nightmare.

The Metaverse

I went to the Metaverse and all I got was this stupid t-shirt.

The Age of Isolation

Care loudly and often, especially when others don’t want you to. Dissecting the extremes of American activists, and why you don't need to fit an exaggerated role to make a difference.

Activism is for Everyone

Care loudly and often, especially when others don’t want you to.

Help Out With Hurricane Ida Recovery Efforts

We are actively collecting resources for rebuilding in the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Ida.

Help Out in Hurricane Ida Recovery Efforts

Resources for rebuilding in the Gulf Coast

Red means stop and green means go, but what happens when you are red-green color blind?

The Traffic Light Flaw

In the midst of another catastrophic rise in COVID-19 Cases, it's hard to feel inspired, again. Take a moment with us to find a few sparks of inspiration, from the olympics to good friends and close family. Let's be courageous together and find some inspiration.

Inspiration Dr.

Going to space is cool—but could it be a distraction tactic?

What do we need to go to space for? Why did a few billionaires spend billions to fly into space for a few minutes? What if Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are just playing us? Maybe there's something larger at play.

GOING TO SPACE IS COOL: BUT COULD IT BE A DISTRACTION TACTIC?

Fair warning, I love everything about the Cosmos;  the wonder, the vastness of space and all of the possibilities of the unknown. 

Here’s to Book Lovers and their Libraries

Libraries have long given us a feeling of wonder and excitement, and they're so important to us still today. Join us in celebrating the magic that libraries provide our young, adult and aging minds. Protect your public libraries!

Join our celebration of books and the public spaces that support them 

The Revolution Might Just Start with a Mirror.

It's easy to hate our bodyies, but they're pretty magical things. With the help of some self affirmations, and a good podcast listen from Glennon Doyle, learn to treat your body like the beautiful instrument that it is.

The Revolution Might Just Start with a Mirror

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