By Lucas Johnson
NASHVILLE, TN (TSU News Service) — Tennessee State University recently co-hosted a virtual conference to address food insecurity in communities across the country.
The first annual 1890s Multi-state Conference was May 18-20. TSU hosted the conference with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and Alabama A&M University (AAMU). Each university hosted one day of the conference: TSU on May 18, UAPB on May 19, and AAMU on May 20.
The conference featured community-focused conversations on addressing the adverse impact of food insecurities, as well as provided opportunities to network, engage and chat with community partners, non-profit organizations, and cooperative extension team members.
“It is our hope that this conference will join all 1890 institutions together to extend our reach and resources to build strong local food systems and decrease food insecurity in the communities we serve across our nation,” said M. Shea Austin Cantu, community nutrition education program director at TSU.
The conference also included the launching of a “Community of Practice on Food Accessibility and Security,” where attendees can join and collectively work to build strong local food systems and “turn the tide on rising hunger across our nation and the world,” according to organizers.
To learn more about TSU’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), visit https://www.tnstate.edu/snap-ed/.
