This week, Newark Mayor Cory Booker is doing something that millions of people have done before – he is living on a food stamp budget. Of course, he’s only living on it for one week, but it’s the thought that counts. And the thought is that food justice issues, as represented in this case by SNAP (the federally-funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), deserve more attention and more respect than they are currently given. In his LinkedIn announcement, Booker states his goals for the challenge (#SNAPChallenge, if you’d like to follow it on Twitter): “to raise awareness and understanding of food insecurity; reduce the stigma of SNAP participation; elevate innovative local and national food justice initiatives and food policy; and, amplify compassion for individuals and communities in need of assistance.”
The challenge has already drawn attention from most major national news outlets, and although similar challenges have been done before, the topic is unfortunately always timely. Although several states saw a decline in SNAP participation from June to July of this year, the level of need nationally remains high. In Rhode Island, the rate of food insecurity last year was 15.5%, and both SNAP enrollment and use of emergency food pantries has continued to rise. Such levels of food insecurity have an impact on broader issues, including education. Not surprisingly, children learn better when they eat, and studies have shown that “job opportunities and wage rates for less educated workers are important factors affecting the food security of children.” Even if Mayor Booker’s actions do not have a direct policy impact, if it achieves even half of the goals that he has set for it, it will be a week well spent.
I absolutely think that this is essentially a stunt, and to be honest, I am not sure that it is doing much more than preaching to the choir. At the same time, the people who actually depend on government assistance of one kind or another are often locked out of the debate on the issue. In an ideal world, this kind of attention would lend a platform for their opinions to be heard, not just those of well-meaning politicians and middle-income supporters whose YouTube response is essentially, "It's true! Being poor is really not easy." There are already plenty of people out there willing to talk about how they were/are struggling, but overcame obstacles without external support. Regardless of one's stance on the issue, we have to recognize that we're missing the message from the other side of the coin.
I’m interested if you give any credence to the criticisms that were levied at Mayor Booker in the aftermath of his announcement. I know there were some students at Brown, even of the liberal activist bent, that thought it went too far.
I’m torn myself. On the one hand, it’s so obviously a stunt. If he really wants to drive awareness, he could live on the program for a month, or even a year.
On the other hand, it’s so much more than what any other politician is doing that I guess it’s remarkable by default.