Over the course of my ILC entitled “Exploring Anti-Hunger Infrastructure Through Digital Reading” I have explored aspects of anti-hunger infrastructure through a variety of texts read and annotated digitally via hypothis.is. Across eighteen readings from fifteen texts, I was able to gather a multitude of context for issues surrounding anti-hunger infrastructure, as well as being able to create my own definition of not just anti-hunger infrastructure but of effective anti-hunger infrastructure. From this I created my own document defining these issues and using my research to make my suggestions for the creation of and strengthening of anti-hunger infrastructure at the Evergreen State College, which I hope to use to guide both my work and other future food systems work at Evergreen.
I started with readings from Jenea Cohns Skim, Dive, Surface, a book I have been using for the past year and find best to read in the beginning of the quarter. I read through the introduction as well as the chapters curation and connection, and something I noted was the many references to annotation and selective reading-based teaching methods practiced by various mentioned teachers across the world. While I may not use the same terminology, many of my own self-developed practices mirrored methods of these educators, and I was able to adapt some of my own practices using things I enjoyed reading about. One standout was Cohns “Where in the words does this idea go” map-making activity that I used several times when constructing my WordPress posts.
One of the readings from my second week was “From Dirt” by Camille T. Dungy. As she described being able to order a package of heirloom Cherokee seeds for just the price of postage, I annotated “Seeds as a non-textual source of generational knowledge? Seeds can’t be digitized, but the research from them can, what is the seed and what is the learning? The bite and the taste? The meal and the emotion?” I continued to develop this idea as I read through the rest of her work and as I constructed my WordPress reflection, and I especially enjoyed working on the “bite and taste” aspect. This is not yet a fully formed metaphor because I am still struggling to fit all the pieces into place with the idea of seeds and authors, but I keep it in my pocket and continue to take it out and try and figure it out. This does not feel like a loose end to me, this feel like the beginning of years of exploration.
As I progressed further into my ILC I began reading denser research pieces about food insecurity and anti-hunger infrastructure on college campuses. This began the creation of my final document as well as progressed my technical definition of anti-hunger infrastructure, although additional research into social infrastructure as a broader concept and the tangibility of the elements that build infrastructure was also key. Reading “Food Insecurity at Urban Universities: Perspectives During the COVID-19 Pandemic”, a research paper co-published by the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, defiantly provided the most comprehensive context and actionable suggestions for based off student needs, as well as giving me the tools to back up my own definition of effective anti-hunger infrastructure. Not only did this paper look at what students food needs were, but it also evaluated the effect of food insecurity on academics, the social stigma surrounding needing help, and the overall societal and economic changes that have impacted what it means to live as a student in comparison to the changes (or lack of) that colleges have made to adapt to that.
In constructing my final paper “Hungry Greeners: Findings on College Hunger Through Digital Reading and Suggestions for Creation and Re-enforcement of Anti-hunger Infrastructure at the Evergreen State College” I used both my research from this quarter but also mine and other Greeners experiences needing and using food services on campus. This collaboration of sources was needed to make effective solutions but felt informal and left something to be desired. While I am very pleased with this paper and plan to have it looked over and hopefully used to guide further change, I am hoping to conduct a more widespread and comprehensive student survey to get to the true needs of students.
This quarter has given me much to think about as far as campus food security and student needs, as well as the future of my academic projects and endeavors. Being able to develop my own definitions from research and experience has inspired me to do something more public with the theoretical work I have been doing for so many quarters. I am hopeful that more will come from this work as I collaborate with the CCAS and other campus groups to support students facing food insecurity.