Hunger is a universal occurrence. It knows no religion, race, or gender. While we tend to view hunger as a problem for other countries, it’s important to recognize that there are millions in our own country who experience this problem. In fact, there are people within two miles of our campus who struggle with issues of hunger and food resources every day.

The idea of food justice goes one step further than the charitable distribution of food. It is the belief that healthy food is a human right and there are structural problems in our country that prevent certain people from receiving necessary resources.  In many inner-city areas, such as St. Louis, there are “food deserts”. These are neighborhoods with limited resources for affordable and nutritious foods. Residents must travel several miles away from their homes in order to access foods that we take for granted, especially fruits and vegetables. According to research from the American Chamber of Commerce, 29 percent of ZIP codes in the U.S. do not have grocery stores and 74 percent do not have any chain supermarkets. These are startling statistics for one of the leading developed countries in the world.

While food justice can seem broad and daunting, Saint Louis University students have taken steps to focus on the issue.  As part of the Better Together campaign sponsored by InterFaith Alliance, students of all faith and philosophical backgrounds were called to come together during the What If Speak-In last semester to listen to performances addressing the issues of interfaith work and food justice. This semester, there will be more opportunities for education, dialogue, and service involving food justice.

As SLU students, I challenge you all to examine what your faith or philosophical background says about helping those in need.  By building stronger relationships with each other, we can learn from the diversity of each others’ traditions and make an even greater impact in our community.

-Anu Gorukanti is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.