06/14/2026
OUR FOOD INSECURITY is one of the things that has increasingly concerned me over the past several years is the growing gap between the issues that dominate our information streams -- mostly social media these days and, the problems that are quietly developing beneath the surface of everyday life.
We tend to focus most of our attention on dramatic events—racist police shootings, hurricanes, wars, political battles, pandemics, economic shocks—and understandably so. These events are immediate, highly visible, and often impossible to ignore. Yet some of the most serious threats to the well-being of our communities emerge gradually, receiving relatively little public attention from us until they have already become deeply entrenched.
Food insecurity is one of those threats.
Recent data indicate that food insecurity in the United States has reached its highest level in decades, affecting nearly 48 million Americans, including approximately 14 million children.
Those numbers alone should concern anyone who cares about the health and stability of our society, but what troubles me even more is the disproportionate impact this crisis is having on Black folk and other historically marginalized communities.
According to current estimates, nearly one in four of our households now experiences food insecurity. Among Black children, the situation is even worse, with roughly one-quarter living in households where access to adequate food is uncertain. These aren't just statistics. They represent real families, real parents, and real children who are struggling to meet one of our most basic human needs besides air and water.
As I've often said over the years, hunger is rarely just about food. It is usually a reflection of a broader set of conditions that make individuals and communities vulnerable.
Rising grocery prices, increasing housing costs, higher utility bills, transportation expenses, stagnant wages, and the expiration of many pandemic-era assistance programs have combined to place enormous pressure on millions of households.
For families already living paycheck to paycheck, even a modest increase in the cost of living can force difficult decisions about what bills get paid, what necessities are postponed, and what sacrifices must be made.
The reality is that many Black communities entered this period of economic uncertainty carrying burdens that were already heavier than those faced by much of the population. Long-standing disparities in income, wealth, housing, healthcare access, and employment opportunities have left many families with fewer financial reserves and less room to absorb unexpected setbacks.
When food prices rise sharply, when rents increase, or when employment becomes unstable, the consequences tend to be felt more quickly and more severely.
What is particularly troubling is that food insecurity doesn't remain confined to the dinner table. Its effects spread outward into nearly every aspect of community life.
Children who don't have reliable access to nutritious food often face greater educational challenges. Adults experiencing food insecurity are more likely to suffer from stress-related illnesses and chronic health conditions.
Families under financial strain may be forced to postpone medical care, delay necessary purchases, or take on debt simply to meet basic needs. Over time, these pressures accumulate and contribute to broader social and economic instability.
From a Life-Protection/ IA perspective, this is one of the reasons I've always encouraged our members to think beyond the traditional image of disasters. While it's important to prepare for storms, blackouts, emergencies, and other sudden disruptions, it is equally important to recognize the slow-moving crises that can gradually erode a community's resilience.
Food insecurity falls squarely into that category. It is a condition that weakens households over time, making them more vulnerable to every other challenge that may arise.
As I look at the years ahead, and considering the multitude of problems we'll be facing, I believe this issue deserves far more attention from us than it is currently receiving.
Too much of our bandwidth is directed towards other social justice related issues. They too are extremely important, but the combination of economic uncertainty, climate-related disruptions, supply-chain vulnerabilities, and growing pressure on social support systems suggests that food affordability and food access may grow to an unmanageable scale over the next few years..
For members of Afroprep-NOW!, I believe this is an appropriate moment to carefully evaluate your household's food security and to think about what practical steps can be taken to strengthen it.
Building a modest pantry, reducing dependence on just-in-time purchasing, learning basic food preservation skills, supporting community gardens, and developing stronger networks of mutual aid are all measures that can help families become more resilient in uncertain times.
Most importantly, however, I think we must resist the temptation to view this solely as an individual problem. Throughout history, our communities have weathered difficult periods not simply because individuals prepared, but because we looked out for one another. Families shared resources. Neighbors exchanged information -- when I was growing up in Harlem & El Bronx they did it from tenement windows!
Also, our community institutions such as the Original Black Panther Party stepped forward to fill gaps and help those in need. Those traditions remain just as important today as they have ever been.
The figures we are seeing now should concern all of us, not because they represent some abstract economic trend, but because they reveal a growing hardship affecting millions of our Brothers & Sisters.
In my opinion, totally recognizing and acknowledging this reality is the first step toward addressing it, and ensuring that more families are able to face the future with dignity, stability, and, a greater measure of security.
If we don't get this done now, -- and I mean RIGHT now, we are doing to suffer severe consequences in the very near future. You'd be surprised just how fast 24% can grow to 34, 44 and even 50% History has provided us with too many examples.
Let's learn from history and take action.
— Aton Edwards
Afroprep-NOW!
Global Black Survival & Life-Protection Initiative
