Understanding Food Access in Low-Income Communities and Communities of Color

Low-income and minority communities are often characterized by lack of access to healthy and affordable foods. Large grocery stores are sometimes scarce while food outlets such as gas stations, corner stores, and pharmacies abound. Though terms like “food desert” have been used to describe this phenomenon, this talk by Dorceta Taylor will examine the problematic nature of how researchers have defined and studied the food landscape. It explores the role of alternative food sources in providing access to healthy foods in urban areas.

Taylor is a professor of environmental sociology at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). She is the James E. Crowfoot Collegiate Chair and the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at SNRE. She also holds a joint appointment with the Program in the Environment. Taylor is the former field of studies coordinator for SNRE’s Environmental Justice Program and a past chair of the American Sociological Association’s Environment and Technology Section.

Sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program.