Miami, Nov. 14, 2019 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Earth Ethics Institute (EEI) and the Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy (iCED) will host Zero Hunger Campus Learning Community Symposia at both MDC North (Nov. 18 – 22) and Padrón Campuses (Dec. 2 – 6) to create awareness about food insecurity in the U.S. and globally. Zero Hunger events are free and open to students and the public.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. In 2018, an estimated 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure, equating to over 37 million Americans, including more than 11 million children. On a global scale, 821 million people go hungry each day.
Rethinking how to grow, share, and consume food is essential to addressing the global and local problem of food insecurity. Zero Hunger will feature presentations by faculty and community partners, as well as student-led information displays on environmental sustainability, resilience, and social justice perspectives with a focus on the state of food insecurity and eliminating hunger in South Florida. Students have designed a Zero Hunger game, others will participate in an Escape from Poverty Game, and there will be student-made posters and video presentations and research on poverty and hunger.
Guest speakers will discuss poverty and hunger and what we can do as a community to make a difference. Climate change expert, Captain Dan Kipnis, who will share his personal journey to understanding the implications of climate change on food insecurity at 9:50 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, at North Campus, Room 2151. At Padrón Campus, the Honorable Judge Alberto Milian, 11th Judicial Court of Florida, will speak at 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 2, in Room 401.
“It is essential that at this time of increasing threat to global food supplies we offer programs and initiatives that teach our students about sustainability while developing a greater sense of resiliency,” said Dr. Malou C. Harrison, President of Padrón and North Campuses. “MDC is known for being a leader in higher education offering new and relevant programs to meet the needs of our students’ environmental health and well-being. The Campus Learning Community is another great example of MDC’s commitment to providing students access to information that will help them and their families thrive”.
- The North Campus symposium will take place Monday – Friday, Nov. 18 – 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in North Campus Rooms 2151 and A-104. The North Campus is located at 11380 N.W. 27th, Miami, Fl. 33167.
- The Padrón Campus symposium will take place Monday – Friday, Dec. 2 – 6, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Padrón Campus, Room 401, the Flag Courtyard, and various classrooms. The Padrón Campus is located at 627 S.W. 27th, Miami, Fl. 33135.
For more information, please contact: Stephen Nesvacil, North Campus Earth Ethics Institute, 305-237-1338; Alison Kasney, North and Padrón Campus Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy, 305-237-8380; Mike Matthews, Earth Ethics Institute college-wide director, (305)237-3796; or Natasha Esteves, Padrón Campus Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy.