Clay headshot

Emerson Fellow

Paige Clay

28th Class, 2021-2022

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Paige Clay recently graduated with a B.A. in political science (concentration in U.S national politics) and Africana studies from the College of Wooster. Paige has always been interested in social justice and racial equity work, but her combined personal experiences with hunger and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) developed into an interest in food justice. As an undergraduate, Paige focused her efforts on exploring anti-poverty/anti-hunger research regarding low-income populations and food deserts. Before becoming an Emerson fellow, Paige worked as an undergraduate fellow for The Policy Academies where she pursued independent research on how SNAP participation and food access produce negative health effects on Black low income/low access (LILA) populations in Georgia. As an Emerson Fellow, Paige hopes to amplify vulnerable voices in marginalized communities to create more sustainable and equitable food systems.

Field placement: Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance

Syracuse, New York

Paige completed her fieldwork with the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance (SOFSA) in Syracuse, New York. Her research focused on helping the organization develop a forward-looking policy agenda that reinforces principles of equity and justice within the food system. Paige’s work analyzed areas of opportunity in SOFSA’s understanding of multiple communities and stakeholders, to help co-create a set of recommendations for SOFSA’s short, medium, and long-term policy actions.

Policy placement: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Washington, D.C.

Paige Clay is working with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) to write a foundational document on the history of SNAP, WIC, and Child Nutrition Programs through a racial equity lens. Paige is conducting an environmental scan of various documents, articles, and reports addressing the historical and contemporary forces contributing to inequities within federal nutrition programs. Ultimately, this document will serve as a reference, resource, and basis for upcoming policy briefs and reports to uplift more equitable policy arguments and a more explicit racial equity/anti-racist lens.

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