[Video] Climate Change in the Midwest: Exacerbating Food Insecurity

Nash Masinde is a native of Nairobi, Kenya, and is currently residing in Ames, Iowa. She attends Iowa State University and is majoring in Global Resource Systems and Environmental Science and minoring in Global Health and Sustainability. She is the president of the Iowa State University Oxfam America club. Nash is interested in addressing hunger and poverty by advocating for better land rights and access to resources for marginalized people globally. This summer, she hopes to develop the leadership and advocacy skills that will enable her to be effective in doing so in the future.

Meghna Phalke is a sophomore at Northwestern University, originally from the Bay Area in California. At Northwestern, Meghna is studying economics and political science, and outside of class, she participates in collegiate Model United Nations and sings in a South Asian fusion a capella group. Meghna is passionate about protecting the interests of disadvantaged communities across the globe, specifically in the areas of hunger, education, and health. Having previously engaged in anti-hunger efforts in India, Meghna hopes to use this summer to target domestic advocacy and learn how to most effectively engage in anti-hunger efforts close to home.

James Ziegeweid is a native of Arcadia, Wisconsin and graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a degree in management in May of 2023. While studying at MNSU, served as the Meal Planner for the MNSU Campus Kitchen, helping spearhead the fight against food insecurity in the Mankato community and after graduation volunteered with South Central Minnesota Food Recovery. As an Emerson Fellow, James is excited to learn from his supervisors, other fellows, and the Hunger Center staff as we continue the fight against hunger and poverty.