Q&A
HOPE FOR A HIDDEN HUNGER FATIYA KEDIR ’17 UNDERSTANDS FOOD INSECURITY ON A PERSONAL LEVEL AND CONFRONTS THE ISSUE DAILY IN HER COMMUNITY.
At Macalester College, Kedir uses her position in the school’s student government to address hunger and accessibility to food and other essentials that exist on campus and in the wider Twin Cities. As a senior majoring in international studies, Kedir considers how she might broaden her mission after graduation.
Photo: David J Turner
Question: Where does your interest in combating food insecurity come from?
18 Cyrus
Answer: I was born in a refugee camp on the border of Somalia and Kenya and came to the United States when I was 6 years old. At a very base level, I think coming from a family of refugees and being a refugee has deeply fueled my interests and understanding of food insecurity. Unsurprisingly, there is a great amount of hunger and food insecurity in a refugee camp. But I was surprised to notice it’s something that happens often here in the U.S. as well. I had neighbors, friends and classmates who experienced food insecurity, but the issue seemed invisible.
Q: Macalester has a program called Open Pantry, which serves as a resource for students who need supplemental food and essential items. Can you talk about this program and your involvement? A: Open Pantry was created by the vice president of student government [as part of the Student Services and Relations Committee] in my first year at Macalester. She was a great mentor and an advocate for the theory that we all do better when we all do better. And I absolutely love and uphold that. I took over operations of Open Pantry when I became student government vice president in my junior year. I feel like most higher education institutions strive to create a diverse learning environment,
