Hunger, Food Policy, and Homelessness
“Even when I was little, I knew that teenagers sparkled. I knew they knew something children didn’t know, and adults ended up forgetting.” – Lorde
Allison hosts a special program focused on hunger and food policy. She interviews teen Louis Rotgin, who, through volunteering, journalism, and independent research, works to raise awareness of youth food insecurity and the importance of nutrition. His goal is to encourage informed conversations that help improve food access and opportunity for students. Over the past several years, he has volunteered with Meals on Wheels West, an urban farm operated by Upward Bound House, Nourish LA, and his school's Giving Spirit program, helping support individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and housing instability. These experiences inspired him to research food policy and write about the connection between nutrition, learning, and youth development. In segment two, Allison addresses the relationship between homelessness and substance abuse. For some, substances may trigger a chain reaction where the final link leads to an individual’s loss of housing. For others, substance use only emerges as a means of fitting into street culture. However, what remains consistent is the cyclical nature of the two, each one reinforcing the other, and, in both cases, one condition often worsens the other. How can we break the cycle of substance abuse and homelessness?
Bio: Louis Rotgin is a senior at Santa Monica High School and the Editor-in-Chief of The Samohi, the school's student newspaper. His interest in food policy developed through years of volunteering with organizations including an urban farm operated by Upward Bound House, Meals on Wheels West, Nourish LA, and The Samohi Giving Spirit. Inspired by these experiences, he has pursued independent research examining food insecurity, nutrition, and youth homelessness. He has written a research article and an opinion article on these topics. Louis hopes to continue combining journalism, research, and public service to address issues affecting young people.
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