Rates of food insecurity skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, doubling overall and tripling among households with children. Even before the pandemic, the rate of food insecurity in the United States was “unusually high” compared to other rich democracies, and rates have not improved substantially over the last 25 years. What explains the lack of progress in addressing food insecurity? This article maps out an overview of the experiences, causes, and consequences of food insecurity in the United States. We demonstrate that racism is a fundamental cause of food insecurity, both because racism contributes to racial disparities in income and wealth, and because racism is linked to food insecurity independent of poverty and socioeconomic status. For example, people of color are more likely to experience racial discrimination, which is associated with food insecurity, and to live in states where stricter regulations and harsher punishments are tied to social assistance programs, including food assistance programs. Because racism is a fundamental cause of food insecurity, eliminating it requires going beyond “just” eliminating poverty. Instead, the fundamental cause must be tackled directly: racism itself, which is built into the structure of American society and entrenched in its institutions.

中文翻译：

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粮食不安全的结构根源：种族主义如何成为粮食不安全的根本原因

在 COVID-19 大流行期间，粮食不安全率飙升，在有孩子的家庭中总体翻了一番，翻了三番。甚至在大流行之前，与其他富裕的民主国家相比，美国的粮食不安全率“异常高”，而且在过去 25 年中，这一比率并没有显着改善。在解决粮食不安全问题方面缺乏进展的原因是什么？本文概述了美国粮食不安全的经历、原因和后果。我们证明种族主义是粮食不安全的根本原因，因为种族主义导致收入和财富的种族差异，而且种族主义与粮食不安全有关，与贫困和社会经济地位无关。例如，有色人种更容易受到种族歧视，这与粮食不安全有关，并且生活在更严格的法规和更严厉的惩罚与社会援助计划（包括粮食援助计划）相关的州。由于种族主义是粮食不安全的根本原因，因此消除它需要的不仅仅是“仅仅”消除贫困。相反，必须直接解决根本原因：种族主义本身，它已融入美国社会结构并根深蒂固。