39 Food and Water Questions

As you read this chapter, consider the following questions:

1. When you think about the production of food in the U.S., what connections do you see between who grows it, who profits from it, and who has access to it? How does this system reflect or challenge your understanding of equity?
2. Government crop subsidies influence what foods are available and affordable. How do you think these policies shape the nutritional choices families make—and how have they affected your own family’s meals or health?
3. Food banks and tax breaks are often seen as solutions to food insecurity. Reflect on their role: do they address root causes, or do they mask deeper systemic issues? Have you or someone you know ever relied on these resources? What was that experience like?
4. How do rising food costs interact with the poverty line in America? What does this relationship reveal about the challenges families face in meeting basic needs—and how has your family navigated these challenges?
5. Think about what influences your family’s food purchases—budget, culture, health, convenience, or availability. How do these factors reflect broader social and economic systems? What connections do you see between what you’ve read and your own family’s experience with food?
6. Access to safe water and sanitation is often taken for granted. What factors—geographic, economic, political—affect whether families have reliable access to these essentials? Have you ever experienced or witnessed challenges in this area?
7. What role does the government play in ensuring clean water and sanitation? Reflect on how effective you believe these efforts are, and what improvements you think are necessary.
8. Do you believe access to safe water and sanitation is a human right? Why or why not? How does your answer reflect your values, experiences, or understanding of justice and equity?