Congress Should Check Convenience Stores
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
November 23-29, 2009
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, and to advocate for universal health care in the United States Senate one issue that impacts people’s health is the quality of food available to them. Wealthy people tend to have better health in part due to their diet of quality foods. Conversely, poor peoples’ poor health is usually predicated on their choices in food.
One reality for poor people of all pigments is that they have less choices of good food in their neighborhoods. Unlike well-to-do neighborhoods with gourmet grocers and organic options, poor people must, in many cases, use convenience stores to purchase produce and meats. For most poor people of color high quality meats and produce is virtually non-existent. The results are predictable.
The consumption of healthy foods—particularly fresh produce—is a key element to disease prevention. Likewise, eating bad food has bad health results. It does not take a “rocket scientist” to figure out the connection between diet and disease. The phrase, “you are what you eat”, plays out every day in poor neighborhoods. Predictably, diabetes, high-blood pressure, and obesity plague poor neighborhoods, disproportionately African American.
According to the Office of Minority Health, Black women are 70% more likely to be obese than White women; African Americans are 30% more likely to have Diabetes than Whites; and Black men are 30% more likely than their White counterparts acquire heart disease. Many of these maladies arise from poor diets. Poor diets arise from junk food. Convenience stores jack up Black diets by selling junk food.
Convenience stores are central culprits in not only offering low-quality food products but also by jacking up their prices. On average, poor people pay a territory tax on food because of the perception of crime in low-income areas (of course low-income neighborhoods have more crime due to the lack of lack of jobs and capital, but I will save the subject for another column). Research reveals that poor people pay as much as 20% more than the national average for food. Some experts assert that such jacked up prices amount to $1200 more for the poor.
National chain grocery stores avoid poor neighborhoods as if poor people do not deserve high-quality food. Ten years ago I remember working on a “New Markets Initiative” project in 1999 with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to locate a Pathmark Grocery Store in Harlem, New York. At that time, no national grocery chain store existed in Harlem. The reasons given were the perception of crime and the high cost of building. Our point was that such a store location would allow the national chain to do well by the residents of Harlem and do well by the business bottom line. Years later, the highest grossing Pathmark store in the nation was the one located in Harlem. So successful was the store that a second Pathmark was sited there.
Black communities have half as much access to chain supermarkets than White neighborhoods. Latinos have 30% less access to chain stores than Whites. With the absence of national chain stores allows for small convenience stores predominate poor communities.
Congress should enact legislation to end racial redlining in retail food stores by regulating convenience stores that sell junk food. For example, regulating junk food in the same manner that was done for tobacco and alcohol would go along way in reducing disease diets in Black communities. Why not require junk food producers in convenience stores to print warning labels reading, “EATING THIS PRODUCT COULD LEAD TO DIABETES, HIGH-BLOOD PRESSURE OR OBESITY”?
Congress should check convenience stores into compliance with reasonable costs and healthy contents.
In linking leadership,
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Junk Food Stores are Jacked Up
Junk Food Stores are Jacked Up
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
November 15-22, 2009
“The poor pay more for less, while living under stress, and die early”
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
As we prepare to advocate for universal health care in the United States Senate one issue that impacts people’s health is the quality of food available to them. Wealthy people tend to have better health in part due to their diet of quality foods. Conversely, poor peoples’ poor health is usually predicated on their choices in food.
One reality for poor people of all pigments is that they have less choices of good food in their neighborhoods. Unlike well-to-do neighborhoods with gourmet grocers and organic options, poor people must, in many cases, use convenient stores to purchase produce and meats. For most poor people of color high quality meats and produce is virtually non-existent. The results are predictable.
The consumption of healthy foods—particularly fresh produce—is a key element to disease prevention. Likewise, eating bad food has bad health results. It does not take a “rocket scientist” to figure out the connection between diet and disease. The phrase, “you are what you eat”, plays out every day in poor neighborhoods. Predictably, diabetes, high-blood pressure, and obesity plague poor neighborhoods, disproportionately African American.
According to the Office of Minority Health, Black women are 70% more likely to be obese than White women; African Americans are 30% more likely to have Diabetes than Whites; and Black men are 30% more likely than their White counterparts of acquire heart disease. Many of these maladies arise from poor diets. Poor diets arise from junk food. Convenience stores jack up Black diets by selling junk food.
Convenience stores are central culprits in not only offering low-quality food products but also by jacking up their prices. On average, poor people pay a territory tax on food because of the perception of crime in low-income areas (of course low-income neighborhoods have more crime due to the lack of lack of jobs and capital, but I will save the subject for another column). Research reveals that poor people pay as much as 20% more than the national average for food. Some experts assert that such jacked up prices amount to $1200 more for the poor.
National chain grocery stores avoid poor neighborhoods as if poor people do not deserve high-quality food. Ten years ago I remember working on a “New Markets Initiative” project in 1999 with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to locate a Pathmark Grocery Store in Harlem, New York. At that time, no national grocery chain store existed in Harlem. The reasons given were the perception of crime and the high cost of building. Our point was that such a store location would allow the national chain to do well by the residents of Harlem and do well by the business bottom line. Years later, the highest grossing Pathmark store in the nation was the one located in Harlem. So successful was the store that a second Pathmark was sited there.
Black communities have half as much access to chain supermarkets than White neighborhoods. Latinos have 30% less access to chain stores than Whites. With the absence of national chain stores allows for small convenience stores predominate poor communities.
Congress should enact legislation to end racial redlining in retail food stores by regulating convenience stores that sell junk food. For example, regulating junk food in the same manner that was done for tobacco and alcohol would go along way in reducing disease diets in Black communities. Why not require junk food producers in convenience stores to print warning labels reading, “EATING THIS PRODUCT COULD LEAD TO DIABETES, HIGH-BLOOD PRESSURE OR OBESITY”?
Congress should jack up convenience stores and junk food peddlers.
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
November 15-22, 2009
“The poor pay more for less, while living under stress, and die early”
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
As we prepare to advocate for universal health care in the United States Senate one issue that impacts people’s health is the quality of food available to them. Wealthy people tend to have better health in part due to their diet of quality foods. Conversely, poor peoples’ poor health is usually predicated on their choices in food.
One reality for poor people of all pigments is that they have less choices of good food in their neighborhoods. Unlike well-to-do neighborhoods with gourmet grocers and organic options, poor people must, in many cases, use convenient stores to purchase produce and meats. For most poor people of color high quality meats and produce is virtually non-existent. The results are predictable.
The consumption of healthy foods—particularly fresh produce—is a key element to disease prevention. Likewise, eating bad food has bad health results. It does not take a “rocket scientist” to figure out the connection between diet and disease. The phrase, “you are what you eat”, plays out every day in poor neighborhoods. Predictably, diabetes, high-blood pressure, and obesity plague poor neighborhoods, disproportionately African American.
According to the Office of Minority Health, Black women are 70% more likely to be obese than White women; African Americans are 30% more likely to have Diabetes than Whites; and Black men are 30% more likely than their White counterparts of acquire heart disease. Many of these maladies arise from poor diets. Poor diets arise from junk food. Convenience stores jack up Black diets by selling junk food.
Convenience stores are central culprits in not only offering low-quality food products but also by jacking up their prices. On average, poor people pay a territory tax on food because of the perception of crime in low-income areas (of course low-income neighborhoods have more crime due to the lack of lack of jobs and capital, but I will save the subject for another column). Research reveals that poor people pay as much as 20% more than the national average for food. Some experts assert that such jacked up prices amount to $1200 more for the poor.
National chain grocery stores avoid poor neighborhoods as if poor people do not deserve high-quality food. Ten years ago I remember working on a “New Markets Initiative” project in 1999 with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to locate a Pathmark Grocery Store in Harlem, New York. At that time, no national grocery chain store existed in Harlem. The reasons given were the perception of crime and the high cost of building. Our point was that such a store location would allow the national chain to do well by the residents of Harlem and do well by the business bottom line. Years later, the highest grossing Pathmark store in the nation was the one located in Harlem. So successful was the store that a second Pathmark was sited there.
Black communities have half as much access to chain supermarkets than White neighborhoods. Latinos have 30% less access to chain stores than Whites. With the absence of national chain stores allows for small convenience stores predominate poor communities.
Congress should enact legislation to end racial redlining in retail food stores by regulating convenience stores that sell junk food. For example, regulating junk food in the same manner that was done for tobacco and alcohol would go along way in reducing disease diets in Black communities. Why not require junk food producers in convenience stores to print warning labels reading, “EATING THIS PRODUCT COULD LEAD TO DIABETES, HIGH-BLOOD PRESSURE OR OBESITY”?
Congress should jack up convenience stores and junk food peddlers.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
From Celebration to Mobilization
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
November 8-15, 2009
One year ago, the Americans joined the world community in celebrating the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. After years of preference to the greedy over policies for the needy we all embraced a new Administration, committed to pitching a wider tent under which all Americans could fit.
The highest policy priority of President Obama’s Administration has been health care reform. Throughout the summer of 2008 Congressional Committees in the United States Senate and House of Representatives worked on crafting legislative bills that could be enacted into law. As legislators worked, so did the leaders of the Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
This week, the United States House of Representatives voted to pass a health care reform bill, notwithstanding an amendment to restrict the provision of abortions in health policies.
Prior to the vote, the 51 Member Organizations of the Black Leadership Forum moved from celebration to mobilization.
Led by the National Urban League, National NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus, National Conference of Black Mayors, National Council of Negro Women, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, National Action Network, and the National Dental Association, the Black Leadership Forum moved from reactive to proactive.
A “civil rights war room” was established in Washington, DC to mobilize chapters and affiliates of the Black Leadership Forum to contact their Congressional members and demand progressive health care reform. One key element needed in the final legislation is an option to private health care providers—a government-run public option.
A strong public option is critical in countervailing the negative impact of private health insurers’ ability to make health care un-accessible and un-affordable. Currently, the health care industry is exempt from anti-trust laws. In other words, health providers can set fees “willy-nilly”, without violating laws. In many states, there are one or two health providers from which the public can choose. Such is not a choice at all. I submit that health care bullies violate moral laws by profiting on the backs of working people.
Health care in the United States of America should be a right and not a privilege. Congressman John Lewis, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives said it best: “We have a mission, a mandate, and a moral obligation to lead this nation into a new era, where health care is a right and not a privilege.”
Accordingly, the war room provided talking points and a toll-free telephone number connecting callers to their respective members of Congress. Member Organizations designated people to staff the war room for 10 critical days prior to the vote in the House of Representatives. In the best tradition of unity, Member Organizations left their individual “logos at the door” and worked in tandem to push for a strong public option in the legislation.
In the end, we proved that, contrary to naysayers; national Black organizations can (and do) work together to produce policies for the public good. Moreover, the Black Leadership Forum sent a message to our adversaries that we are proactive as leaders on legislation for the people.
In the words of the music-recording artist known as the O’Jays: “…got to give the people, give the people what they want.” The American people (over 65% according to CNN) want and need health care reform. In particular, the nation needs healthcare that is accessible and affordable. Now!
By Gary L. Flowers
Executive Director & CEO
Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
November 8-15, 2009
One year ago, the Americans joined the world community in celebrating the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. After years of preference to the greedy over policies for the needy we all embraced a new Administration, committed to pitching a wider tent under which all Americans could fit.
The highest policy priority of President Obama’s Administration has been health care reform. Throughout the summer of 2008 Congressional Committees in the United States Senate and House of Representatives worked on crafting legislative bills that could be enacted into law. As legislators worked, so did the leaders of the Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
This week, the United States House of Representatives voted to pass a health care reform bill, notwithstanding an amendment to restrict the provision of abortions in health policies.
Prior to the vote, the 51 Member Organizations of the Black Leadership Forum moved from celebration to mobilization.
Led by the National Urban League, National NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus, National Conference of Black Mayors, National Council of Negro Women, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, National Action Network, and the National Dental Association, the Black Leadership Forum moved from reactive to proactive.
A “civil rights war room” was established in Washington, DC to mobilize chapters and affiliates of the Black Leadership Forum to contact their Congressional members and demand progressive health care reform. One key element needed in the final legislation is an option to private health care providers—a government-run public option.
A strong public option is critical in countervailing the negative impact of private health insurers’ ability to make health care un-accessible and un-affordable. Currently, the health care industry is exempt from anti-trust laws. In other words, health providers can set fees “willy-nilly”, without violating laws. In many states, there are one or two health providers from which the public can choose. Such is not a choice at all. I submit that health care bullies violate moral laws by profiting on the backs of working people.
Health care in the United States of America should be a right and not a privilege. Congressman John Lewis, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives said it best: “We have a mission, a mandate, and a moral obligation to lead this nation into a new era, where health care is a right and not a privilege.”
Accordingly, the war room provided talking points and a toll-free telephone number connecting callers to their respective members of Congress. Member Organizations designated people to staff the war room for 10 critical days prior to the vote in the House of Representatives. In the best tradition of unity, Member Organizations left their individual “logos at the door” and worked in tandem to push for a strong public option in the legislation.
In the end, we proved that, contrary to naysayers; national Black organizations can (and do) work together to produce policies for the public good. Moreover, the Black Leadership Forum sent a message to our adversaries that we are proactive as leaders on legislation for the people.
In the words of the music-recording artist known as the O’Jays: “…got to give the people, give the people what they want.” The American people (over 65% according to CNN) want and need health care reform. In particular, the nation needs healthcare that is accessible and affordable. Now!
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