Abstract

This study assessed satisfaction of Asian American students of SUNY Binghamton on access to culturally relevant foods in the greater Binghamton area. The greater Binghamton area is a food desert; many residents suffer from lack of stable and affordable access to healthy foods. As Broome County is a homogenous population, with 85.8% of the population being white, the local area is also lacking in one of the tenets of food justice—culturally relevant foods—creating a culturally appropriate food desert as well (Social Explorer, 2019). On the other hand, the demographic within the SUNY Binghamton campus is more diverse, with only 55% of the student body being white. For the Asian-American community, which is often excluded from the American narrative as the “perpetual foreigner,” cultural foods provide a lifeline bridging cross cultural identity (Data USA, 2019). Through interviews and focus group potlucks in which students shared experiences adapting to available food options, this study revealed that a majority of Asian American students are dissatisfied with cultural offerings in and around campus. Food offerings often mimic the dominant culture of the demographic. Thus, the Asian American experience is underrepresented or misrepresented. When communities are overlooked, so too are methods by which to examine their health, and opportunities to better empathy and understanding for diverse groups of people.