13. Empowerment Through Food Access with Rickeya Smith Feggans, RDN

Rickeya Smith is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area of Virginia and the Manager for Nutrition Services with Feeding America. A proud graduate of Howard University, Rickeya previously served at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank as the Health Initiatives Manager where she promoted equitable access to both nutritious foods and healthcare services for people seeking support. Rickeya's mission is "to spread the word about health and nutrition in an easily understood, dynamic, relatable, fun way that preaches diversity, inclusion, and equity in healthcare and health education for all."
In this episode, Rickeya talks about her role as an RDN, the critical state of food insecurity in the United States, the importance of providing nutritious food options for marginalized communities, and ways to engage with and empower such communities beyond food.
Connect with Rickeya via email at [email protected] and on LinkedIn.
Key Topics and Time Stamps:

• Introduction (0:00)
• Opening Affirmation (0:50)
• Meet Rickeya Smith (1:48)
• What is an RDN? (3:44)
• The Importance of Food Banks (7:25)
• Food Insecurity Explained (8:45)
• Empowering Those with Food Insecurity (11:18)
• Rickeya's Story: Why She Does This Work (17:12)
• America's Food Access Crisis (20:08)
• Tackling Hunger Beyond Giving Food (24:33)
• Food As Medicine Tools (27:29)
• Ways You Can Help (29:08)
• White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health (34:35)
• Contacting Rickeya (37:10)
• How Rickeya and I Met (38:09)
• Wrap-Up (40:04)
• Closing Affirmation (41:43)

Episode 13's Affirmation:
I let others know they are important, that they matter, and that they are valuable.

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