TSU co-hosts virtual conference on food insecurity, build alliances to address rising hunger

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is co-hosting a virtual conference that will address food insecurity in communities across the country.

The first annual 1890s Multi-state Conference is May 18-20. TSU is hosting the conference with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and Alabama A&M University (AAMU). Each university will host one day of the conference: TSU on May 18, UAPB on May 19, and AAMU on May 20.

The conference will feature community-focused conversations on addressing the adverse impact of food insecurities, as well as provide opportunities to network, engage and chat with community partners, non-profit organizations, and cooperative extension team members.

“It is our hope that this conference will join all 1890 institutions together to extend our reach and resources to build strong local food systems and decrease food insecurity in the communities we serve across our nation,” said M. Shea Austin Cantu, community nutrition education program director at TSU.

She said the conference will also include the launching of a “Community of Practice on Food Accessibility and Security,” where attendees can join and collectively work to build strong local food systems and “turn the tide on rising hunger across our nation and the world.”

This event will also feature a virtual silent auction. If you would like to bid on auction items, visit: https://www.facebook.com/1890SNAPEd. All proceeds from the silent auction will go to the Mid-South Food Bank.

The conference is free, but in the spirit of increasing food accessibility, donations are being accepted for the Mid-South Food Bank at https://midsouthfoodbank.harnessapp.com/wv2/campaign/4059.

Also, don’t miss an opportunity to earn continuing education units, or CEUs. To sign-up for CEUs, contact M. Shea Austin Cantu at maustin7@tnstate.edu. There is a $20 fee for CEU registration. The CEUs are for 16 hours of education or 1.6 CEUs.

To register or to see a full program agenda, visit www.multi-state-conference.com. To receive updates, follow the conference Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/1890SNAPEd. For more information, contact Ebony Lott, Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension Western Region Area Specialist at elott1@tnstate.edu.

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Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.