A Black Feminist Analysis of Head Start Nutrition: Illustrating Latinx Realities to Inspire Change

• In Event: Language, Head Start, and Culturally Sustaining Approaches in the Borderlands

Abstract

Objectives or Purpose
In an effort to shift from a dominant focus on the medical model of nutrition, to a focus on the socio-cultural dimensions of nutrition, the purpose of this paper is to address food as an important part of Latinx children, teachers, and families’ identities in a Head Start. The inquiry, which took place in a classroom located in Southern New Mexico, illustrates the need to embrace and validate Latinx children and families ways of knowing and being around food practices and nutrition, and in turn, bridge the divide between home/cultural food practices and those that are implemented in educational settings. Black feminist thought (Collins, 2008; hooks, 1994, 1995, 2000; Lorde 1984), as a theoretical framework, was used to unpack and complicate the implementation of policies mandated by accreditation agencies such as the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This lens also supports a turn towards incorporating Latinx children and families’ knowledges and identities in pedagogical practices.

Over a twelve week period, qualitative methods were implemented in one classroom, and include participant observation, interviews with Head Start teachers and staff in the classroom, parent questionnaires, and photovoice, table talks, and food activities with the young children part of the classroom community. Data was analyzed through constant comparison (Lincoln & Guba, 1989) and reflexive journaling. Findings include how the implementation of policies mandated by CACFP have limited what children, teachers, and families can do in Head Start related to food, in addition to impeding culturally responsive practices for the Latinx children and families. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to re-center food and nutrition with a socio-cultural lens. A socio-cultural lens (Souto-Manning, 2013) around food and nutrition incites change by legitimizing the lived experiences, cultural traditions and food related practices of Latinx children, families, and teachers.

References
Collins, P. H. (2008). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment (3rd
edition). New York: Routledge.
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York, NY: Routledge.
hooks, b. (1995). Black women: Shaping feminist theory. In B. Guy-Sheftall (Ed.), Words on fire: An anthology of African-American feminist thought (pp.270-281). New York, NY: The New Press.
hooks, b. (2000) Feminist theorist: From margin to the center. Cambridge, MA: South End Press Classics.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1989). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Lorde, A. (1984). Sister Outsider: Essays and speeches. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press Feminist Series
Souto-Manning, M. (2013). Multicultural teaching in the early childhood classroom: Strategies, tools, and approaches, Preschool-2nd grade. Washington, D.C.: Association for Childhood Education International. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Author

• Margarita G. Ruiz Guerrero, Western Washington University