Keitlyn Alcantara: 2019 Thomas Marchione Award

By Gabriela Oré Menéndez (09/13/2019)

This year the  Thomas Marchione Food-as-a-Human-Right Student Award from the  Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition, a section of the "American Anthropological Association" has been awarded to our own Keitlyn Alcantara. Keitlyn's work with the community, her Sazón Nashville project, her dissertation research, and in particular her passion for bringing to the table issues of food, culture, and heritage, make her not only deserving of the award but a source of inspiration for her fellow graduate students and colleagues. Keitlyn has transformed her work into her passion, and her research into a way to get close to her community. She is someone who embraces and empowers young minds though their own family traditions and culture by sharing the knowledge of traditional food preparation and its importance.

The Thomas Marchione Food-as-a-Human-Right Student Award is awarded to a student whose work continues and expands Dr. Marchione’s efforts toward food justice, food security, and access, and most directly, food as a human right. Students applying for this award demonstrate active and productive engagement with food security and food sovereignty issues. The award is a recognition of exemplary work already accomplished, in progress, or for proposed work in the field of food as a human right and the social justice aspects of food systems that shows concern for the poor and undernourished and a willingness to take an active role in working on behalf of food sovereignty. (https://foodanthro.com/2019/04/02/thomas-marchione-award-2019/)

Soon we will be talking to Keitlyn about her work and also with Miguel Cuj, last year's winner, also a member of our Department and a second-year graduate student.

UPDATE:

Watch Keitlyn receive her award at the AAA meeting: (Video courtesy of Carla Hernandez)