-: So I am very passionate about hunger
because I have two children.
I never have to worry if my kids are gonna go to be hungry
and I certainly don't send them to school on an empty belly.
As a mother, I think once we become a mother
we become a mother to all children
and I can't imagine the stress of being a mother
not being able to find food to feed my child.
So that really brings the passion into my work.
The emotional favorite experience that I have
is when an audience member comes up to me
and says thank you.
Thank you for validating me.
Thank you for understanding my story.
Thank you for being a voice because we're often silenced.
And I know I'm doing my job when I have those moments.
The most challenging situation,
and I deal with this everyday not just in the presentations,
but I have to say it's when I am met with opposition
because in the United States we have a lot of people
who have misconceptions surrounding food assistance programs
and poverty in the United States.
So I have to be able to meet that opposition
with empathy for their view,
but also an open heart and that requires a lot of patience
when someone doesn't believe what you're saying.
But I always know if someone is questioning me,
I at least have them thinking about it.
So that's a step in the right direction.