At 250, America Faces a Global Hunger Test
How the United States shows up in the world matters. Nowhere is that more evident than in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, I reflect on this moment not only as an American citizen, but as a Black woman who had the extraordinary privilege of representing the nation abroad as the US ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture—an experience that deepened both my pride in America and my understanding of the responsibilities that accompany American leadership.
For decades, American leadership in food and agriculture has helped feed the world. American farmers, scientists, businesses, and humanitarian organizations have expanded agricultural productivity and saved lives during times of famine, conflict, and disaster. But the global food crisis the world faces today is fundamentally different from the one it confronted a generation ago.
Today, hunger exists alongside obesity. Climate shocks disrupt food production from Africa to the American Midwest. Conflict, economic instability, and fragile supply chains continue to drive food insecurity. More than 670 million people remain chronically hungry, while 2.6 billion cannot afford a healthy diet. At the same time, diet-related diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes are overwhelming health systems, including those in the United States. These are not simply humanitarian challenges. They are economic, public health, and national security challenges.
The global food crisis the world faces today is fundamentally different from the one it confronted a generation ago.
As America turns 250, we must ask what kind of leadership will define the next chapter of the American story. In my view, American leadership cannot be measured solely by military strength or economic dominance. It must also be measured by the example it sets.
When it comes to food security, that work begins at home.
In the wealthiest nation in the world, millions of Americans still live in communities where nutritious food is inaccessible or unaffordable. Rural communities and urban neighborhoods alike continue to lose grocery stores. Farmers face mounting economic pressure and climate volatility. Diet-related illness disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. America’s credibility abroad will increasingly depend on whether it is willing to address domestic inequities while advancing sustainable solutions globally.
Yet I remain optimistic. Throughout my career, I have witnessed the power of American innovation, entrepreneurship, generosity, and resilience. I have seen communities transform when investment, policy, and human ingenuity align around a common purpose. At 250, America still possesses the capacity to lead, not because it is flawless, but because it continues striving toward a more perfect union.
As an ambassador, I represented a nation whose history is both inspiring and imperfect, a country founded on extraordinary ideals while too often denying those promises to many of its own people. Yet I also represented a nation uniquely capable of reinvention. As a Black woman serving in a senior diplomatic role, I carried the legacy of generations who could scarcely have imagined such an opportunity possible.
If the United States chooses to lead in building food systems that are more equitable, sustainable, and resilient, it will do more than reduce hunger. It will strengthen economies, improve health outcomes, reduce instability, and reaffirm the best of what America can represent to the world.
That would be a worthy expression of American leadership in its next century.
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization and does not take institutional positions. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
