Food Desert Rhetorical Analysis

Many in the U.S., today, try to eat well,balanced, meals to order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They do so by purchasing their food at farmers markets or making their own meals, so their food isn’t processed or genetically modified. Even though people are trying to maintain health in order to live long lives, without medical complications, many don’t have the opportunity to pursue life like this. In “Research shows food deserts more abundant in minority neighborhoods,” the author, Kelly Brooks, portrays an anecdote and logical reasoning, from Kelly Bower’s research, to thoroughly describe the food deserts in poor minority neighborhoods and how this issue needs to be repaired.

Brooks presents Bower’s anecdote in order to convey the

audience that the issue of food deserts in black communities needs to be addressed and taken care of. In her piece she states how Brower is sadly reminded of how she used to work as a public health nurse. During her time as a public health nurse many young African American women came into the clinic with various health complications. Brooks’ states, “ ‘These women were obese, with diabetes or hypertension at really young ages, in their 30s," says Bower, who noticed that the women lived in unsafe neighborhoods, often with no parks, gyms, or supermarkets, where the convenience stores sold junk food.’” By looking back on her personal experiences Bower convinces the audience that food deserts in undeveloped communities are a serious issue. In other words, adding Bower’s anecdote made readers feel sympathetic towards this problem. When reading the anecdote it made the audience want to take action. People should and will take action; eventually. It’s absurd that deprived communities don’t even have local grocery stores within miles of them. If privileged caucasians didn’t have have groceries stores in sight then conflict would break loose. People don’t see minorities complaining what’s within their communities. That’s why so many are ignorant as to what is happening.

Brooks continues to inform the audience as to what’s happening in these poor neighborhoods.

Not only does she do so, but she incorporates logical reasoning in her piece as to how minorities in less fortunate neighborhoods can adjust their ways of living. For instance, Brooks states how Brower details what doctors should tell their patients; that live in these underdeveloped areas.As stated in the article,”[f]irst, she says, health care providers should not only talk with patients about what to eat but also recommend sources for healthy food in their neighborhoods.” Meaning that, if doctors simply advised their patients what and where to eat, that would substantially improve their lives.Since, they don’t have the option nor opportunity to eat clean they might as well get advice from their health givers, until healthy food becomes more present. Another example Brooks states,from Bower, to improve the lives of many is ordering healthy-related food online. Specifically, when the author states, “[i]n Baltimore, for example, the city has created a system for food desert residents to order food online.” In other words, if the people have access to internet they’re able to order healthy groceries online. Besides consuming the processed junk that’s available to them at the only stores they have; convenience stores. Minorities need to be informed that the,little to none, resources they have are available. Such as using the professional advice from their doctors and the internet,

until grocery stores become more abundant within their communities.

It’s quite depressing and heartbreaking knowing minorities don’t have the opportunities that others do with even the slightest factors such as food. The smallest aspects that people take for granted in life, mean the world to others. As well as their lives.Hopefully, food deserts will be brought to serious attention, as it should be, and this conflict will be resolved. It’s a shame knowing people are developing serious health conditions at such young ages. Such as type two diabetes at the ages of thirty. Young lives are being thrown away due to a factor that is faceable and changeable.