3 questions with Diane Doherty of the Illinois Hunger Coalition
This Women’s History Month, we wanted to shine the spotlight on one advocate: Diane Doherty. Recent winner of Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)’s National Anti-Hunger Advocacy Award, Diane has served as Executive Director of the Illinois Hunger Commission for almost 20 years. Below she shared about what informs her advocacy, the importance of SNAP, and career advice that all advocates can learn from.
- On what informs her experience as an advocate for economic justice: Diane advocated to apply for a 23-year old woman who died of malnutrition in Illinois although rules surrounding signature prevented her from applying. “I think of this young woman as we push back against the proposed Administrative Rule Change on the SNAP waiver for the ABAWD 18–49 years old.”
- Why SNAP? And Why SNAP now? “...there is a major effort by the Administration and some members of Congress to cut the SNAP by billions of dollars over the next decade, in spite of the passage of the Farm Bill. Food and housing should be considered basic human rights.”
- Advice for advocates: “Lead with an agenda that focuses on fighting hard and working collaboratively to end racial inequality and income inequity.”
Learn more about her work at the Illinois Hunger Coalition here.
