Sarah Meade ’13 did a project during the spring semester that looked at literature detailing discrimination against Native American, African American, and Hispanic farmers.
Students and faculty in the Environmental Studies Department were surprised by what Meade learned. “Before I started this, I didn’t really think discrimination was occurring among farmers, but it’s definitely documented,” she said. Farmers in rural areas sometimes do not receive loans they are eligible for, receive them late, and usually get less information—often only in English— hindering their ability to start their own business or buy resources, such as seeds.
To expand upon the information in her literature review, Meade teamed up with Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, a postdoctoral fellow in Goucher’s Environmental Studies Department, through the Summer Science Research Program. To see the issues from both sides, the two traveled through the mid-Atlantic region, meeting with officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Refugee Resettlement, and with farmers, mostly Mexican, who were identified through a nonprofit called the Rural Coalition or who they met at farmers’ markets.
Now, near the end of her research, Meade is trying to understand themes they uncovered, what the findings say about the rapidly expanding population of Latino farmers, and what is needed for that community to succeed. The information will go toward Minkoff-Zern’s work on the subject.
The social justice aspects of agriculture and food fascinate Meade. “Food is something that has always been culturally significant to me,” she said. “I’ve always been very interested in knowing where my food comes from, who grows it, and what are the consequences and dynamics of that?”
A previous independent research project studying farm labor issues piqued Meade’s interest in minority farmers, who often don’t make minimum wage and for whom safe working conditions are often an afterthought. And, as a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, she’s passionate about Spanish language and culture. “I say it’s my minor for life,” she said. Her language skills have come in handy for transcribing interviews, a key part of her job.
It’s Meade’s first time doing research. “I’m the type of person who learns so much more by experiencing. I can read an article, but it doesn’t really stick, and I can’t clearly explain something until I’m in the field,” she said.
Meade said she’s learned multiple skills during her summer research—being organized and juggling logistics, but also being open-minded and knowledgeable about diverse backgrounds and knowing how to read situations to ask the right questions. “It’s useful for any job I want to do working with people.” She also gained publication experience, co-authoring with Minkoff-Zern on an article for Yes! magazine.
Meade is one of 23 students working with 15 faculty members during the 2013 Summer Science Research Program at Goucher. Undergrads work with professors on research in biology, chemistry, mathematics and computer science, physics, and psychology while living on campus and being paid a stipend.
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