Zoë Johnson joined Nebraska Extension on March 15 as the Food Systems and Access AmeriCorps VISTA member. During her service term she will be providing support to the Double Up Food Bucks program as it expands across the state. Zoë will also be identifying and implementing ways to enhance a digital media and communications outreach plan to improve the quality, reach, and sustainability of outreach and engagement around food access and foods systems during and after disasters. Zoë’s Extension project mentors are Vanessa Wielenga and Lisa Franzen-Castle.
Zoë is from Truckee, California. She is a University of Puget Sound graduate, and she studied International Political Economy, Hispanic International Studies, and Environmental Policy and Decision Making. During quarantine, Zoë’s hobbies have primarily included reading, writing, and learning to play the guitar and ukulele. She also enjoys hiking and rock climbing, and she hopes to find a climbing gym in Nebraska.
Zoë is interested in a career in the public sector or the nonprofit sector that allows her to promote international trade agreements that engages with and protects small subsistence farmers within and outside of the United States. Along with this, she desires to work on public policies that protect peoples’ rights to nutritional food and actively work towards eliminating nutrition and food deserts.
Learn about Zoë in her own words:
What drew you to national service and AmeriCorps VISTA?
“By far some of the most inspirational work that I have done has been my volunteer work and internships with different nonprofits focused on environmental sustainability and food security. I want to serve with AmeriCorps because it is an organization that would allow me to collaborate with an organization that focuses on bringing about social change to improve the quality of life for residents. I am excited to actively engage with community members and begin to understand some of the many issues which affect locals in their everyday lives. I would like to pursue a career working in food systems on both an international and local level, and I believe AmeriCorps provides a prime experience that would ready me for this goal.”
What are you looking forward to as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with Nebraska Extension?
“While eventually I would like to work in international food chains and policy, I think it is very important to work in a more hands-on manner within the emergency food networks here in the United States. I am looking forward to working directly with food supply chains and distribution in the state of Nebraska. I am excited to research more about and help with food security issues and have my work directly and positively impact my community in a tangible way. Mostly, I am excited to work alongside and collaborate with other individuals who are motivated to achieve the same goals I am and help the community while I am at it!”
Zoë’s email address is: zjohnson28@unl.edu Reach out to welcome her and say hi!
More information about Nebraska Extension’s partnership with AmeriCorps to tackle poverty can be found here: https://disaster.unl.edu/americorps-vista-program
More details at: https://disaster.unl.edu/americorps-vista-program