Jordan Smith

Jordan Smith is the Senior Policy Analyst for Anti-Hunger Initiatives at Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice (Hawaiʻi Appleseed), an organization that advocates for economic justice--for and with Hawai'i's people. In this role, Jordan advances policy and systems change that ensures all of Hawaiʻi's people, especially those most vulnerable and systemically marginalized, have sufficient resources to access healthy food. Through the development of impact-oriented, data-driven research and policy recommendations on food security issues informed by the people we serve, Jordan strives to improve health and decrease health disparities and social inequities. Jordan also facilitates the development and implementation of strategies to increase participation in nutrition programs and improve health through community engagement, research, public education, policy advocacy, and media engagement. 

The work of Hawaiʻi Appleseed is about people. Our core values of equity, courage, integrity, and collaboration, and putting Hawai'i's people first are at the center of our advocacy efforts. These efforts included elevating the voices of impacted communities, building relationships, centering equity, conducting quality research, and communicating for impact.  The issues Hawaiʻi Appleseed works on—housing, food, wages, state budget and taxation, and racial and indigenous equity—are important because they ensure people have access to shelter, sustenance, and the means to survive and thrive individually and collectively. Hawaiʻi Appleseed believes addressing these issues requires the knowledge and expertise of the people that have first-hand experience and live with the adverse consequences of our flawed systems. Hawaiʻi Appleseed is focused on doing more to integrate into our organization and our work the people affected by the issues we work on.