MaCaila Blankenship Advances Food Access and Nutrition Education Through Equity-Centered Public Health Practice in North Carolina

As a 2025 Pathways to Practice Scholar, MaCaila Blankenship completed her field placement with Carolina Farm Trust (opens in new window), a nonprofit working to strengthen regional food systems and expand access to healthy, affordable food in underserved communities across Mecklenburg County in North Carolina. Her internship focused on two connected public health priorities: improving senior nutrition education and helping the organization communicate its value and challenges to policymakers.

MaCaila was drawn to the placement because of her interest in “nutrition, food systems, and health equity,” and the experience gave her the opportunity to apply those interests in a real-world community setting. During her placement, she created culturally responsive nutrition infographics for older adults, developed facilitator lesson guides and survey tools, supported volunteer farm activities, and produced a policy-focused presentation for the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners (opens in new window).

One major part of her work centered on helping older adults better understand healthy eating in ways that felt accessible and relevant. She created two senior-focused nutrition infographics, “Eating the Rainbow” and “A Healthy Plate,” along with pre- and post-survey tools and facilitator guides that Carolina Farm Trust can continue using in future programs.

Her second major project focused on advocacy and organizational resilience. MaCaila developed a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation used by Carolina Farm Trust’s President and CEO to brief the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners during a period of financial uncertainty shaped by government shutdowns and budget cuts. The presentation highlighted construction updates, partnerships, revenue, and the broader challenges affecting the regional food system. Stakeholder feedback, she reported, showed that the presentation “improved policymakers’ knowledge of CFT’s mission, operational challenges, and resilience during a period of instability.”

MaCaila also created a systems-thinking graphic linking food insecurity with climate change, soil health, food access, and other social determinants of health. That approach strengthened decision-makers’ understanding of Carolina Farm Trust’s role in building a healthier and more resilient food system.

Reflecting on her experience, MaCaila says her placement, combined with hands-on work in program development and policy communication, helped deepen her commitment to public health leadership rooted in justice and community voice, as well as the importance of communication in public health practice. It also challenged her to think critically about her own assumptions.

“During this experience, I learned how crucial clear and accessible communication is for community education and policy advocacy…[and] the value of using simple language, culturally relevant examples, and visuals that connect with older adult learners. This placement strengthened my commitment to work on health equity, community involvement, and public health leadership, and also prompted me to examine my own biases, especially regarding assumptions about food access, cooking skills, and the cultural preferences of older adults. I now better understand the impact I want to have in my career and have a stronger foundation for roles in food systems, health systems, and policy-focused public health practice.”