Alison Cayne ’90, a Spence alumna and owner of Haven’s Kitchen, a recreational cooking school, cafe and event space in Manhattan, returned to the School to deliver the last Perspectives Plus of the year. Her talk, entitled “Food for Thought,” explored all aspects of the food system in the United States, from the soil it grows in, to the laborers who farm it, to its transportation across the country and world, and ultimately to its consumption. According to Cayne, America has established an unsustainable system. As an “accidental activist,” she encouraged awareness, mindfulness and thoughtfulness in an attempt to improve any or all parts of it.



“Our current food system is not working,” Cayne said. “At any point, we can try to make it better,” and by doing so the entire system would benefit. She cited examples such as toxins, water issues, pollution, the survival of local businesses, minimum wage versus living wage, and overall health and nutrition as important aspects of the system to consider. She also offered practical advice for individuals interested in helping to change these realities, including purchasing power (considering carefully where we choose to spend our money) and voting power.