Articles by Kerri Provost
I am an author, photographer, and budding gardener living in Hartford, Connecticut.
When one thinks of Connecticut, it’s likely that her perception is tainted by pop culture’s portrayal of it, which frequently conflates Fairfield County with all of the remaining areas of the state. Hartford — Connecticut’s capitol — is as far as one can get from the riches of New York City’s suburbs. Hartford has been ranked as the second poorest city in the United States, with nearly 44% of the city’s youth living below the poverty level (Hartford Food System). This concentrated area of poverty has all of the expected side effects — diabetes, obesity, and other preventable ailments. While it is easier to find a bag of potato chips than it is to purchase an apple, Hartford is not nearly the “food desert” that it is often described as by those whose healthful-eating imagination starts and ends with Whole Foods.
