Health

First Lady: US Experiencing Food ‘Culture Change’

Published

11 years ago

February 27, 2015

First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the annual Building a Healthier Future 2015 summit in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama said Thursday that the U.S. has undergone a “culture change” in the five years since she started raising awareness about childhood obesity. But as she celebrated achievements on multiple fronts, the first lady also warned that the progress that’s been made is “incredibly fragile.”

That’s because special interests “whose first priority is not our kids’ health” are “waiting for us to get complacent or bored and move on to the next trendy issue,” Mrs. Obama said at an annual health summit. She cited the fight over a recent child nutrition law as an example.

“Even today, some folks are still arguing that we just can’t afford to serve our kids healthy food, that it’s too expensive,” she said in a reference to Obama administration requirements that more fresh produce and whole grains be served in schools.

Many schools have adopted the standards but others contend they aren’t working and have lobbied Congress to weaken them. Schools must follow government nutrition rules if they accept federal reimbursements for free and reduced-price meals for low-income students.

A massive spending bill passed at the end of 2014 eased some requirements for serving whole grains and reducing sodium content in school meals. Republicans now in control of both houses of Congress are expected to try to relax additional requirements this year when the overall law governing child nutrition policy, including school lunches, comes up for renewal.

Advocates say the standards are important because many children eat most of their meals away from home.

“There are not enough voices talking about how, when we’re spending hundreds of billions of dollars treating obesity-related diseases, we can’t afford not to give our kids nutritious food,” Mrs. Obama said, urging advocates to “get in the game” like their opponents.

“We need to be out there every day tweeting, Instagramming, myth-busting. We need to use every tool at our disposal: social media, marketing and advertising, even some old-fashioned community organizing,” she said.

Patricia Montague, chief executive of the School Nutrition Association, said the administration has said the new rules would cost schools an additional $1.2 billion this year. At the same time, more than 1 million fewer students are choosing to eat lunch at school each day, she said, reducing revenue.

“We hope the first lady will speak up in support of SNA’s request for adequate funding for struggling school meal programs and flexibility to help school nutrition professionals plan healthy, appealing meals,” Montague said in a statement.

The School Nutrition Association is an industry-backed group that represents school and cafeteria workers and food companies that sell to schools. It is holding its annual legislative conference next week and its members plan to lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

In her remarks, the first lady said one measure of the past five years is that food companies, fast-food restaurants and convenience stores are “racing like never before” to make and sell more nutritious food. Schools are planting vegetable gardens and replacing pizza lunches with fresh produce and whole grains. Companies are rewarding employees for eating well and exercising, while she said it seems everyone is wearing a fitness bracelet.

“Five years ago all this stuff would have been considered cutting edge,” Mrs. Obama said. “But now, today, it’s our new norm.”

She also singled out the Georgetown women’s basketball team for giving away kale to the first 100 people who attended a recent home game.

“Now that definitely wasn’t happening five years ago,” the first lady joked.

Larry Soler, chief executive of the Partnership for a Healthier America, the conference sponsor, said that when the nonprofit organization started five years ago, he began by approaching companies and asking them to consider making more healthful products.

“Now, it’s more likely that companies are coming to us and saying, ‘Hey, we want to make these changes,'” Soler said in an interview. “Consumer demand is really now what’s driving these changes.”

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

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May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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California Launches Free Diaper Program for Newborns Statewide

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will launch a first-in-the-nation program providing free diapers to families with newborns, part of a broader effort to lower costs for parents and improve infant health outcomes.

The initiative, called Golden State Start, will provide 400 free diapers to every newborn delivered at participating California hospitals beginning this summer. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, a California-based nonprofit that distributes essential items to children in need nationwide.

State officials said hospitals participating in the program will give families the diapers when they are discharged after birth, helping parents leave with an immediate supply of newborn essentials.

“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life,” Newsom said in a statement. He said the program is part of California’s broader affordability efforts, which also include free school meals, universal preschool for four-year-olds and expanded after-school programs.

The announcement comes ahead of Mother’s Day and is tied to the administration’s broader CalRx initiative, which aims to reduce costs for essential products and medications. State officials said California is also exploring ways to lower diaper prices by challenging high costs from major brands.

The first year of the program will prioritize hospitals serving large numbers of Medi-Cal patients, with plans to expand to additional hospitals and birthing centers over time. Officials said the effort is intended to reduce financial pressure on low-income families and improve infant and maternal health by ensuring parents have access to clean diapers.

“California families deserve to feel supported during one of life’s more exciting, yet vulnerable transitions,” First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said in a statement. She said the program would allow parents to focus on caring for their newborns instead of worrying about basic supplies.

According to Baby2Baby, one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. The organization has distributed more than half a billion items to children over the past 15 years through partnerships with shelters, hospitals, foster care programs and schools.

State officials said Baby2Baby will oversee diaper purchasing, warehousing and distribution through its existing hospital and community partnerships across California.