Culture
When Tech Makes Food Insecurity Worse
Two UX designers are making art based on a shared frustration: Government tech ideas that don’t incorporate people into the process.
Two years ago, families that were relying on food assistance in Washington, D.C., faced a sudden crisis. After the city’s local health department transitioned to a new computer system for processing applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, thousands of households lost their benefits due to a glitch. Along with a food nonprofit, several people who were affected filed a lawsuit in federal court over these delays and cancelations.
That suit is still ongoing before a federal court. But a pair of designers have already memorialized the case with a contemporary art piece in a food pantry slated for demolition.