Episode 6

Food Apartheid: Breaking the Chains Between Health and Hunger with Dr. Kimberly N. Carr

Published on: 10th November, 2025

Dr. Kimberly N. Carr, interdisciplinary scholar and researcher, takes us deep into the realities of food apartheid, the structural inequities that create food deserts and food insecurity, particularly in communities of color. Unlike the term “food desert,” which suggests a natural phenomenon, Dr. Carr explains how these conditions are the product of policy decisions, disinvestment, and systemic racism.

We talk about the health consequences of limited access to nutritious food, from chronic disease to mental health, and how community led initiatives are challenging the status quo. Dr. Carr shares examples of grassroots success stories, the role of cultural relevance in nutrition programs, and why healthcare providers should care about what is on their patients’ plates. This episode connects the dots between public health, social justice, and economic opportunity and leaves listeners with a sense of both urgency and hope.

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Artwork by Jason Eisenberg 

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Music by Willie B the Ichiban Don

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Production / Engineering / Editing / by Gerson Sandoval

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Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-n-buford-phd-mph-55572a8b/

X: https://x.com/drkimberlycarr?lang=ar-x-fm

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About the Podcast

The AT Last Podcast
Sports medicine practitioners recognizing, addressing, and catalyzing change.
Sports medicine practitioners recognizing, addressing, and catalyzing change within their spheres of influence. Hosts Christopher Bates and Adam Cady focus on advancing health equity and DEIA in sports medicine, exploring how issues of race, representation, and systemic barriers shape the care and opportunities available to athletes and healthcare providers. Through candid conversations with leaders, practitioners, and changemakers, the podcast highlights both the challenges and the transformative possibilities of building a more just and inclusive future in sports medicine and beyond.
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About your hosts

Christopher Bates

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Christopher Bates is a proud family man and has passionately worked in sports medicine and human performance for over a decade. He is both a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), as well as a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach (RSCC). Bates' experiences and paradigms for excellence have led to the creation and establishment of several holistic sports medicine and athletic-performance skill development programs across all levels of athletics including Olympic, University, High School and youth.

Currently, Bates serves as the Sports Medicine Manager and Head Athletic Trainer for USA Water Polo’s Men’s Olympic team. Bates also directs the athletic-performance skill development for the team along with the team's dedicated strength and conditioning coach.

Adam Cady

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Adam C. Cady holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology/Athletic Training from California State University-Fullerton, and a Master of Health Science from Duke University. He is also a graduate of the sports medicine fellowship program at The Steadman Clinic, in Vail, Colorado. He currently works as a Physician Assistant at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, where he specializes in sports medicine.

His current passions/research interests include improving health equity in underserved communities and Functional Medicine.