Abby Freeman

I learned that use by is the last recommended date for peak quality to use it, but it is not an expiration date (EXCEPT when it is on infant formula). Similarly to use by is sell by, - this is the last day for a store to have it on it's shelf because it can last for awhile longer after being sold. Best by is also speaking on quality - this is the last date the item will be of best flavor or quality, but it is not a flavor/ sell by date.

Knowing these differences empowers me to make better decisions regarding food waste. I feel like in the past, I thought they were all expiration dates and that bums me out. Although, I have always still been fairly loose with what I thought were "expiration dates" I now know I was never eating any expired food. This brings me a lot of comfort when it comes to purchasing food and will assure that I completely minimize food waste.

I made spam musubi with some of my fellow club members (Active Minds), and it turned out SO GOOD - better than in the restaurants I have bought it at. I saved a leftover pack of seaweed and a can of spam for shaping the spam musubis to make it again.

TW: talk of sexual violence.

I think that some of the most pressing issues for women, girls, and trans/nonbinary people in my community include exclusion from many spaces when it comes to making decisions. One huge example of a space is how we are seeing a massive lack of female representation on topics such as women and queer people's health in government and resulting from that a discontinuance in grants to topics including them. Another issue includes sexual assault, violence, fear, and public response when a woman comes forward with her story. And another issue specific to trans and nonbinary people are attempts at erasure toward their existence such as taking the T away in LGBTQ+ on government websites or calling it a "mental disorder." Another pressing issue that women are facing is a lack of reproductive health education.