Roots Rising

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the expansion of the international fast-food industry in Africa? Research finding shows that the international fast-food industry has increased obesity rates on the continent and other diseases.   However,  these industries have the potential to reduce unemployment. The growth of the fast-food business in Africa is complex; it creates health challenges, but at the same time, it creates job opportunities.

Evidence shows the rise of the fast-food industry in Africa has been linked to an increase in obesity, weight gain, and non-communicable diseases-type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.  For example, research in South Africa found an association between the consumption of fast food and obesity and weight gain. In addition, the consumption of fast food and a sedentary lifestyle were linked to an increase in obesity and related diseases among individuals living in Kenya. Despite these factors, the international fast-food industry provides economic benefits.

The fast-food industry provides job opportunities in urban areas where other employment opportunities may be limited.  For example, in South Africa, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nando’s, and Spur employ tens of thousands of individuals in South Africa,  Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt. In addition, franchises provide workers with management and entrepreneurship skills. However, there remained challenges. Wages and salaries were low.  

To maximize benefits from this industry, international businessmen and the African Government officials can benefit from addressing business growth and health concerns. A strategy committed to combining the current menu with healthier diets,  such as veggie/vegan meals, increasing wages, and promoting entrepreneurship may mitigate these issues. 

By Roland McFadden, MA

Sources:

Elias C., Abraham A., et al. (2025). Prevalence of overweight/obesity and its association with

fast-food consumption among adolescents in Southern Ethiopia.

Godbharle S., et al. Al. (2024).  Processed food consumption and risk of non-communicable

Diseases (NCDs) in South Africa.

Modjadji P., et al. (2025).  Non-communicable disease burden and dietary correlates in South

Africa:  recent evidence.

Oniang’o R., et al. (2025). Africa’s contribution to global sustainable and healthy diets.

Frontiers in Nutrition (2025).

When poverty is treated as a crime instead of a public health issue, it pushes low-income Americans further into hardship—contributing to mass incarceration, housing instability, and social stigma. In his 2009 article “The Criminalization of Poverty,” Kaaryn Gustafson noted that not being able to pay fines is a strong predictor of a low-income person’s entry into the criminal justice system. Increasing financial strain, few coping resources, and limited social support often contribute to individuals committing minor offenses such as petty theft or trespassing. The American Action Forum reports that about 57 percent of incarcerated men and 72 percent of incarcerated women in the U.S. were living in poverty before their imprisonment.

Incarceration not only stops wages but also jeopardizes one’s housing. Many lose their homes while incarcerated, and relatives who remain behind may struggle to cover rent. In a study of individuals on probation, L. Jacobs found that housing insecurity was both common and a strong risk factor for recidivism. Public housing authorities and private landlords frequently refuse applicants with criminal records, forcing many ex‐offenders into shelters or onto the streets, and an unstable address makes finding work even harder.

Beyond these material barriers, a powerful but invisible blockade of social stigma keeps formerly incarcerated people in poverty. Employers often screen out candidates with past convictions. In a 2003 study, Devah Pager found that White applicants with a criminal record were only half as likely to receive a callback as those without one, and Black applicants with a record received almost none.

Tackling these problems demands policy changes. Eliminating criminal‐history questions from job applications can open doors to employment. Counseling, skills training, and mentorship programs help build resilience and counteract internalized stigma. Finally, guaranteeing stable housing and job opportunities for people reentering society not only reduces recidivism but also offers a genuine pathway out of poverty.

By Roland McFadden, MA

Source:

American Action Forum. “The Economic Effects of Welfare Reform.” 2023. Americanactonforum.org.

Gustafson, Kaaryn. Cheating Welfare: Public Assistance and the

Criminalization of Poverty: New York: New York University Press, 2011.

L. Jacob, The Changing Face of Public Assistance, 2022, Brookings Institution.

Devah Pager, “The Mark of a Criminal Record,” American Journal of Sociology (2003).How Poverty and Incarceration Shape Housing Instability

Should the descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States receive reparations for the historical injustice of slavery and the persistent racial discrimination they face today? I contend that the United States bears a moral duty to compensate those whose families suffered under slavery and its enduring legacy, much as it did for Japanese Americans interned during World War II. Economist William A. Darity of Duke University has argued that such reparations are essential to narrowing the racial wealth gap created by centuries of government-sanctioned discrimination.

A 2023 Federal Reserve report highlights a stark gap that remains between Black and White wealth accumulation. According to the report, the median wealth of white families is roughly six times greater than that of Black families. Between 2019 and 2022, although African American earnings rose, the disparity in net worth continued to grow. In 2022, the median household wealth for white families stood at about $285,000, compared to just $44,900 for African American households. This is not coincidental but the product of both historic and ongoing barriers to building intergenerational wealth.

Slavery lies at the heart of this gap. Enslaved people generated immense profits but were forbidden to own any of it. Slaveholders treated human beings as collateral, using them to secure loans, buy more land, and expand plantations. By the 1850s, the monetary value of enslaved people in the U.S. exceeded the combined worth of all railroads, factories, and banks. Cotton—picked entirely by forced labor—became the nation’s most lucrative export, enriching Southern planters, Northern textile mills, financiers, and European manufacturers alike.

Banks like JPMorgan Chase and Wachovia further profited by financing slave traders, accepting enslaved people as collateral, and collecting repayments when slaves were bought and sold. Insurance companies such as New York Life and Aetna underwrote voyages, reimbursing owners for enslaved lives lost or thrown overboard—as in the infamous 1781 Zong massacre, when insurers paid claims after 130 Africans were cast into the sea. These institutions funneled vast sums into the financial system, creating generational wealth for white Americans.

After emancipation, the advantages of slavery were largely preserved. White landowners retained vast estates, while freed Black people were systematically blocked from land ownership. Under the 1862 Homestead Act, millions of acres were granted to white settlers; formerly enslaved individuals were largely excluded. Over the following decades, Jim Crow laws at the state and local levels further entrenched white supremacy, denying African Americans equal economic, educational, and political opportunities well into the mid-20th century.

Despite these injustices, opposition to reparations remains strong. A 2002 poll found only 4 percent of white Americans supported monetary reparations, compared to 67 percent of African Americans. Critics often point to gaps in historical records as a barrier to identifying eligible recipients. Yet a wealth of sources—post-1870 U.S. Census data, Freedmen’s Bureau documents, plantation archives, church and cemetery registers—can help trace lineage back to those who were enslaved.

These records have already enabled many African Americans to document their ancestry. America has a moral responsibility, the same it has shown in redressing other historic wrongs, to provide reparations by helping to close the racial wealth gap that slavery and discrimination created and still perpetuate.

By Roland McFadden, MA

Sources:

Ray, R. & Perry, A. (2020). Why we need reparations for Black Americans. Brookings Institution.

Darity Jr., W., Craemer, T., Berry, D. R., & Francis, D. (2024). Black

Reparations in the United States, 2024: An Introduction, RSF, 10(2), 1-28.

Hair braiding evolved into a powerful tool of resistance against enslavement across the Americas. In her groundbreaking work “Freedom Braids” (2024), researcher Monique Duncan documents how enslaved women in Colombia encoded escape routes within intricate braiding patterns. The community of San Basilio became particularly known for cornrow designs that subtly mapped rivers, safe houses, and freedom paths—knowledge invisible to enslavers yet clear to those who understood the code.

These braiding traditions transcended mere communication. When enslavers deliberately separated tribal members to prevent rebellion, hairstyles became silent identifiers of ethnic origin and cultural belonging. Braiding sessions transformed into sacred gatherings where stories, songs, and ancestral wisdom flowed freely between generations. This embodiment of Ubuntu—the philosophy that “I am because we are”—strengthened community bonds even under brutal conditions.

The legacy continues today, with braiding practices throughout the Caribbean and United States standing as living symbols of African heritage, cultural resilience, and collective memory.

Reference:

Duncan, M. (2024). Freedom Braids. HarperCollins.

By Roland McFadden, MA

In many societies, the well-being of their youth determines the health of the community. This assertion applies to African American teenagers. How might African proverbs enrich the lives of African American youth and serve as a barrier against maladaptive behavior? These timeless sayings serve as vessels of ancestral wisdom, offering young people guidance through life’s challenges and triumphs.

Like ancient maps to hidden treasures, proverbs illuminate paths through complex dilemmas, revealing perspectives previously unseen. Their true power flows from their ability to transmit knowledge across generations, deepen understanding, and spark revelations. For example, “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” This African proverb suggests that love and belonging shape who we become.  According to Dr. Abraham Maslow in his book “Motivation and Personality,” love and belonging are critical psychological needs for healthy development. Supportive relationships are essential for professional growth and development. This specific African proverb supports  Dr. Abraham Maslow’s assertion.

Beyond wisdom, these proverbs strengthen identity. They weave teenagers into the fabric of their heritage, fostering pride and reinforcing bonds to family, community, and cultural roots. Through engaging with these sayings, young people develop critical thinking, respect, patience, and insight.

As bridges spanning past and present, African proverbs preserve traditions while guiding new generations toward their futures. The wisdom embedded in these sayings naturally cultivates critical thinking, patience, and respect—bridging past and present while preserving cultural legacy for generations to come. These factors can serve as a protective factor against maladaptive behavior.

Sources:

–The Book of African Proverbs, Gerd De Ley, 2020.

–African Proverbs for all Ages, Johnnetta Betsch Cole & Nelda Lateef, 2021.

By Roland McFadden, MA

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