Taylor Kiefer is a non-traditional graduate student in the Anthropology program of peace and human rights. Her passion for culture was stimulated by living in the socioeconomically and historically diverse city of New Orleans in her 20s and she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of New Orleans in 2020. New Orleans, while one of the most culturally unique places in the world due to the varied multicultural influences that have shaped the city, suffers from many systemic issues that impact quality of life. She has experienced many of these issues while working in the hospitality industry for most of her career and is passionate about expanding the framework for the intersection of food, environment, and health rights. Taylor plans to do her thesis at the local farmer's market with an emphasis on highlighting stakeholder voices. She also has a passion for archaeology and connecting the past material record with current anthropological perspectives. In her spare time, she can be found cuddling with her pups, reading a book, and eating something sugary!