I was a policy debater in high school, with aspirations of working on the Hill or becoming an academic. I loved politics because it was real—the issues I was debating were playing out in courts and Capitol buildings—with the power to shape the lives of millions. I didn’t pursue the politics path, obviously. I became a food writer, but that notion of making change always nagged at me. On the surface, food can feel frivolous. Who cares about the secret to perfect focaccia when Black people are killed by the police for simply existing?

But food is one of the most tangible representations of many major political challenges in our lifetime—immigration, labor, healthcare, racism, the environment—and it can be a powerful, accessible vehicle for spurring policy change. If you care about food at all, the most important thing that you can do is vote. Voting actively shapes what the restaurant industry will look like. It can influence whether a server can make a living wage, whether a farm worker will live in fear of deportation, whether a restaurant kitchen will be powered by renewable energy. These factors, in turn, influence you: Will your favorite neighborhood spot still be around if it can’t get a rent break? How will your grocery store get tomatoes if crops are wiped out due to climate change?

This series, which we'll update weekly until Election Day, is meant to shine a light not just on the issues at stake in this election, as covered in this powerful editorial by Morris Ramen chef-owner Francesca Hong. But it's also highlighting the inspiring restaurant industry members who are involved, whether that’s Jezabel Careaga of Jezabel’s in Philadelphia, who is advocating for better access to mental healthcare, or Pinky Cole, who is using the success of her Atlanta restaurant Slutty Vegan ATL to provide jobs, educate voters, and care for her community.

The pandemic and its devastating impact on restaurants have made all these issues more pressing—and your vote more important. Alongside each story, we’ve included specific ways to support the issue at stake. We hope you’ll find information and inspiration to get involved in the ways that matter most to you, now and beyond this election. –Priya Krishna