Anne, John, Ben, Dale, Jennifer, and Michelle joined the Avila social work club for a poverty simulation - the Oxfam sponsored hunger banquet. Each participant is assigned a role, based on the proportion of folks in the real world. Anne, John and Dale were lucky enough to be middle class, while Jennifer, Ben, Michelle and I were assigned to the lower class. None of us was assigned to the elite class - though we noted that, in reality, EVERYONE of us belongs to that category if you look at those categories from a world-wide perspective. While the elite class was served a full meal, including fresh salad, meat, and bread, the middle class folks ate rice and beans. After both of those groups were served, a large pan of plain rice was put in the middle of the floor - where we lower classes were seated. We all served ourselves. It was kind of funny when Michelle asked Ben to get her the salt shaker from the table of the upper class - oops! that was a no-no and they were quickly put back in their place. Of course, the exercise serves to remind us of the real world situation in which a very few eat very well, while many others go hungry. Ben and I were going to hit the Subway after the exericse, but fortunately, at the end, we got to eat some of the rice and beans and salad that was leftover. I was happy to do so - as I was hungry - but, also, because I've thought more and more about food waste since our last class.
I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving - and when you are giving thanks, I'm sure that we will remember how great it is to have all this good food that others can not obtain.
 |
| Dale and John (Middle Class) ate rice and beans |
 |
| Michelle helps her self to plain unseasoned rice |
I was very hungry going into this activity so I was disappointed but then happy we did get to eat in the end. It really did help to show how people really live and how much poverty there is in the world. I thought it was a very powerful way to show this.
ReplyDeleteI wished the OxFam speakers would have done more of an activity with us to demonstrate the topic further but overall I was pleased with the banquet. As part of SSWA, I put a lot of time into this and it turned out great! I was afraid that people would be upset if they came into the activity hungry and then ending up being in the lower class group. Luckily, we had extra food leftover for everyone to have if they wanted. Although there wasn't much discussion, I felt that everyone left understanding what the goal of this simulation was meant to be. It also went great with our last week's topic, food waste.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I would have liked more discussion of the event and what people thought about, but it was still a good experience.
DeleteIt was surprising to go in and be separated by class. Then, eat what was given. I still ate my rice because I like rice anyway, but it was more important to show the others around me that I was thankful for what I was provided. People that are starving around the world would fight me for it. Being around 11 brothers and sisters was no joke when it came to dividing things up in a household. I was thankful for every little bit they shared with me. Many people are unaware of starvation. By showing people how to appreciate your food might make a difference. Michelle
ReplyDeleteI think they did a really good job showing what world hunger really looks like. I think that a lot of use take for granted the ability to just drive to a store or restaurant and get food almost anytime we want. I wasn't surprised at the division of classes, and wish more people were more aware. I would have like to seen though how this group is active on a local level, and not just an international level. It's important to reach out to others around the world, however I find it difficult to care for others when so many of our own are still in need.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Caughey