Leaning Into Healing & Food Justice
THIS IS PART OF AUGUST’S “OUR PUBLIC MEMORY” EMOTIONAL PIES PRACTICE ON SHARING OUR STORIES. IF YOU MISSED THIS NEWSLETTER, READ IT HERE.
By: Rebekah Williams, Co-Founder of Food for the Spirit based in Buffalo, NY
There are many healing practices that center on food. But sharing foods and recipes that have personal, cultural relevance, and sharing our stories and histories around those foods and recipes is one practice that can help heal communities.
Food feeds us in more ways than simply filling our stomachs. Eating certain foods can conjure memories of family or moments past. People can come together to share foods and stories from their collective pasts, inviting others to get to know them through those foods and the memories and experiences surrounding meals where those foods were enjoyed.
In the acts of sharing, receiving, listening, and eating together, we can encourage people to lean into new experiences or cultures that may have otherwise been outside of their comfort zones.
In these ways, sharing food offers opportunities for growth and learning about people and cultures that are different than ours.
In these ways, we can bring about collective understanding and encourage community healing through food.