How do you celebrate your culture?

Last semester, hundreds of students poured into the HUB Social Hall to explore possible answers to this question. This semester they did the same at the International Potluck on Monday, Feb. 20 when students were invited to celebrate the connection between food and culture. 

Over buffet style tables of entrees, desserts and drinks, the community was encouraged to celebrate the food they put in their bodies. Former starring dishes include heaping plates of kimchi fried rice, grape leaves, moroccan stew, dumplings and milk tea. 

The theme of the International Potluck was “Food for the Soul,” focusing on how “certain foods evoke special meaning in our hearts” as explained by the International Potluck Committee. They ask attendees to come with an open mind as they ask questions such as “What foods deeply touch you? How do you love your body and your soul through food?”

Berg stresses that this is an RSVP-only event. Organizers of the potluck must have a head count ahead of time in order to fully prepare for the evening. In turn, she says that there will be plenty of “Good food… really, really good food.” 

The International Potluck was created to celebrate the Dickinson community’s diverse cultural background. The organizers invite students and faculty to share a meal with people they may not otherwise get the chance to connect with. Liz Berg of the Dickinson Christian Fellowship is a faculty organizer of the International Potluck. The Potluck began in 2015 under Dickinson Christian Fellowship and what was formerly W.I.N.D (We Introduce Nations at Dickinson) with the goal of creating a “space for international students to feel welcome and celebrated in our campus community.” Berg explained that the evening is “not just about the event, it’s about raising the issue of more needing to be done to welcome international students to the community.”

Cody Nielsen, Director of the Center for Spirituality and Social Justice, pioneers efforts focused on religious equity and inclusivity on campus. Nielsen says, “the International Potluck is a showcase of culture and identity. Religious, secular and spiritual identities are an intricate part of people’s identities, and we are proud as a Center to be a major sponsor and supporter of this important event. Culture and religion are not one in the same for everyone, but in some communities, they are inseparable.”

The International Potluck is an event sponsored and organized by the Women’s and Gender Resource Center, Dickinson InterVarsity and the Dickinson Center for Spirituality and Social Justice. This semester, it is held in conjunction with Love Your Body Week, an annual event celebrating body positivity put on by the Women’s and Gender Resource Center.