Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Monday 26 June 2017
Meal program bridges cultural divisions, 1 plate at a time

By NATALIE POMPILIO tain places in cities where
Associated Press people of different cultures
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — On and backgrounds unite
the menu, the flavor pro- without conflict. Reading
files seemed incongruous: Terminal Market — a bus-
Chinese dumplings, Italian- tling home to butchers and
style roast pork and a Mexi- fishmongers, sandwich
can chicken dish featuring stalls and Amish farmers —
an edible weed. was one of them.
But when dinner was “It’s a place of refuge and
served, the guests seated convergence, old and
and plates bearing foods young, black and white,
of three different cultures coming together and feel-
shared, it all made sense. ing good around issues of
The meal was part of food,” Anderson said. “It’s
“Breaking Bread; Breaking a place where people get
Barriers,” a yearlong pro- along even though we
gram that brings people know there are fault lines.
of different backgrounds It’s a beautiful thing. It’s in-
together for a meal featur- spiring.”
ing their cultural favorites, In this photo provided by Alex Styer, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, front left, samples a verdola- The program hosted one of
bridging differences one gas con pollo dish prepared by Cristina Martinez, front right, co-owner of the Mexican restaurant its most emotional dinners
plate at a time. El Compadre in Philadelphia, during a June 5, 2017, dinner at Reading Terminal Market in Phila- in January, Gupta said.
“People cooking and eat- delphia. It brought together Syr-
ing together happens Associated Press ian refugees and residents
every day, but it doesn’t The dinner consisted of Chi- shared details about the something you’re so proud deeply rooted in their
often happen across our nese dumplings with pork or cultural backgrounds of,” said Carol Wong, an northeastern Philadelphia
social boundaries,” said kale; verdolagas con pollo and favorite foods. In one educator of Chinese de- neighborhood. The Syr-
Anuj Gupta, general man- (verdolagas is an herb also grouping, the diners — of scent. ian contributions included
ager of Reading Terminal known as purslane that’s Irish, German, Polish, Mexi- Everyone agreed. falafel and hummus. The
Market, the historic and largely considered a weed can, Cambodian and “In Mexico, it’s all about American offerings were
sprawling indoor market by Americans); and roast- Italian descents — talked food,” said Ivette Com- blackened catfish and
and home to the program. ed pork rolled with spin- about a dumpling be-
“It’s an incredibly powerful ach, roasted peppers and ing a universal food, with
tool to cut through what- provolone cheese, the multiple cultures having
ever social barriers you Mummer contribution in a a version: pierogi, ravi-
want to erect.” nod to a popular Italian- oli, empanadas, kreplach.
Jews and Muslims have American dish served on The conversation flowed
shared Jewish apple cake New Year’s Day.Before the thanks to a facilitator from
and baklava as part of meal, Chef Alice Ye taught the Philadelphia Commis-
the program. Members of Mummer Jay Polakoff how sion on Human Relations.
the African-American and to make Chinese dump- In discussing the shared
Korean communities have lings as the other diners meal, Oscar Galvan, a
come together to com- watched. Someone noted mechanic who is native of
pare fried chicken recipes. that Polakoff’s seemed a Mexico, said he was tempt-
During the most recent little, well, misshapen. ed to put hot sauce on his
gathering, residents of the “It’s actually a hamentash- Italian pork dish.
city’s Chinese and Mexi- en,” Polakoff said, referring They also reflected on how In this photo provided by Alex Styer, Cristina Martinez, left, co-
can communities enjoyed to the tri-cornered confec- food related to friends and owner of the Mexican restaurant El Compadre in Philadelphia,
dinner with members of the tion associated with the family. teaches Carol Wong, center, and Wei Chen, right, how to press
Philadelphia Mummers As- Jewish holiday of Purim. “One of the neatest ways tortillas during a June 5, 2017, dinner at Reading Terminal Mar-
sociation, a 10,000-strong Gathered at tables, the to promote friendship is ket in Philadelphia.
civic association behind 40 community members to share your ethnic food, Associated Press
the city’s annual New pean, who moved to the collard greens.During the
Year’s Day parade. U.S. from Mexico six months meal, held a few days af-
For much of their history, ago. “They’re always feed- ter the announcement of
Mummers groups included ing you. It’s how they tell us President Donald Trump’s
only white men. Women they love us.” original travel ban that in-
weren’t allowed in the pa- “Breaking Bread; Break- cluded Syrian refugees,
rade until a few decades ing Barriers” was created the refugees shared sto-
ago. The tradition is also a with an $85,000 grant from ries of their lost homes and
family legacy, with many the nonprofit John S. and changed lives.
clubs based in southern James L Knight Foundation. At evening’s end, Gupta
Philadelphia. Gupta said he was inspired said, one of the refugees
While the 2017 parade was to seek the funding after — a woman in her 50s who
controversy-free, past pa- reading sociologist Elijah had been quiet during
rades were tainted by per- Anderson’s “The Cosmo- the meal — stood up and
formances dubbed racist politan Canopy/Race and shared her thoughts with
or culturally insensitive. The Civility in Everyday Life.” the help of an interpreter.
Mummers have tried to di- In this photo provided by Alex Styer, participants in a yearlong Anderson, who lives in “I thought this evening
versity, creating a division “Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers” program share a meal on Philadelphia and taught was just going to be about
in 2015 specifically for eth- June 5, 2017, at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. at the University of Pennsyl- food,” she said. “It turns out
nic groups. Associated Press vania, found there are cer- it was about unity.”q