In this class, my group—Natalie Gore, Judah Allen, Larry Alexander, Ayman, and I—had to connect food to our identity and culture. Each of us picked a dish that meant something to us, and we brought those ideas together to create our own original recipe. We ended up making steak and waffles with a side of grits.

For our World History project, we had to make a 5-minute video explaining the Columbian Exchange and its connection to the Age of Exploration. I talked about how the Columbian Exchange was the transfer of plants, animals, and goods between the Old and New Worlds, and how it started because of European exploration. I also explained the Triangular Slave Trade, described three important navigational tools, and highlighted two explorers and their impact. For the second part of the project, I introduced the dish I made—avocado toast—using only ingredients from the hemisphere I was assigned. I included video clips of gathering the ingredients, cooking, and the final product. This project helped me better understand how global exploration changed the way we eat and live today.