The Language of Food - Nyx Owens

Food has been used to build community for centuries. From that first Thanksgiving meal to the CAPA lunchroom, food is the universal language of togetherness and unity. Families are brought together, cultures are acknowledged and explored, and community is built. 

Throughout the entirety of human history, we’ve passed down traditions, stories, and memories via food. The home cooked meal that the whole family eats on Sunday, the nasty school lunch that we somehow find a way to enjoy, and more. Seeing as the human body cannot live without it, society has found a way to make it meaningful. 

On October 2nd, 2024, Snyder Avenue Congregational Church (SACC Philly), had their annual World Communion Sunday. They came together to have one conjoined service with all 7 congregations (Swahili, American, Nepali, Karen, Hispanic, etc.). They worshiped in their native tongues, and friendships were formed through the simple 90 minute service. Afterwards, all 150-or-so of them went to the church’s basement to enjoy a meal. Every congregation brought food. There were egg rolls, fried rice, fufu, collard greens, and peanut butter chicken. Every culture came together to make a multi-continental meal that everyone could enjoy. When eating, the congregations sat together, and new relationships were formed. Children ran around together, parents shared stories, and new friends were introduced. It was a simple, yet beautiful, display of community. 

That’s only one example of how food can be used as a tool to bring people together. If you’ve been around Philly, you might have seen the food pantries on the street. Most prominent in Southwest, you’ll see that people put food into those small, beautifully decorated boxes, for others to enjoy. From canned tuna to potato chips, strangers find a way to make connections with other strangers by giving them food. You don’t need to look the person in the eye to make a connection. 

Soup kitchens are also a prime example of community through food. The people who give up their time to serve the hungry in their community make connections with those hungry people they’re serving. Stories are passed around the table like a basket of bread, and everyone gets their fair share. 

Food, a fundamental, yet basic thing, can be used in so many ways. The best way to use it, in my opinion, is to make connections with people you never considered before. Everyone needs community, and everyone needs food. Why not put them together?