HIP #3: Alternative Spring Break 2023

Description

Alternative Break experiences are justice-centered, student-led, immersive multi-day service and learning project that explore and address root causes of important social issues. Typically, Alternative Breaks consist of education, service, and activities relevant to the theme of that break. Alternative Breaks work closely with relevant organizations to create meaningful, reciprocal service and education for students and the community.

The Alternative Spring Break 2023 focused on the themes of "Hunger & Food Sovereignty". This educational experience took place in Portland, Oregon, from March 6-10. We were a total of 10 people, of which 8 were students and one was a student leader.

Reflection

I was born and raised in Lima, I spent my first 4 years living in the house of my paternal grandparents, both are native Peruvians (Quechuas). My grandparents cared that my sister and I learned about the Quecha culture, they taught us about the great foods that are grown in the Andes of Peru in the most natural and sustainable ways they know, with traditional methods that honor and respect the land. In addition, every year we would go to the north of Peru to visit our maternal grandfather, he is a rice farmer, in the city of Ferreñafe, and to this day he and his team continue to sow rice in the traditional way.

These experiences were important in my life, they helped me understand the importance of food not only in a superficial way but in everything it represents. Their teachings were the basis for my interest and learning with the topics related to it. My experience at Alternative Spring Break, on the Hunger & Food Sovereignty theme, was invaluable to me. It helped me open my mind, acquire knowledge through experience, and it certainly contributed to my personal growth.

I learned a lot from the activities we had on the itinerary. The organizations and centers that we visited provided us with information based on their knowledge and close experiences on the subject. I learned that there are stigmas around homelessness, food, and hunger that have been around for a long time.

Usually when talking about homelessness, it is assumed that it was the people who decided that, when in truth it happens that the circumstances are different for each person, there is no exact pattern or characteristic that leads a person to end up in a certain circumstance or not. I learned that each person had a different story, some drag the decisions that their parents or close ones made, others did not have the best parenting circumstances, probably dysfunctional homes, trauma for generations, lack of guidance, bad companies, etc. There are many factors that lead people to live in these situations, but many times it is taken for granted that a person chose that life, that they chose to be homeless or go hungry, it is a belief that has been held for years and it is a stigma that continues present and the necessary importance is not taken to educate on these issues and try to understand them thoroughly. The presence and spread of these stigmas prevent more people from offering any help in this regard.

In the same way, there are certain beliefs regarding hunger and food. In Urban Gleaners I learned about the existence of the stigma regarding the expiration date of food. They explained to us how common it was for many people to discard food that had not been fully consumed and that, despite being in good condition, is discarded because it has reached its expiration date. Likewise, there is a large number of people who suffer from hunger, and even though around 55 million tons of food are thrown away each year in the United States, this great problem continues to exist. People are not educated or disseminated enough information about it, the necessary rules are not imposed or the plans that must be executed to reduce the percentage of hunger and food waste in the United States. There is no culture of education in this regard, it is not taught that: while there are people who are not sure if they will get the food they need for the day, there is another group that misuses food and ends up throwing it away for whatever reason, even for absurd reasons.

It worries me to think that every time there is no respect for anything, that consumerism prevails, making money and not worrying about caring for and respecting people and the land. It seeks to sell food in large quantities regardless of the fact that people will not get to consume it in its entirety before it spoils. They worry about continuing to create industries that generate money, regardless of whether this leads to the disappearance of green areas or that overproduction generates pollution to the environment, in addition to increasing waste.

To think that it is much easier for the stigma on the homeless to remain present for years, than for information to be shared that helps to understand the various causes of this, is worrying. The rapid spread of stigmas like these prevents more people from offering the help and support they need, even to the point of avoiding them at all costs, branding them as bad people and assuming that because they chose those circumstances they are capable of getting out of that situation on their own.

While it is complicated to eliminate problems like hunger and homelessness completely, I think that the fact that there are people who recognized these problems did research on them, ignored the prejudices surrounding these issues, and did something to help the people who need it, finding a way to help gradually reduce these problems, is worthy of admiration. People like them provide a support network to those in need, without expecting anything in return. Help comes from their hearts and they do it with the best intentions, always showing respect and empathy for people.

Organizations like Urban Gleaners, Blanchett House & Farm, and P:ear are on a mission to bring hot food to people in need. While Urban Gleaners provides food to elementary school children, it meets its goal of creating as little waste as possible. It accomplishes that purpose by sorting the plastics, separating the clean from the contaminated, and allowing leftover food to be useful and feed the pigs in Portland. In the case of Blanchett House & Farm, they also focus on providing support, hospitality, building a relationship of trust and, at the same time, respecting people's privacy. For them, everyone is welcome, and they always keep in mind to be kind to their guests, showing them a smile and making them feel comfortable.

P:ear focuses on the adolescent sector, and mainly seeks to generate bonds of trust through conversations, friendship, workshops, activities, etc. Adolescence is a difficult stage, it is usually confusing, it is even when it can be difficult to build bonds of trust with adults. It is assumed that young people “have nothing to complain about”, “have no problems”, “are just bored” or “don't know what to do”. Going through the stage of adolescence, and at the same time going through problems such as homelessness and hunger, without having a safe person to trust, must undoubtedly be one of the hardest things to face. That this organization exists, that truly cares about providing help and emotional support to young people, building bonds of trust, and doing their best to provide the best support they can, is incredible.

I was aware of the existence of problems such as hunger and homelessness, but seeing them up close, learning that different factors allow them to continue being present, and leaving aside the stigmas and prejudices that surround them, was undoubtedly what allowed me to be more empathetic and get out of the bubble in which she lived. I learned that there are problems in the world and that just because I don't experience them doesn't mean they aren't serious. I learned that helping and supporting from the heart can make a big difference in the lives of others, that even the “little” that we can give can be very significant for others, and that empathy is a quality that must always be present.

Likewise, the experience helped me connect even more with my roots and continue to value my culture and history. Learning about my origin, my roots have been fundamental in my process of self-knowledge, peace of mind, and self-love. I always valued the years that I lived with my paternal grandparents, because of the love I received from them because I learned about my origin and what Andean culture was, especially Quechua. We learn about it in schools in Peru, but not in the way that it helps us identify with it or that it's a part of us, those kinds of conversations sometimes happen at home. Growing up and meeting people, back then, who considered it a "shame", or that you should feel ashamed of, for having Andean roots, was one of the things that made me feel insecure for a long time.

Being able to learn about organizations like NAYA that care and have the mission of preserving the traditions of their culture, sharing about them and feeling proud of everything they are and represent was something that undoubtedly contributed to my personal growth. Starting to work on myself, learning about my background and loving it certainly helped me greatly. Experiences like these make us value who we are and mark a before and after in our personal stories.

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