We don’t talk enough about the alarming lack of Hispanic/Latinx foods in the Dining Commons. According to Mount Holyoke College’s enrollment data, in the fall of 2023 Hispanic/Latinx identifying students were the third biggest campus identity with 202 students, or 9.14% of the student body. Despite Hispanic and Latinx-identifying students being a solid percentage of the campus community, there is no dedicated dining station to serve them.
It’s a scenario that is all too common: You finish your meal in the Dining Commons and pick up your plates and cups. As soon as you enter the dish drop-off area, you are overcome with the thick and suffocating smell of who-knows-what. With a low droning sound, the conveyor belt rattles against tipped-over cups. The sides of the belt are splattered with sauce, milk, yogurt, coffee and sticky fluids; crumpled tea bags, pieces of food, stray forks and soggy napkins litter the space. Accidents happen, but this is a disaster on its own level.
On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, a small sign was put up in front of the swipe-in counter in the Dining Commons announcing that Gracious Dinner would start that night at 5 p.m. It was almost inconspicuous, and perhaps first-years and new transfer students paid it little attention. But word spread quickly among those who had experienced it before, and group chats flooded with plans to meet up for Mount Holyoke’s annual Friendsgiving-type celebration, complete with fall-themed decorations, special menu items like gyros, a berry bar, pumpkin pie and even a turkey-shaped bread display.
If Dining Services would like to continue using these names, I recommend that they do research into the cooking practices of these cultures in order to include cultural backgrounds in a respectful and inclusive manner. Refusing to do so does the opposite; it takes ownership of a less dominant culture without being mindful of their unique customs and practices.
Jane Kvederas discusses the fact that the new Dining Commons does not reliably serve enough plant-based protein options to provide enough sustainable nutrients for those with dietary restrictions. While the Dining Commons is doing a fine job overall providing for the dietary needs of students, there are improvements to be made in providing for vegan and vegetarian students, especially when it comes to protein.
