food

food

African Heritage and Health Week features food traditions

African Heritage and Health Week features food traditions

, , , Library Resources
As Black History Month begins, African Heritage & Health Week focuses on food traditions from Africa which have enriched the world.  Championed by the nonprofit group Oldways, which educates on heritage-based diets from many world cultures, traditional African dishes and ingredients are highlighted, such as the use of millet, peanut stews, yucca root, and leafy greens.  While anyone can benefit from this cuisine, African Americans suffer disproportionately from health issues like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease which can be mitigated by a traditional diet. Oldways offers health studies, recipes, and food preparation guides on their website.  The Campus Library offers many valuable, vetted resources as well.  Several of our databases focus on African American issues, such as African-American History Online … Continued
Awareness and Action for Social Justice

Awareness and Action for Social Justice

, , , Frances Yates, Library Resources, outreach, Programs
Social justice is a concept of fairness between the individual and society. It can be explicit or implicit. It includes issues of economics (e.g., distribution of wealth), health (e.g., availability of affordable health care), educational opportunities, gender equality, freedom from persecution based on sexual orientation, and more. One may ask, “Well, what can I do to help alleviate social injustice? I’m only one person.” There are many individuals who have had positive impacts for societal change; perhaps some of them can be inspirational for one to take action in one’s own way. The library has a number of biography tools for you to use, such as Biography in Context, which offers biographical materials and essays on activists ranging from early … Continued
Breaking Bread

Breaking Bread

Matt Dilworth, Programs
Probably, if you are a college student, you’ve done some last-minute studying over a pizza. Maybe you’ve gone a week eating little more than Raman noodles because money was tight. Both of these are pretty common in ‘college culture’. Students have gotten together and learned and commiserated over these ‘college cuisine’ foods for generations. Food is a cornerstone of any culture – secular, regional, religious, or national. Not just the taste of the food – but also the social aspects of eating and enjoying time with each other. In experiencing other cultural traditions in sharing meals, we can learn and appreciate that culture in a way that mere words do not convey. The Den and the Diversity Committee are working … Continued